Sunday, August 22, 2010

About the Author - Edith Wharton:


Edith Newbold Jones was born on January 24, 1862 in New York City to wealthy parents George and Lucretia Jones. Edith had two brothers Frederic and Henry. The family resided in New York City until Edith was four, when the family moved to Europe. The Jones family spent the next few years traveling throughout Italy, Spain, Germany, and France. Edith took a special liking to France and throughout her life she would visit France periodically. When the family moved back to New York Edith continued her private studies. She learned to speak French and German and studied literature, philosophy, art, and science. Edith took to reading and writing, and she enjoyed writing poetry as well as short stories. Her first work, Fast and Loose, was published in 1877, and a collection of her poems, Verses, was published in 1878. Edith's first major novel, The House of Mirth, was published in 1905.

While the Jones family was traveling throughout out Europe Edith's father became ill, thinking France would cure him the family vacationed up there for awhile, however in 1882 George Jones died on the French Riviera. Three years later on April 29 Edith married a banker by the name of Edward Robbins Wharton. Overall their marriage was not a happy one and after discovered affairs (on both sides) the couple split in 1913.

Apart from novels Edith wrote about a great deal of different things. She was fascinated by gardens and she wrote books on the different types of European gardens and landscape. She also co-wrote The Decoration of Houses in 1897 which was an architectural book. And Edith enjoyed writing ghost stories. Some of her most popular ghost stories were Tales of Men and Ghosts, Here and Beyond, and Ghosts.

Edith Wharton is most famous for her novel Ethan Frome, published in 1911. This novel is very short in length, only about eighty eight pages, but Edith Wharton conveyed a lot in eighty eight pages. Ethan Frome remembered as a classic novel because of the unique plot line, the well developed characters, the descriptive writing, and the bitter twist at the end of the story.

In 1920 Edith's book The Age of Innocence was published. In 1921 Edith returned to America from her home in France to receive the acclaimed Pulitzer Prize for The Age of Innocence. Edith Wharton was the first woman ever to recieve the Pulitzer Prize for a fiction novel. This is quite an honor. In her life Edith Wharton composed 17 novels as well as several short stories and poems. Usually her work reflected her lifestyle in the upperclass society of New York City, however in some cases she took her writing in drastically different directions (for example Ethan Frome and Ghosts). In 193o Edith Wharton was elected into The American Academy of Arts and Letters. And in 1934 Edith's autobiography, A Backward Glance, was published.

On August 11, 1937 Edith Wharton died of a stroke at Pavillion Colombe, and was buried at Cimetiere des Gonards, in Versaille.


Work Cited

Merriman, C.D. "Edith Wharton - Biography and Works." The Literature Network: Online
Classic Literature, Poems, and Quotes. Essays and Summaries. Jalic Inc., 2007. Web. 23
Aug. 2010. http://www.online-literature.com/wharton/

Wharton, Edith. Ethan Frome. New York: Scribner, 1939. Print.

Ethan Frome - Reflection

I believe that the novel Ethan Frome, by Edith Wharton is considered to be a classic because of the tragic story line. I think that this book provokes readers to think, because there is that "what if..." factor. Ethan and Mattie's secret love is also cause for the book to be classified as a classic, readers love a good scandal. Edith Wharton was also very discriptive as a writer, and even though I thought the dialogue to be somewhat poorly written, she did an excellant job describing the bleak and dull surroundings of Starkfield as well as the beauty of the snow covered winter countryside. Edith Wharton was also very descriptive of the charachters in her story, and as a reader I felt like I got to know them. Also I believe that (unfortunatly) alot of people could quite possibly relate to this book. Ethan was extremely unhappy at home and his life was very repetative. I feel like some people could relate to the way he felt, and this could have made the story more appealing to readers. I think that the story line of Ethan Frome is unique, and the end kind of has a twist to it. Readers would want to read Ethan Frome because of the unique plot and they would recommend it other people because of the ending which has a bitter twist. The story of Ethan Frome continues to be a remembered classic because of the tragic story line, the passionate love of Mattie and Ethan, the descriptive way in which the story was written, the well developed charachters, the unique plot, and the plot twist at the end of the story.

Pages 81-88 (The End):

Ethan and Mattie took off, speeding down the dark hill, they raced toward the big elm tree and then they made impact. They pair lay spralled across the snow. It occurs to Ethan that he is not dead, and he looks round and finds Mattie. The pair lay spralled out on the ground. When they are found Mattie is taken to the Hale's house to recover and Ethan to the ministers house. When they can be moved they both return home to the Frome's house, where Zeena is their nurse.

The story returns to "present day" and teh narrarator enters Ethan's home and see's Mattie sitting in a comfy chair by the fire, she looks like she has serious spinal problems. Zeena is making dinner. The scene is very sad, and the narrarator feels uncomfortable. The next day he goes to Mrs. Hale's house and further inquires about the Frome household. Mrs. Hale tells him that it is a truely sad story. No one knows what ethan and Mattie were doing that night riding a sled in the dark when they were supposed to be at the train station. Ever since the accident Zeena has been caring for the both of them (and this is a tremendous sacrifice, because she never completely retained her health). Mrs. Hale confides in our narrarator that she believes it would have been better for Ethan and Mattie and had Mattie died in the accident, because her life is so pitiful. Mattie lost her love of life and since the accident has grown sour. But Mrs. Hale says nobody has suffered as much as Ethan.

Pages 78-81:


In an attempt to prolong their time together Mattie and Ethan find an old sled by the side of the road and they hop on and sled down a steep tricky hill, swerving to avoid the trees. When they walk up the hill together Ethan notes that this will be their last time walking together. Once at the top of the hill Ethan returns the sled to its rightful place. Mattie sneaks up behind him and surprises him with several goodbye kisses. They two are overcome with their greif at leaving each other, and they don't know what to do. Finally Mattie asks Ethan to take them down the hill again on the sled, only this time intentionally crash into a tree. She says if their both dead they can finally be together. Ethan is frightened by her crazy talk, but when he thinks back to his home and his wife and the life he has now, he becomes intrigued by Mattie offer.

Pages 76-78:


Ethan and Mattie continue their journey to the train station together. Ethan asks Mattie what she plans to do when she gets to Stamford, and how she will provide for herself. Mattie says that she will probably try and find work at a store, and hopefully be able to rent a living space above the store. Ethan tells Mattie he wishes that he could help, and he would do anything for her but he hasn't got the money or the means. After a moment of silence Mattie reveals the letter she found in Ethans study, it was addressed to Zeena. The night before Ethan had composed a letter to Zeena telling her that he was leaving, and she could have the house and farm and sell them, but he was leaving with Mattie. Ethan asked Mattie if she would have run away with him if he could have. She says she used to think about running away with him sometimes. This is the moment in the book where their guards are down and Mattie and Ethan are most open about their relationship.

Pages 73-76:


Ethan loads the sleigh and he and Mattie leave the old farm house together, however they are not headed directly to the train station. Ethan wishes to spend some more coveted time with Mattie, and so he drives through the countryside, and they travel through the forest until they get to Shadow Pond. Ethan and Mattie spent a happy evening together at Shadow Pond the previous summer at a church picnic. Mattie had lost her necklace and out of all the men looking for it Ethan had been the one to find it. This is one of his favorite moments with her, which he wishes to revisit with her by his side. This is one of Ethan and Mattie's last moments together, and they wish to make the most of it.

Pages 70-73:

Mattie is getting ready to leave, Ethan goes into her room to see if she needs help with her trunk. He finds Mattie sitting on her trunk sobbing. He goes to her and try's to soothe her. The two share their suspected last moments togetehr, and then Zeena calls them down to load the sleigh. After their last dinner together Ethan exclaims that he will be driving Mattie to the train station, and even though Zeena protest fervently, he puts his foot down and insists that he will be driving Mattie to the train station. After dinner Ethan goes about the farm completing his daily chores and thinking of Mattie and all the days they had spent together. He is dreading the ride to the train station later that evening, but is glad to be the one taking her. He hopes for just one last moment with her before she leaves.

Pages 63-70:

Ethan spends a long restless night in his study, trying to formulate a plan to leave Zeena and run off with Mattie. Ethan thinks that if he leaves Zeena the farm, she could simply sell it and then move in with her close relatives, and Mattie and he could head west together. But when the reality of his situation settles in Ethan realizes that it would be highly unlikey for someone (especially a woman of Zeena's health) to sell the farm. Zeena would most likely end up bankrupt or dead. And even if he was willing to take that chance, he was a poor man and couldn't afford to take both him and Mattie west, and support her. The next day Ethan hopes that Zeena may have reconsidered her hasty decision to send Mattie away, however no such luck. So, desperate, Ethan goes into Starkfield in an attempt to find his friend and client, Mr. Hale, and ask if he could pay his fifty dollars early, beacuse Zeena needs a new hired hand. But when Ethan run's into Mrs. Hale, she sympathizes with his situation, and tells him he has had a hard life, and she doesn't know how Zeena would survive without him. Her kind words stop Ethan in his tracks, and he determines that he can't go to his friend and ask for money under false pretenses, especially now knowing that they pity him.

Pages 52-63:


Zeena returns home from her visit to the new doctor in Bettsbridge. She goes right up to her bedroom without a word to anybody. When Ethan goes up to check on her, she tells him "I'm a great deal sicker than you think" (Ethan Frome 53). At this moment Ethan is torn between hoping that his wife really is more sick than he thought, so he could be rid of her, and between sympathising with her. He choses to show her compassion, and tells her to take it easy. Zeena then tells Ethan that she hired a girl to help out around the house, because Mattie just wasn't doing a good enough job. Ethan then becomes furious, and the two have a shouting match in their bedroom. When Ethan leaves Zeena and goes downstairs for dinner, he kisses Mattie an dtells her that he will never let her go. But when Zeena comes down for dinner she stumbles across her prized broken pickle bowl. Mattie fesses up that she got the bowl out to make the dinner table pretty last night, and Zeena is furious. After this Mattie stay is quite out of the question.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Pages 43-52:

Ethan tells Mattie he will go buy glue the next day to fix Zeena's treasured broken china dish. The rest of their evening together progresses from awkward and tense to calm and relaxing. Ethan finds himself wishing desperately that his life was always like this. Mattie confesses to Ethan her worries that Zeena doesn't like her. Ethan say's he believe's Zeena likes her just fine. When the two of them are sitting at the table together, Ethan makes a sudden move as if to grab for Mattie's hand; she quickly moves her hand off the table. I think this gesture shows the reader that even though they love each other they don't want to betray Zeena (especially Mattie). The next day Zeena returns from staying at her aunt's house, she goes straight upstairs, because she is feeling even worse.

Pages 28-43:

Ethan goes out to work on the farm early the following day, he thinks only of Mattie while he works. Then when Ethan returns to the house for a bit, he is shocked to see Zeena dressed in her best out-fit and with her bags all packed. Zeena explains that her pains have been getting worse, and she is going to stay with an aunt of her's out of town so that she can go and visit a new and respected doctor in the area. Ethan is overjoyed by the news of Zeena leaving town for the night, and basically holds the door open for her to walk out (however he does not even bother to drive her to the train station). All day while going about his daily business Ethan imagines the ideal night him and Mattie will share later that evening. After Ethan delivers his last load of lumber for the day he returns home, where Mattie has dinner ready, they enjoy a nice quiet meal until the cat knocks down one of Zeena's favorite china dishes and it breaks. Mattie is hysterical because the dish was a wedding preasent for Ethan and Zeena, and she knows she shouldn't have used it.

Pages 20-28:




Ethan waits for Mattie outside of the church building, but when he sees her talking with Denis Eady, he hides and grows more and more jelous as their conversations prgresses, and Denis offers Mattie a ride home. Mattie politely declines Denis's offer, and starts walking home by herslef, this is when Ethan comes out of hiding and he and Mattie walk home together. Ethan is glad that Mattie did not accept Denis Eady's offer of a ride home, but he is bothered by what his wife Zeena had told him, about Mattie possibly leaving them. So Ethan awkwardly asks Mattie if she was going to leave them, she says "Where would I go if I did?" and he is put at ease by this answer. When they return home they realize that the key that is usually left for them under the mat, by Zeena, was not there. They find this suspicious (because Zeena is not one to forget). Finally Zeena comes to the door and lets in. Zeena goes to head upstairs and calls Ethan. Ethan makes up an excuse to stay downstairs because he does not want Mattie to see him follow Zeena into their bedroom. During this part of the book Zeena begins to grow suspicious of Mattie and Ethan's relationship.

Pages 10-20:

The story goes back in time to when Ethan is a young man. The author describes the Starkfield of Ethan's youth, which is relatively the same as when the story began. It is winter, and Ethan trudges through the snow towards the church. He is going to pick up his wife's cousin Mattie, who is at a party. Mattie Silver came to live with the Frome's a year ago, because Zeena (Ethan's wife) is sickly, and requested that Mattie come live with them to help out around the house. It didn't take long for Ethan to fall in love with Mattie. She was young, beautiful, and lively. As Ethan waits to walk Mattie home, he reflects on how much they have in common, and all the reasons that he fell for her. He also grows jelous because Mattie is dancing at the party with a man named Denis Eady; and he begins to question whether his wife is becoming suspicious of Ethan Mattie.

Pages 1-10:


Starkfield is a small, dull, unanimated New England town. When the narrarator of the story recalls his first look at Ethan Frome, a lifelong native of Starkfield, the story begins. Upon first seeing Ethan the narrarator describes him as having a "careless powerful look" (Ethan Frome 3), he says "there was something bleak and unapproachable in his face, and he was so stiffened and grizzled that I took him for an old man" (Ethan Frome 3). These quotes help to give the reader a clear image to picture Ethan. The narrarator is curious about Ethan, and asks casually asks around town if anyone knows his history. As daily life proceeds the narrarator is soon in need of transportation to a local train station, and one of the locals says that Ethan would be happy to help for a low price. So Ethan chaufers the narrarator back and fourth from the train station. The two share very little conversation throughout the weeks as Ethan continues to drive the narrarator to and fro. One day there is a big snow storm, and the narrarator fears he will not be able to get to the train station, however Ethan hitches up his horse and, determined to fulfil his duty as chafeur, he rides ten miles on horseback to the narrator to the train station.

Friday, August 20, 2010

About the Author: Emily Bronte


Emily Jane Bronte was born on July 30, 1818 in Yorkshire England to Patrick and Maria Branwell Bronte. Mr. Bronte was a clergyman, and when he was offered a lifetime post as curate he moved his family of eight to Haworth. Haworth Yorkshire became the setting for many of Emily's poems as well as her famed (and only) novel Wuthering Heights. Emily Bronte was the second youngest child of six; Maria, Elizabeth, Charlotte, Patrick Branwell (simply referred to as Branwell), Emily, and Anne. When Emily was three years old her mother died of cancer, and their aunt Elizabeth (their mother's sister) came to raise the Bronte children. Shortly after their mother's death the four oldest girls were sent to bording school. However while at the Clergy Daughter's school at Cowan Bridge, Maria and Elizabeth contracted tuberculosis and died within months of each other. Charlotte and Emily returned home. While at home the children amused themselves by playing out on the moors, and playing with a collection of toy soldiers that their aunt had given them. These toy soldiers were a greta source of inspiration for the creative children, who came up with their own fantasy worlds and charachters to go along with it. Emily and Anne's fantasy world was called "Gondel" and it was the inspiration for many of Emily's poems.

The sisters were accomplished writers (especially for not having much education) and they frequently wrote stories to share with each other. The sisters had comprised a folder of poems which they had published under the false names of Currer (Charlotte), Ellis (Emily), and Acton (Anne) Bell (Bronte). The reason the girls chose false names (that sounded masculine) was because they feared that their literature would not be published if it was know that the authors were women. Soon the sisters had each written a novel. Charlotte was the author of Jane Erye, Emily of Wuthering Heights, and Anne of Agnes Grey. When Wutheirng Heights was first published in 1847 it was published under the name of Ellis Bell. The book however did not become popular until it's second publication in 1850, after Emily's death on December 19, 1848. During the second publication of Wuthering Heights, Charlotte Bronte went through and edited some of the novel, in an attept to make it easier for readers to comprehend. She also changed the name of the auther back to Emily Bronte, to give her sister the recognition she deserved.

Emily Bronte's life is shrouded in mystery, as some historians or experts would say. We don't know alot about her life. She wasn't a very open person, even to those who were closest to her. Her sister Charlotte reflected in a memoir "My sister Emily was not a person of demonstrative charachter nor one, on the recesses of whose mind and feelings even those nearest and dearest to her could, with impunity, intrude unlicensed". Emily Bronte lived a secluded, and some think dark life. She traveled very little, because when she did she gre wterribly homesick. She was never happier than when she was at home on the moors of Haworth.


Work Cited

Bronte, Emily J. Wuthering Heights; The World of Emily Bronte and Wutheirng Heights. T.C
Newby, 1847. Print

Merriman, C.D. "Emily Bronte - Biography and works." The Literature Network: Online Classic
Literature, Poems, and Quotes. Essays and Summaries. Jalic Inc., 2007. Web. 20 Aug. 2010
http://www.online-literature.com/bronte/

Wuthering Heights - Reflection

Wuthering Heights is my favorite book. It is also remembered throughout history as treasured classic. This is due to many reasons, for example the unique way it is written. Wuthering Heights is written from the perspective of a total stranger who happens to cross paths with some interesting charachters, when he inquires about these charachters to his servent, she tells him (in great detail) of Heathcliff and Catherine's complete history, right up to the end. I believe the way Wuthering Heights is written in second person, makes it more interesting, and because the story of Heathcliff's life is told like gossip, this makes it seem more realistic and therefore more relatable to readers. Wuthering Heights remains a classic also because of the many themes present in the story. There are the themes of jelousy, revenge, selfishness, true love conquoring all, and (of course) the darkside of human nature. All these themes combined together create a very rememberable story. The charachters also help to keep this book a classic. The charachters are so unique, and so well developed that you as the reader really feel connected to them as if they were people you knew all your life. Even the minor charachters are so well developed that you think of them as real people, and feel bad when something bad happens to them (which happens quite alot in this book). The book Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte, is considered to be one of the most classic novels in literature, and it will always continue to be a classic because of the unique style in which it it written, the story line, the themes, and the charachters.

Chapters 33-34 (The End):


Cathy and Hareton's relationship progresses. Cathy teaches Hareton read, and then spend the better part of thier days together. However when Cathy provokes Heathcliff one afternoon during dinner, he threatens to hit her, and she says if he [Heathcliff] hits her, then Hareton will hit him. She puts Hareton in an awkward situation, becaus ehe would not defy Heathcliff (his father figure) even to protect her. Later Cathy apologizes to Hareton, and promises not to speak ill of Heathcliff around him. Soon Heathcliff begins to act strange, he appears happy and excited. He disapears during nightime and comes back late the next morning. He also wants everyone to leave him alone. When Nelly asks him if he is sick he says know, and he can never make eye contact with anyone while he speaks, because he is to focused on something that is not there (he is seeing Catherine Earnshaw, her ghost or just a very realistic memory personified). Heathcliff is driven insane, and cannot sleep or eat. When Nelly ask him where he was the previous night he answers "Last night I was on the threshold of hell. To-day I am within sight of my heaven".
Heathcliff dies a few days later. He is buried on a small hill, next to Catheirne's grave. His tombstone simply reads "Heathcliff - 1802". There are three graves on the top of this small hill. Catherine Earnshaw Linton, and Edgar and Heathcliff are buried on either side of her. I love how the author describes their gravsites at the end of the story. It really shows the love triangle present in the story.
Also, there are superstitions in the story, that Heathcliff remains on earth as a ghost. And his ghost is usually seen by passersby accompanying a lady on the moors at night. I like this ending because it wraps the story, and the reader can believe (if they want) that finally, Catherine and Heathcliff get their happily ever after together.

Chapters 30-33:

Shortly after their marriage Linton dies. Cathy is not allowed to leave, and life at Wutheirng heights continues as glumy as ever. Mrs. Dean (Nelly) finishes telling Mr. Lockwood her story of Heathcliff's history. After hearing the story Mr. Lockwood finds Thrushcross Grange to be an eery place to reside, and so he travels up to Wuthering Heights to inform Mr. Heathcliff that he will leaving for London shortly, he will continue to rent Thrushcross Grange till the year is up, but he won't be living there. Nine months later Mr. Lockwood is traveling and finds himself in close proximity to the Grange, and instead of staying in an Inn, he returns home and has the servents prepare for his visit. However he is displeased to discover that Nelly has been removed to from the Grange, and currently is working up at Wuthering Heights. Mr. Lockwood decides to make a trip up to Wuthering Heights, to let Mr. Heathcliff know that he will pay the rest of his rent, and also to visit Mrs. Dean. Upon his arrival at Wuthering Heights Mr. Lockwood notices several strange differences. The house looks cheerier, the gate (which is usually locked) was open, and he's see's through a window that Cathy and Hareton are carrying on a civil conversation. When Mr. Lockwood finds Mrs. Dean she welcomes him inside. When he asks to see Heathcliff about paying his rent, she tells him he will need to talk with Cathy about that. Mr. Lockwood is puzzeled, and Mrs. Dean exclaims that he must not have heard, Mr. Heathcliff is dead. He died nearly three months previous. Mr. Lockwood is astonished and the two of them sit down and Nelly fills him in on everything that has happened within the last few months. Cathy and Hareton are engaged, Cathy owns Thrushcross Grange, and Heathcliff has died (and in a "most peculiar way" as she puts it).

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Chapters 26-30:


Edgar Linton is on his death bed. Cathy and Nelly are tending to his every need, but his illness is growing steadily worse. He does however consent to let Cathy and Linton visit each other (and Cathy begins to hope that her father would approve of their marriage). But during their next couple of meetings Linton has been acting very strange. He seems frightened, and appears to be growing weaker. When Cathy finally tells him she no longer wishes to see him if he is going to be so anti-social, he bursts into tears and a terrible tantrum, he begs her to stay, and eventually he coaxes her up to Wuthering Heights (where she has been forbidden to go). Once inside Heathcliff bolts all of the doors, and denies Cathy and Nelly leave. Heathcliff plans to force them to stay at Wuthering Heights until a preist can come by the house in the morning and marry Cathy and Linton. Cathy begs Heathcliff to let her go back home, she says her father will be miserable, and he is dying and he needs her. Heathcliff cruelly denies her this wish. He says he couldn't be happier that her father will be miserable. Cathy asks Heathcliff for some compassion, she says she does not hate him, and asks him if he has ever loved anybody? The irony at this part of the book gives me chills, because Heathcliff is overcome by the resemblence of Cathy and her mother, and he can't bring himself to look her in the eyes (because she has her mother's eyes). Finally, after Catherine and Linton were marriend, Cathy was able to escape from Wuthering Heights and she ran all the way home to Thrushcross Grange. Cathy was able to say a final goodbye to her father, who dies peacefully in his sleep. After the funeral Heathcliff came to the Grange to retrieve Cathy and bring her back to Wuthering Heights. Nelly was to stay at Thrushcross Grange because Mr. Heathcliff wanted to rent the building out to tennants. While Catherine is packing her things Heathcliff reveals a secret to Nelly, that the night Catherine Earnshaw Linton was burried, he went to the graveyard and was in the process of digging up her grave when suddenly he felt her pressance was with him. And ever since then, for eighteen years, he has felt as though Catherine has been just out of his reach. And the previous night he went to the graveyard and dug her up, she looked exactly the same. He pried one of the sides of her coffin loose, and gave the gravedigger orders that when he [Heathcliff] died, he was to have a special coffin made the same way, and to be slid in next to her.

Chapters 22-26:

Edgar Linton has come down with a pretty serious cold, and Cathy is highly distressed. She dreads the worst, and fears what will become of her if he dies. As Cathy and Nelly take a walk on the moors, discussing Mr. Linton's illness, they run into Heathcliff. Heathcliff guilt trips Cathy, telling her that Linton is dying of a broken heart because she has stopped answering his letters, and he believes she does not love him anymore. Heathcliff tells Cathy that Linton is dying, and she is the only one who can save him, all she has to do is come by the house and visit him or write again. But Nelly warns Cathy not to, and tells her that visiting Mr. Heathcliff's house would surely send her father to his grave. Cathy however grew scared for Linton, so her and Nelly set off to Wuthering Heights. When they arrived Cathy began to fuss all over Linton, giving him whatever he desired. Nelly did not like this, she saw that Linton was playing Cathy for attention.
Soon Nelly falls ill, and Cathy is frightened that she may lose her. Her feelings that she's kept bottled up inside make her reckless, and she begins to sneak off into the night to Wuthering Heights to visit Linton. Cathy and Linton's relationship pregresses, and the two begin to fall in love. However Hareton also develops feelings for Cathy, and attempts to impress her when he see hher, but she just scoffs at him, and soon Hareton drops his attempts and leaves the room whenever Cathy is there. Finally Nelly discovers that Cathy has been sneaking out, and promises not to scold her if she comes clean and tells the truth.
As time passes Edgar and Lintons health grow worse and worse, and Heathcliff rushes to try and unite Cathy and Linton before his son's much anticipated demise.

Chapters 19-22:

Isabella Heathcliff is dead, and her brother returns home to Thrushcross Grange with his nephew Linton. Cathy is delighted by the thought of having a playmate her own age, however Linton is not one for "playing". He is a poor sickly, petty, child; pale and lanky, and used to having his way with everything. Almost immediatly after Edgar and Linton return from London a servent from Wuthering Heights arrives at Thrushcross Grange, demanding that Linton pack his things directly, because his father is expecting him. Edgar has no power to deny Heathcliff his son, so Linton must pack his things and leave for Wuthering Heights. The story then fast-forwards three years, and Cathy is now 16. One day, when her father is out, Cathy persuades Nelly to go on an "expedition" with her out on the moors. While Cathy runs ahead in search of birds eggs, she stumbles across Mr. Heathcliff and Hareton. They persuade her to come back to Wuthering Heights for a rest, and she goes, despite Nelly's objections. There Cathy discovers that her long lost cousin Linton has been living within four miles this whole time! she is extatic, and can't wait to resume their relationship. However when she gets home and tells her father about it, Edgar forbids her to ever go near Wuthering heights again. Beacuse they cannot see each other Cathy and Linton keep up a relationship by sending letters to one another. Soon however their average letters become love letters. This is all a part Heathcliff's master plan (in fact he composes the majority of letters being sent to Cathy). Heathcliff wishes Cathy and Linton to be married, so that his son will be the successor of Edgar's poperty and money, and then his sickly son will die, leaving Heathcliff a sthe sole heir to Thrushcross Grange. However once Nelly discovers the love letters, she puts and end to it.

Chapters 17-19:

After Catherine's Funeral Isabella manages to escape from Wuthering heights, and she runs home to the Grange. Isabella tells Nelly about her horrific escape from Wuthering Heights and from Heathcliff. Shortly after Isabella moves to London where she delivers her only child, a son, who is christened Linton.
Nelly continues to tell Mr. Lockwood about her life at the Grange. She tells him about Catherine's daughter, who was named Catherine (but always reffered to as Cathy), and who was Nelly's sole responsability.
Catherine (Cathy) grew up a happy, pampered little girl. She lived a secluded life. Appart from here house the only othe rplace she was allowed was church. And when she went outside she was only allowed within a mile of home. As Cathy grew older she grew more and more curious about the world beyond Thrushcross Park. So one day she took her pony and rode out onto the moors. During this time Edgar is taking his nephew, Linton, into custody because Isabella is deathly sick.
As Cathy is riding out on the moors she encounters a young man. They talk and laugh, and Cathy follows the man back to his house. The young man is Hareton Earnshaw, and the house he leads Catherine Linton to, is Wuthering Heights.
Finally Nelly, who has been worried sick about Cathy, finds her and takes her back to Thrushcross Grange, after revealing to Cathy that Hareton is her cousin on her mother's side. This news does not sit well with Cathy, because she veiws Hareton as inferior to her, because he is basically a farm boy, a labor source, and certainly not someone respectable enough to be of blood relation to her.

Chapters 14-17:




Hetahcliff grows more and more worried about Catherine's illness, and he persudaes Nelly to let him see her. One day, when Edgar was at church, Nelly permits Heathcliff inside the house to see Catherine, however she is not strong enough, and so after their passionate farewells, Catherine Linton delivers her only child, Catherine Linton II, two months early. Then Catherine (senior) dies. Heathcliff is devastated by the news of her death, as is Edgar. After her death (and before the funeral) Catherine's body is kept in the drawing room, where Edgar spends his days, and Heathcliff spends his nights. Before Catherine's funeral, Heathcliff visits her body one last time. Catherine used to wear a locket which held a lock of Edgar's hair. Heathcliff empties the locket, and replaces it with a lock of his own hair. The next day Nelly discovers the disgarded strand of Edgar's hair, and she takes the two locks from Edgar and Heathcliff's heads, and twists them together and places them both in Catherine's locket. I like this part of the book because it is very symbolic of the love triangle preasent in this book.

Chapters 12-14:


After the big fight which ended with Heathcliff no longer welcome at Thrushcross Grange, and Catherine faking and illness in an attempt to punish those who love her, things took a turn for the (even) worse. Catherine shut herself up in her room, and was determined to starve herself, however soon her fake illness progressed into a full blown disease, which the doctor classified as "brain fever". Catherine had a fever, symptoms of delirum, and she suffered from serious homesickness.
While everyone at the Grange was occupied with taking care of Catherine, Isabella saw it as her opertunity to run away with Heathcliff. So Heathcliff and Isabella run off together and get married, however shortly after Isabella realizes she made a terrible mistake, she did not marry the man she thought she did. Isabella moved into Wuthering Heights, where she is treated horribley! Isabella writes to Nelly for help. But when Heathcliff discovers that Catherine is sick, he blames Edgar and tells Isabella that he will take make her suffer for what her brother has done. This puts Isabella in an even worse situation.

Chapters 10-12:


The story fast-forwards three years, Edgar and Catheirne have been happily married and living at Thrushcross Grange along with Nelly and Edgar's sister Isabella. Then one day, to everyones surprise, Heathcliff returns. No one knows what he has been up to for the past three years, but he has acquired a great deal of money and dresses like a gentleman, Catherine is delighted by Heathcliff's return, she is the only one. Heathcliff returned with his motives being to see Catherine again, and to settle his score with Hindley. Heathcliff runs Hindley practically bankrupt with gambling, and is slowing beginning to dismantle his house from the inside out, by taking charge of the servents and turning Hindley's son Hareton agaisnt his own father.
During all of Heathcliff's visits to the Grange Isabella Linton begins to fall in love with him, believing him to be sensative and sweet under his rough exterior. When Catherine discovers her sister-in-laws infatuation, she can't believe it, and harshly tries to set her straight by painting a very accurate, very dark picture of who Heathcliff really is.
Heathcliff decides to take advantage of Isabella's crush on him to get to her brothers money (Isabella's inheiritance) and to make Catherine jelous. When Heathcliff and Isabella kiss all hell breaks loose. Catherine is jelous and Edgar is infuriated; there is a huge fight resulting in Heathcliff being banned from Thrushcross Grange, and Catherine throwing a tempertantrum which causes her to blackout, and develop a fever and become delirious.

Chapters 8-10:


Hindley's only son Haretone Earnshaw is born, Hindley's wife Francis dies the following winter. This devastated Hindley and he turned to drinking and gambling to consume his sorrow. This makes life for everyone at Wuthering Heights very difficult. Hindley is abusive to everyone (even his son) and he even forbid Catherine and Heathcliff to see each other.
Catherine's and Edgar's relationship develops, and one day Edgar proposes to Catherine. She accepts him. Catherine is torn after accepting Edgar. She loves him because he is rich, handsome, young, and because he loves her. But in her heart she is convinced she made the worng decision, because she is in love with Heathcliff (for all the right reasons, not the materialistic ones). When Heathcliff discovers Catherine's engagement to Edgar, he leaves Wuthering Heights in the dead of night. When Catherine realizes he is gone she is devastated. Soon after Catherine and Edgar are married, and the two of them (plus Nelly) move into Thrushcross Grange. As the chapters unfold the deep complexity of the story line becomes evident.

Chapters 3-8:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHT96fTIyic

Nelly Dean begins telling Mr. Lockwood of Heathcliff's history, starting off with when Mr. Earnshaw found him on the streets of Liverpool, and brought him home to Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff was a young gipsy boy, thought to be about 7 years old. Catherine and Hindley, Mr. Earnshaw's biological childeren are thought to be 6 and 12. The childeren all grow up together. Catherine and Heathcliff form an everlasting bond of love and friendship, and together the two wreak havoc on Wuthering Heights and all of its inhabitants. However when Mr. Earnshaw dies, Hindley becomes the master of the house. Hindley has never liked Heathcliff, he was always jelous because Mr. Earnshaw liked Heathcliff more. So when Hindley becomes the man of the house, he punishes Heathcliff by making his life aliving hell.
One day when Catherine and Heathcliff were playing out on the moors a series of events leads them to meet Edgar and Isabella Linton, two spoiled rich kids (their own age) who live down at Thrushcross Grange. Catherine becomes close friends with Edgar and Isabella, and throughout a course of five weeks she is transformed from a peevish, wild, outspoken girl, to an elegant, ill-tempered lady. Heathcliff does not like these changes in Catherine, and he becomes jelous of the time she spends with Edgar and Isabella.
Throughout these chapters you can see the themes of revenge and jelousy begin to form, Hindley seekd revenge on Heathcliff, and Heathcliff plots to someday make Hindley pay for his cruelty. And Heathcliff grows jelous of Edgar, fearing Catherine will choose Edgar over him. The themes of revenge, jelousy, love, and the darkside of human nature and the foundation for this story.

Chapters 1-3:


The story of Wuthering Heights is narrarated by a young man named Mr. Lockwood. He has recently moved into a rented home known as Thrushcross Grange., owned by a Mr. Heathcliff of Wuthering Heights. Mr.s Lockwood decides to pay his landlord a visit and is surprised to discover how dark Mr. Heathcliff is, and how closed off his household is. Later when Mr. Lockwood has returned home, he inquires of his servent, Ellen Dean (Nelly for short), if she knows anything about his strange secluded landlord. Mrs. Dean, as it turns out, used to live and work at Wuthering Heights when Heathcliff was growing up, and she then procceeds to tell Mr. Lockwood all about Heathcliff's history, and so begins the story of Wuthering Heights.
Personally I love the way Wuthering Heights was written, with someone telling the narrarator the story from a second person perspective. I think this makes the story seem more realistic, it also makes the story more interesting because the reader is able to gain more insight into more of the characters.