**********************************SERIOUSLY IMPORTANT************************** OKAY I MUST ADMIT I ONCE TRIED TO MAKE A BLOG ABOUT WHINING AND BOOKS BUT IT DIDN'T WORK DISREGARD THE NAME. IT'S LIKE MY OLD EMAIL FROM EIGHTH GRADE, AWKWARD AND EMBARRASSING. 1) Heathcliff sees a way to get Thrushcross Grange through Linton. I think Heathcliff kept Hareton around, because he remembered how alone he was before Mr. Earnshaw took him in. I also think that Heathcliff could use Hereton to take care of the estate. 2) I feel that Edgar would have put young Cathy in a world of hurt for talking to Linton. The letters really do show the love she has for Linton, but I really liked Nelly's strictness. She gave Cathy an ultimatum and stuck to it. Anyways, I thought it was in Cathy's best interest that Edgar was not given the love letters. -Ashley Binder
So far, do you think Mr. Lockwood and Nelly are trusted narrators? Do you believe everything Nelly says? Why is Cathy attracted to Linton? Do you think it's because Linton brings out Cathy's motherly instincts? -Ash
I do believe Nelly to be a fairly reliable narrator, and I believe this for the following reasons: (a) Nelly seems to be the most Christian/"redeemed" (as we've discussed) of the characters; and, assuming she is living out her beliefs, we should be able to trust that she's adhering to the basic moral dictum of not lying; (b) Nelly reports many faults of others, giving us a balanced view of people and events. See, for examle, her description of young Cathy: she spends an entire paragraph at the opening of chapter 18 praising her ("She was the most winning thing that ever brought sunshine into a desolate house" [Bronte 189]), but then takes the next paragraph to discuss Cathy's faults ("However, it must be acknowledged, she had faults to foil her gifts. A propensity to be saucy was one..." [189]). (c) Nelly also reports her own faults, particularly when she "lets" (or is unable to control) something happen of which the master wouldn't approve: for example, when she accidentally "lets" Cathy visit young Linton at Thrushcross Grange; (d) Nelly's position as a servant makes her a somewhat "neutral" character, or at least she would have less motive for covering up family drama; (e) As we've discussed before, Bronte does a good job making Nelly "conveniently" present at so many important plot events; it seems we can trust her if only because she fulfils the role of an almost omnicient narrator.
Lockwood does appear to have some bias. In chapter 25 (which is getting a little ahead, I know), Nelly intimates that Lockwood has "fallen" for Cathy during her storytelling: his facial expression changes when she mentions her, and he's hung up a picture of her in his room. These are two things that Nelly has observed; Lockwood had not informed us of these!
Second Quesion:
I was also pondering this question myself: how could Cathy--or anyone, for that matter--fall in love with such a petulant, weak, cranky boy such as young Linton? Here are my conjectures:
First, Cathy knows no one else; living a secluded life, she has little knowledge of what most marriageable gentlemen should be like. Second, the rebellious/illicit aspect of their romance is probably motivation for Cathy, who, as noted earlier, has a predisposition for sauciness (and, therefore, probably likes going against authority, i.e., "I'm falling in love with him just to make you mad!"). Third, as you mentioned, she does have a "motherly instinct" that does make her fall for his pleas for babying. She does seem to enjoy tending to him. Fourth, Linton is not all bad, of course; there are glimpses of sunshine and happiness among his cross personality. For example, Linton and Cathy talk of what their "perfect days" would be like, and both enjoy this. Fifth, I think Cathy pities Linton, both for his poor nature and because he would get punished by his father if she didn't continue to fall for him. Finally, Cathy herself mentions that she isn't super attracted to him, but has grown to tolerate him: "Now, with his selfishness and spite; and now with his sufferings: but I've learned to endure the former with nearly as little resentment as the latter."
Why does Heathcliff want to keep Linton? Hareton? What are his designs regarding each of them? (from chapter 20)
ReplyDelete-Mr. Mann
Should Ellen have shown Cathy's love letters to Edgar? Why or why not? (from chapter 21)
ReplyDelete-Mr. Mann
**********************************SERIOUSLY IMPORTANT**************************
ReplyDeleteOKAY I MUST ADMIT I ONCE TRIED TO MAKE A BLOG ABOUT WHINING AND BOOKS BUT IT DIDN'T WORK DISREGARD THE NAME. IT'S LIKE MY OLD EMAIL FROM EIGHTH GRADE, AWKWARD AND EMBARRASSING.
1) Heathcliff sees a way to get Thrushcross Grange through Linton. I think Heathcliff kept Hareton around, because he remembered how alone he was before Mr. Earnshaw took him in. I also think that Heathcliff could use Hereton to take care of the estate.
2) I feel that Edgar would have put young Cathy in a world of hurt for talking to Linton. The letters really do show the love she has for Linton, but I really liked Nelly's strictness. She gave Cathy an ultimatum and stuck to it. Anyways, I thought it was in Cathy's best interest that Edgar was not given the love letters.
-Ashley Binder
So far, do you think Mr. Lockwood and Nelly are trusted narrators? Do you believe everything Nelly says?
ReplyDeleteWhy is Cathy attracted to Linton? Do you think it's because Linton brings out Cathy's motherly instincts?
-Ash
Dear Bored Teenage Girl (haha),
DeleteGood questions.
First Response:
I do believe Nelly to be a fairly reliable narrator, and I believe this for the following reasons:
(a) Nelly seems to be the most Christian/"redeemed" (as we've discussed) of the characters; and, assuming she is living out her beliefs, we should be able to trust that she's adhering to the basic moral dictum of not lying;
(b) Nelly reports many faults of others, giving us a balanced view of people and events. See, for examle, her description of young Cathy: she spends an entire paragraph at the opening of chapter 18 praising her ("She was the most winning thing that ever brought sunshine into a desolate house" [Bronte 189]), but then takes the next paragraph to discuss Cathy's faults ("However, it must be acknowledged, she had faults to foil her gifts. A propensity to be saucy was one..." [189]).
(c) Nelly also reports her own faults, particularly when she "lets" (or is unable to control) something happen of which the master wouldn't approve: for example, when she accidentally "lets" Cathy visit young Linton at Thrushcross Grange;
(d) Nelly's position as a servant makes her a somewhat "neutral" character, or at least she would have less motive for covering up family drama;
(e) As we've discussed before, Bronte does a good job making Nelly "conveniently" present at so many important plot events; it seems we can trust her if only because she fulfils the role of an almost omnicient narrator.
Lockwood does appear to have some bias. In chapter 25 (which is getting a little ahead, I know), Nelly intimates that Lockwood has "fallen" for Cathy during her storytelling: his facial expression changes when she mentions her, and he's hung up a picture of her in his room. These are two things that Nelly has observed; Lockwood had not informed us of these!
Second Quesion:
I was also pondering this question myself: how could Cathy--or anyone, for that matter--fall in love with such a petulant, weak, cranky boy such as young Linton? Here are my conjectures:
First, Cathy knows no one else; living a secluded life, she has little knowledge of what most marriageable gentlemen should be like. Second, the rebellious/illicit aspect of their romance is probably motivation for Cathy, who, as noted earlier, has a predisposition for sauciness (and, therefore, probably likes going against authority, i.e., "I'm falling in love with him just to make you mad!"). Third, as you mentioned, she does have a "motherly instinct" that does make her fall for his pleas for babying. She does seem to enjoy tending to him. Fourth, Linton is not all bad, of course; there are glimpses of sunshine and happiness among his cross personality. For example, Linton and Cathy talk of what their "perfect days" would be like, and both enjoy this. Fifth, I think Cathy pities Linton, both for his poor nature and because he would get punished by his father if she didn't continue to fall for him. Finally, Cathy herself mentions that she isn't super attracted to him, but has grown to tolerate him: "Now, with his selfishness and spite; and now with his sufferings: but I've learned to endure the former with nearly as little resentment as the latter."
-Mr. Mann