I doublespaced your paper to make it easier to read.
Student Name
Chapman
English IV P-2
26 April 2007
Destructive Passion
italicize book title , a popular novel in English Literature by Emily Bronte, did not have much
success when it was first published in 1847. The book was ignored because readers found it
inappropriate in perception of ungoverned love and cruelty. this really has nothing to do with
your top-ic . Throughout the book, there are various motifs that expand to create major themes in
the novel. The motif of the weather emphasizes on Heathcliff who is one of the major characters
in the novel. Heathcliff can be described as a cruel and revengeful man who causes much harm
to those around him. The weather in Wuthering heights can also be described in a similar way
always dull and stormy. Attribute direct quotes by author or speaker in text "Wuthering being a
significant provincial adjective, descriptive of the atmospheric tumult to which its station is
exposed in stormy weather" (Bronte2). So the weather of Wuthering Heights reflects the
destructive passion of Heathcliff, showing us how our own emotions can destroy our lives.
As a young boy, Heathcliff is picked up and raised by Mr. Earnshaw who already has two of
his own Hindley and Catherine. Hindley seems to reject him because he is jealous since his
father Mr. Earnshaw seems to have a preference over him. But Catherine and Heathcliff seem to
get along very well spending most of their time they fall in love. According to Carole Gerster,
"Bronte's fantasy world which contains two larger than life characters, Heathcliff and Catherine
breaks free form social custom in envisioning a mythic ideal that transcends social roles
regulating behavior according to gender". From then on, Catherine and Heathcliff become
inseparable. Attribute in text"She was much too fond of the greatest punishment we could invent
for her was to keep her separate him; yet she got chided ^ than any of us on his account"(41). As
time passed by their love grew and Heathcliff's passion did, too. When becomes aware of
Catherine's plans to marry Edgar, he becomes angry and flees away. Attribute "Today Edgar
Linton has asked me to marry him, and I've given him an answer" (79). Though Catherine does
not love Edgar, she accepts his proposal because she tries to help her brother Hindley who faces
economical problems. Evidence for this is needed Heathcliff over hears this but he does not hear
the part where Catherine explains her reasons and tells Nelly she is deeply in love with him. This
is summary – how doe it relate to your motif/theme?
So Heathcliff flees away and returns years later very changed. According to specific article title or
author reuired , "Catherine and Edgar are married and seem happy, until Heathcliff returns,
mysteriously wealthy and educated. He takes up residence at Wuthering Heights, where he
gambles Hindley out of all his possesions". Here is where Heathcliff;s passion begins to destroy
those around him. In a way
Heathcliff lets his anger out on others and his revenge affects everyone. So Heathcliff eventually
Heathcliff leaves poor Hindley with no possessions. Again, this is summary – not analysis. How
does this help us understand motif/theme?
Just as Heathcliff hurts Catherine when he abandons Wuthering heights, he also brings back
misery with him when he returns. Attribute "It was a very dark evening for summer: the clouds
appeared inclined to thunder, and I said we had better all sit down; the approaching rain would be
certain to bring him home without further trouble" (86). Heathcliff had disappeared causing
Catherine much agony. She stays up all night waiting for him but he does not appear. From the
moment Heathcliff returns to Wuthering Heights, everything changes. Heathcliff brings his cruelty
in and poisons everyone with it. The weather which is the motif finally you mention it that reflects
Heathcliff's character, foreshadows the misery that awaits Wuthering Heights. As Heathcliff
returns his passion interferes with Edgar's and Catherine's relationship because Catherine is still
in love with him. Though Heathcliff loves her as well he never forgives her for marrying
Edgar. According to the attribute with author or title , "Even after she dies in childbirth, Heathcliff
cannot free himself from his love-hate obsession with her". According to attribute with author or
title , "The first Catherine's early refusal of Heathcliff has elements of masochism in it, as does
her letting him back into her life , since her divided hear will eventually kill her. Upon her death,
Catherine blames Edgar and Heathcliff for causing her to suffer so much. attribute with author or
title , "Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as lonog as I am living! You said I killed you haunt
me then! ...... only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God it is
unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!"(173). Heathcliff cries over
Catherine's body begging her to haunt him, since he cannot live without her. Again, this is
summary – not analysis. How does this help us understand motif/theme?
Catherine's death brings even more misery to Wuthering is reflected through Heathcliff's
character. He then seeks revenge on innocent the son of Hindley and Frances. According to
attribute with author or title, after Hindley's death "Nelly wants Edgar to take in Hindley's son
Hareton, but Heathcliff vows that if they take Hareton from him he will take his child form Isabella,
he asserts that he wants to see if the same mistreatment will affect Hindley's child as Hindley's
abuse affected Heathcliff". So eventually Heathcliff raises Hareton and converts him into a cold
and hard being like himself. Another victim is Isabella follow chronological order runon Heathcliff
makes her life when they get married. First Isabella was deeply in love with him but as she
realizes that he is cruel she regrets marrying him and lives very unhappy next to him. After she
flees Wuthering Heights, according to " attribute with author or title She swears she will not return
but she refuses to stay at the Grange because she fears Heathcliff will find her there, she moves
to the South of England and gives birth to a sickly boy she names Linton". Heathcliff's final victims
are his son Linton and Young Catherine. Heathcliff decides they shall get married and does
anything to accomplish it. Again, this is summary – not analysis. How does this help us
understand motif/theme?
According to attribute with author or title "Heathcliff, knowing that Edgar is near death, tricks
Catherine into entering Wuthering Heights, where he imprisons them and forces Catherine to
marry Linton". Since Heathcliff was not able to be happy with Catherine, he made everyone's life
miserable as well by poisoning them with his venom. Wuthering Heights weather was reflected
through Heathcliff's cruelness by always being stormy and foreshadowing evil. This is the first
time you have made an analytical statement in this paper
So therefore, the weather of Wuthering Heights reflects the destructive passion of. This
passion, destroyed the happiness of many including Heathcliff's own. Because of his cruelty and
evil towards others, he ended up making everyone's life miserable. We see this through young
Catherine, since she did not live in Wuthering heights, her life was not always miserable. Since
the weather in Wuthering Heights differed from that of Thrushcross Grange her life was filled with
light. She lived her life the way she wanted and was not afraid to let everything out. Her passion
did not harm anyone. But as soon as she entered Wuthering Heights, things changed the weather
there was different and that reflected the kind of treatment she would receive form Heathcliff.
You relied on summary rather than analysis The assignemtn was to analyze how a motif helped
to develop a theme.
GRADE: 59
Works Cited
Bronte Emily,. Holt Rinehart and Winston 1974.
"Plot Summary:." Discovering Authors. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Discovering Collection.
Thomson Gale. ARKANSAS STATE LIBRARY - TRAVELER. 26 Apr. 2007
<http://find.galegroup.com/srcx/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T001&pro
dId=DC&docId=EJ2101302189&source=gale&srcprod=DISC&userGroupName=arstate&version=
1.0>.
Gerster, Carole. "The Reality of Fantasy: Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights." EXPLORING
Novels. Online ed. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Discovering Collection. Thomson Gale. ARKANSAS
STATE LIBRARY - TRAVELER. 26 Apr. 2007
<http://find.galegroup.com/srcx/infomark.do?&contentSet=GSRC&type=retrieve&tabID=T001&pro
dId=DC&docId=EJ2111200103&source=gale&srcprod=DISC&userGroupName=arstate&version=
1.0>.
"Wuthering Heights." Compton's by Britannica. 2007. Encyclopedia Britannica Online School
Edition. 26 Apr. 2007 <http://www.school.eb.com/allcomptons/article-9340856>.