Wuthering Heights

Concept/Vocabulary Analysis
Literary Text: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte Organizational Patterns Wuthering Heights is organized into thirty-four chapters, most of which are not overwhelmingly long. However, the chronological organization can be potentially quite confusing for students. They should understand when the narrator, Lockwood, is speaking about his experiences with present-day Heathcliff and when he is being told stories by the housekeeper about Heathcliffs past. It is possible to teach students about the frame story, in which a story is being to told to a character in a larger, more encompassing plot. The chronology and family relations can be confusing, so it might be beneficial for students to create some sort of timeline or family tree in order to keep things straight. Otherwise, there is potential for a lot of frustration, as some characters have the same names (more than one Catherine is found in the story) and some characters change names multiple times (Catherine Earnshaw, Catherine Heathcliff, Catherine Linton are all mentioned but are the same person). Central Question Emily Bronte delves into the changing and often tumultuous nature of human relationships. A question she may be presenting through the novel is How can love affect a person in a destructive way, and is there a way to overcome such a debilitating state? The imagery, setting, and characterization in the novel provide the perfect background for such a study in the darkness of human nature. Themes Unrequited love is one major theme of the novel. Readers of Wuthering Heights quickly observe that it is a love story, but by the end of the book realize that couples who appeared to be in love did not end up together. Catherine is courted by several young men during the book and while Heathcliff is the one she truly loves, he is the one she turns away. She feels less passionately, however, toward Edgar, whom she marries. The theme also continues in Heathcliffs daughter-in-law, as seen by Lockwood. He treats her poorly and she does not show daughterly love for him at all. The narrator goes so far as to describe her as a little witch, handsome but not at all happy (16). Read, BYU, 2009

Social class is also a theme discussed by Bronte. Heathcliff may be thought of as an indicator for how quickly social class can change and also how devastating it can be. An obvious example is when Catherine chooses Edgar as a husband over her other suitors (including Heathcliff) so that she can rise in her status among her neighbors. Heathcliff (and his future wellbeing, including his family) is virtually destroyed by her choice. However, he manages to manipulate the situation into such that he becomes the owner of Thrushcross Grange and while his class status is high, he is not truly happy. Another motif is that of nature, specifically nature vs. man. The countryside manor where the story takes place is almost its own character. Bronte writes consistently throughout the novel of the brush and heather-covered hills, and this is where much of the action takes place. Lockwood is nearly lost in a snowstorm trying to reach the house at the beginning of the novel. Later, Catherine is nearly overcome by grief when Heathcliff fails to return from an outing across the moors. Natures destruction, therefore, even plays a catalyst in the development of Catherines and Heathcliffs love story. In Heathcliffs mind, Wuthering Heights is inextricably tied in with Catherine. This leads him to extreme measures to become owner of the land, even after she is dead. Setting The setting of the story stays in one place: Wuthering Heights. Occasional scenes take us to Edgars and Catherines house, where Catherine rendezvous with Heathcliff in secret. Wuthering Heights is located in England in the moors, where land is for the most part uninhabited and where plant life has a hard time growing. Students may find it helpful to see pictures of the barren, dreary landscape in order to connect the feeling of the place with the dismal tone of the novel. Point of View As mentioned earlier, the point of view or narrator changes at various Read, BYU, 2009

times throughout the novel. This can be very difficult to understand so the students will need extra help in identifying the difference. The main narrator is Lockwood, a nave gentleman who is renting a room at Wuthering Heights from Heathcliff. However, he learns the story in part from a young maid and mainly from Ellen, who was Catherines nurse when she was young. The diversity of narrators not only gives a sense of distance from the story but also may make the reader question the validity of the facts that are given. This could be a great bridge into discussing narrator reliability. Imagery One of Brontes strong points in the novel is her use of imagery to create a vivid illustration of people and places. For example, on the first page Heathcliff is already characterized as a hardened figure and one to be feared, by Lockwoods describing his black eyes and how his fingers sheltered themselves, with a jealous resolution, still further in his waistcoat (3). Bronte uses imagery to emphasize the themes of unrequited love and the destructiveness of nature as she describes in detail the barren moors. The outdoors is almost never seen as pleasant, and this is due to the images of death and dryness that the reader finds in connection with the fields of Wuthering Heights. Characterization Heathcliff and Catherine share one of the most romantic love stories of all time, yet they do not ever get married and rarely show physical affection one towards another. One reason could be that the author intrigues the reader with the characters because of their mysterious behavior. Brontes characterization is effective in part because the reader never really understands any of the characters. Their actions seem irrational and yet the reader may sympathize with their need for attention and care from those they love. Heathcliff is continuously hard and darknatured, yet he shows his need for affection as he calls out to Catherines ghost in the night after Lockwood has a vision of her. In turn, Catherine is fickle in her desire for a suitor and cannot commit to Heathcliff, yet she never ceases to love him as she proves in their encounter at the end of the book. Both characters stubbornness and desire to be loved are traits that we may all understand and connect to.

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Affective Issues Related to the Work Because of Brontes masterful characterization we may feel disgusted with the actions of the characters of the book but we still see humanness in them with which we are connected. There is even something to be said for the illogical nature of their choices. Students, as teenagers in the upper high school years, dont always make choices of a logical nature. Many of them can relate to the need for love felt by Brontes characters, and some of them may have even gone to extreme or embarrassing measures as a result of that need. The issue of social class may seem a distant one when placed in the context of 19th century England. However, similar issues exist in America as far as a disparity between rich and poor, and can be seen on a more personal level with popular or non-popular students. Teachers may help students make these connections in order to bridge the reading of the novel to their personal lives. Vocabulary Issues The unusual language of the novel is a big reason why Wuthering Heights is classified as a higher reading level, such as that of 9th or 10th grade students. Bronte uses terms specific not only to the time period but also to British English, such as grouse (a pair of birds) and offald (disreputable, worthless). If it is possible, students should read a version of the book that has definitions of unusual words in an annotated form. However, if this is not available, the teacher should be prepared to allow students time to look up words in the dictionary or should be willing to help them find word meanings. On the other hand, Brontes use of imagery is incredible and her word choice offers ample opportunities for studies on descriptive writing. Background Knowledge To understand the unusual independence that Catherine exhibits and then her quick change to total dependency on a male suitor, students should know something about English culture in the 1800s. Women were not expected to find any sort of career. They merely needed to find a good husband. Such attitudes are drastically different from how Americans (and most modern societies) view romantic relationships. To get to the themes that Bronte intended in her novel, students must first get over the initial distaste for this way of life. Another aspect of British life during this time period is that of servants and how social class comes into play in human relationships. Heathcliff goes from being a pet and well-treated to being beaten and thrown around and forced to work as a servant. Read, BYU, 2009

Students may need help understanding why this would be so horrifying and yet a possible turn of events for this time period. Implications for Students of Diversity There are a couple of barriers that could prevent certain students from engaging fully with the text, such as a lack of background knowledge of the time period and the difficulty of the books vocabulary. However, these can overcome through some effort on the part of the teacher and the learners. Primarily, teachers must be aware that students need guidance in bridging the story to their personal lives. Class discussions on topics like prejudice because of social differences can spark interest in the students because they most likely know what it means or what its like to be picked on. They can then refer that schema to the story of Heathcliff and Catherine. A little more difficult is the question of students understanding the higher level vocabulary of the novel. Teachers must be flexible in class discussions and willing to explain what is going on in the story, as students may have read the text but missed the meaning because of strange vocabulary. Assessment should also be flexible in that students be tested over their understanding of themes and literary elements that they have learned during class, not just facts from the novel itself. In this way, students from a variety of backgrounds and learning abilities can gain from studying Wuthering Heights. Gender Issues Catherine breaks the mold for what many would see as the stereotypical 19th century woman: she is independent, strong-willed, and makes her will known to all those around her. Later in the novel her actions strongly reflect those that are expected of women in England of the time period, so teachers could discuss these gender roles with students and even connect the importance of the womens rights movement.

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Research Issues/Project Ideas Wuthering Heights Family Tree: To help students understand the relationships between different characters of the novel, assign a timeline. They are to choose 10 major events from the story (teacher may provide a list for them to choose from) and design a colorful, well-organized chronological timeline. Encourage creativity in the presentation. Play Adaptations: Students choose a passage from the story and work in groups to produce a theatrical version of what they are reading. They can use costumes and assign parts as they like. The only rules: the events must follow what happens in the book and the play must take place at a time period or location other than the actual novel. They should research the time period in which their production takes place to ensure accuracy of speech, culture, etc. Write Your Own Ending: Dont like how the novel ended? Students pick a point in the novel from which they can erase Brontes work and write what they think should have happened. The writing should imitate the original text as much as possible, while students can characterize the people from the novel any way they want. They will get an exercise in characterization and in using imagery similar to Bronte in her novel. Informational/Functional Texts Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, Introduction by Daphne Merkin This version of the book contains annotations that explain difficult vocabulary words. The introduction is also a helpful source for students who want to know more about Bronte. Wuthering Heights the film, 1939. Students will get an added dimension to their understanding of the novel as they see it enacted on screen. Teachers can show selected scenes to teach thematic elements or play the whole movie to help students get a grasp on plot elements and chronological sequence of events. http://www.online-literature.com/bronte/ A helpful website that contains biographical information on Emily Bronte. Can serve as a pre-reading activity by teaching students about setting, background knowledge, culture, etc.

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