Wuthering Heights Post #14: Symbolism

I saw reoccurring symbolism throughout the novel. Both of the symbols I saw represented either despair or sadness. Symbols are important because it is an easier way to represent something big in something smaller. Symbols are often overlooked, but I saw a few.

The first symbol is Wurthering Heights. The house represents darkness and despair. Heathcliff has had few up's and many down's in that house. It is the place that Heathcliff loved and lost. It is the place that he sees the ghost of his love, Catherine, as well. It is a place filled with the sad live and the angry revenge plots of Heathcliff. The servants even seem to wallow in its gloominess. Wuthering Heights is also characterized by the weather. It was rather windy at first. Then, the next time Lockwood returned, there was a horrible snowstorm. Therefore, Wuthering Heights represents despair and darkness.

Another symbol is the ghosts. The ghost of Catherine represents the lost love and sadness. Whenever the ghost is seen, Heathcliff is miserably saddened. The ghost also represents the end because death is the end. Heathcliff knows he will never be with Catherine until he dies. So this brings on more sadness as well. The ghosts in the novel often appear at times when people are uncomfortable and disappointed. The first time Catherine appeared, she grabbed Mr. Lockwood's arm when he was uncomfortable in the room. Heathcliff was disappointed before Catherine appeared because his revenge will not continue. The ghost definitely show up at inconvenient times! They obviously represent sadness, too!

Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2004. Print

Wurthering Heights Post #13: Rhetoric Devices Used

There are a few rhetoric devices used in the novel that were hard to find within the novel. Alliteration is used in some of chapters for a minimal effect in the story. In chapter two, Bronte uses alliteration to describe the snow falling: "the first feathery flakes of a snow-shower". The alliteration is used just to enhance the reading experience. Another use of alliteration I saw was in chapter seven: "fingers wonderfully whitened with doing nothing and staying indoors.". This was a small use of alliteration used to enhance reading once again.

Another rhetoric device used in the novel Wurthering Heights by Emily Bronte is personification. I found this part of a sentence in chapter twenty-seven: "every breath from the hills so full of life, that it seemed whoever respired it, though dying, might revive.". Hills cannot breath, so it is an example of personification. This was used to give the hills some personality. I only spotted this example of personification in the novel, although I am sure there were more.

I also saw one more rhetoric device used in the novel. A simile stood out to me in the eighteenth chapter: "after the first six months, she grew like a larch". This was used to tell the readers how she was growing.

Rhetoric devices are very important for an author to use to enhance the readers experience.

Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2004. Print.

Wurthering Heights Post #12: Author's Tone

An author has the authority to write with tone, an attitude. In the novel Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte uses few tones in the story. At first, Bronte seems to be dwelling in the story of lost love and wasted passion between Catherine and Heathcliff. It is rather dark and bitter in the beginning of the story. The author seems cynical. She is only focusing on the negative and bad things happening in the story. I did not like the first third of the novel because of the dark and edgy writing styles. It made me pity the doomed lovers and made me feel gloomy.

Towards the end of the novel, Bronte's tone seemed to become slighty more positive. She seemed to change view on the subject. She no longer seemed cynical and gloomy to the lost love and passion shared by the two lovers. Bronte's tone was sanguine! She looked at Heathcliff's soon death as a reunion between the lost hearts. The lost part was almost like a fresh start for Catherine and Heathcliff as they venture into the after life together. Also, the new married couple Catherine Linton and Hareton can share their love the way Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw never could.

Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2004. Print.

Wuthering Heights Post #11: Coflict and Climax

The conflict is the problem facing the Characters in the story. In Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, the conflict starts between Heathcliff and Catherine. They both love each other, but Catherine marries another man. Therefore, Heathcliff seeks revenge on those who tore the lovers apart. Thus, the conflict is made between Heathcliff and the ones who hurt him. The conflict is external because the main character is being effected by outside forces. The conflict is between Heathcliff and Hindley Earnshaw and Edgar Linton. Both of those men did not want Catherine to be with Heathcliff. Hindley made her learn different values when she hurt her ankle and was forced to stay inside. Linton, married her and ended Heathcliff's chances with being happy with her. Hence, Heathcliff seeks cruel revenge on the ones who tried to mess up his already hard life.

The climax is the highest point of action in a novel. I believe the climax was when Catherine died during birth. When she died, Heathcliff lost his reason for revenge, but he still seeked it. When she died the story became less determined by Heathcliff to get her back, and more determined to just make Edgar Linton and Hindley Earnshaw's lives miserable.

Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2004. Print.

Wuthering Heights Post #10: Minor Character Overviews

Edgar Linton is still major in the story, but he is not the main character. Linton marry Catherine because she values class more then true love. Linton is well manner and a gentlemen. He looks like a coward when he says he would be afraid of fighting Heathcliff due to their rivalry. However, Heathcliff still carries out his revenge on this character, but not through Linton's daughter, Catherine Linton.

Nelly starts as a servant for Mr. Lockwood. After Lockwood's ordeal at Wuthering Heights, he asks her about the past of the mysterious place and the inhabitants. She narrates a great deal of the story and tells Lockwood of the bitter romance of Heathcliff and Catherine. She grew up with them as a young servant, but seems to care for them the way she personally narrates the story.

Mr. Lockwood is the whole reason the story of Wuthering Heights is uncovered. He makes a visit to his landlord, Heathcliff, for a dinner. He ends up staying the night because of a bad snowstorm and stays in the Wuthering Heights household. The ghost of Catherine, Heathcliff's love, stirs him up and makes him ask Nelly the story of Wuthering Heights. He later returns to Wuthering Heights to wrap up the novel.

Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2004. Print.

Wuthering Heights Post #9: Main Character Overviews

The main character was Heathcliff. He lived in the gloomy house of Wuthering Heights. He was the landlord of Lockwood as well. He has dark eyes and dark skin like a "gypsy". He was adopted by Mr. Earnshaw and raised by him as well. He was in love with Catherine Earnshaw. Her brother Hindley did not like him very much. Hindley did not want Catherine to love Heathcliff. Therefore, he tried to keep them apart, and it worked. Heathcliff grew bitter as the they could not be together. Catherine married Linton and Heathcliff turned angry. He was so consumed by his emotions he sought revenge on all those who sabotaged his relationship with Catherine. He did not realize that getting revenge on all of those people did not help him live easier.

Catherine grew up with Heathcliff. They were inseparable when they were young, and they fell i love. However, Catherine injured her ankle one day, and had to stay inside while being taught things a proper lady should know. When she learned all these new rules to life, she sought a husband of higher class then Heathcliff. She married Edgar Linton. He was much more classier then Heathcliff in Catherine's eyes. She still loves Heathcliff and is rather emotional about it. She often seems torn between the two men she is conflicted with. Her short life come to an end when she gives birth to her daughter, Catherine Linton.

Wurthering Heights Post #8: Novel reflecting History

The novel Wurthering Heights by Emily Bronte reflects history rather accurately. In the time frame this book was written in, social class was very important. Who you married would determine your social status and other things. That is the reason that Catherine married Linton. She wanted to be accepted socially, so she married a wealthier and more respected man then Heathcliff. Heathcliff was lower class for a few reasons. He was an orphan, so he was not in complete relation to the Earnshaw, though most considered him to be. He was darker skinned. This was not completely approved of by others, so he was lower class to his peers. He was not properly educated in a few things. This lead to him being lower class as well. Catherine valued class so she did not marry Heathcliff though she loved him dearly.

There was more discrimination back then against women as well that was recognized by the author, as well. When Mr. Earnshaw died, Hindley inherited the estate because he was the oldest male child. When Hindley died, Heathcliff inherited it because women did not earn property in this time frame of the novel. They were not fit to earn it people thought. They also did not have the same education as men. They were taught manners and etiquette unlike men who learned school subjects.

Another social class issue was between servants and their boss. Heathcliff did not treat his staff in the best of ways. He grew very upset with Zillah at the start of the novel for not leading Mr. Lockwood to the right room. He treated her pretty badly. This was a small social issue not recognized too much in the novel.

Bronte, Emily. Wuthering Heights. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2004. Print.