Emily Brontës Wuthering Heights :: essays research papers

The Substantial Choices that Altered Many Destinations The Earnshaw's and the Linton's both made many substantial choices that arbitrated their egotistic and non-egotistic destinations. Throughout the course of Emily Bronte's novel, Wuthering Heights, one may have noted Hareton and Catherine’s ability to overcome their differences, unlike their parents. Bronte shows the differences between her two main couples through their upbringing, characteristics, and their abilities. The elder Earnshaw and Linton's childhoods are different than the childhoods of their children. The Earnshaws upbringing was done at Wuthering Heights by their father. Wuthering Heights was a dark, stormy place, filled with anger and rejection. Mr. Earnshaw spoils Healthciff and is distraught if anyone shunned him, even if it were his own children. Hindley is the best example; Mr. Earnshaw shipped him away to college so that he could give all of his attention to Healthcliff and Catherine. Although Mr. Earnshaw died Hindley came back and forbid Healthcliff to study. Which automatically degraded Healthcliff to a mere servant on the heights. Through this quote told by Nelly, " He drove him from their company to the servants, deprived him of the instructions of the curate, and insisted that he should labor outdoors instead."(38) Hindley pretty much gets total revenge on his father through punishing Healthcliff. Catherine spent five weeks with the Lintons at Thrushcross Grange, a happier home with loving parents and close family bonds. Its inhabitants, Edgar and Isabella, were brought up like royalty, so when Catherine arrived she was spoiled as well, "Isabella emptied a plateful of cakes into her lap and.. They dried and combed her beautiful hair, and gave her a pair of enormous slippers, and wheeled her to the fire."(42) This clearly made Catherine more aware of her social status and who she wanted to be. It also opened her eyes to the truth about her true love Healthcliff. If she were to marry a rich man she could save him from her brother Hindley and learn to love Edgar. As she clearly told Nelly from her selfishness in Chapter nine â€Å" Edgar must shake off his antipathy, and tolerate him... I can aid Healthcliff to rise, and place him out of my brother's power" This was normal for the time period, however, left Edgar whom truly loved Catherine with the no one to care for him. Edgar was a true man whose only bad trait was, loving Catherine. The children of these characters show stronger will power and the ability to overcome differences.