Notes 2/6

Chapters III-X
...We catch another glimpse of Heathcliff's past. He is crying out at the window, pleading with Cathy to come back (once more). Next, we learn much more about Heathcliff's childhood from Ellen Dean's story. Heathcliff is adopted by Mr. Earnshaw, and the family half-heartedly welcomes him. Hindley is extremely abusive to Heathcliff while Cathy becomes very attached to him. As they grow up, they face the loss of both mother and father. When Hindley returns from school, he has a wife and they are both abusive to Heathcliff. He is treated as a servant within his own "family." Cathy and Heathcliff continue to run wild, especially after Hindley's wife dies and he comes home drunk everyday. Even Hindley's own son, Hareton, is afraid of him.

Meanwhile, Cathy stays with the Lintons for awhile...and she comes back "a lady." Cathy thus befriends the Linton siblings, Edgar and Isabella. Heathcliff (jealous of the Lintons receiving Cathy's affections) does not care for Edgar--at all. The feeling is mutual, and their shared fondness for Cathy makes adds to their hatred for each other. Eventually, Edgar proposes to Cathy; she accepts, even though she knows it is the wrong decision. She says that she cannot marry Heathcliff because it would degrade her; and yet, she knows she loves him and that he is more of herself than she is. In other words, they are completely comfortable with each other, and Cathy can be herself when she is around Heathcliff. He knows her so well that she never has to explain herself, never has to be who she is not. She tells Nelly, "I am Heathcliff." Unfortunately, Heathcliff does not hear Cathy's profession of love, and he disappears into the night...After Cathy waits in the cold rain for Heathcliff to return, she gets sick. The Lintons nurse her back to health and the mother and father die. Cathy marries Edgar, and she and Nelly move to Thrushcross Grange. After three years of their marriage, Heathcliff returns. He visits the Grange, even though Edgar resents it. Surprisingly, Isabella becomes infatuated with Heathcliff. Cathy is completely against the match; she thinks Heathcliff would "devour" her.

Meanwhile, Nelly goes to visit Wuthering Heights. She finds Hareton to be a completely rugged little boy. He is raised by gamblers and alcoholics; Heathcliff teachers him to swear at his father and his father in turn beats him.

The DIRECTIONS your soul can take:
TG: society oriented; aristocratic virtue that is too narrow
WH: dark, depressing, dangerous; living in aristocratic vice
the moors: away from civilization and society; wild spirit


**Do we want a relationship with someone who is so completely like us?
Obviously, there are pros and cons to having such relationships...on the one hand, it could be a boring relationship, similar to talking to yourself all the time. In fact, it could go so far as to be suffocating. But still, there is something amazing about being with someone who is so like you that you are completely yourself when you are with that person.

**Good and bad are mixed in this novel; no person is completely good or completely bad. This results in moral ambiguity.