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Summer Reading Assignment for Incoming 10th Grade Gifted
Instructor: L. Brown
Required Reading:
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Assignment 1: Read The Alchemist and Wuthering Heights
Complete the study guide as you read the novels. If you do the work as you read, you will not
have an impossible feat of answering the study guide questions after you have finished the
books.
Assignment 2: Essay Assignment for The Alchemist
Cite examples of stereotyping religious and ethnic figures. Discuss how
and why some stereotypes are left standing in the novel and others are
blurred or erased by later character developments.
Assignment 3: Essay Assignment for Wuthering Heights
Identify the supernatural elements of the novel. What is the purpose of the
suggestion of the supernatural? How does the presence of the supernatural help to
define the genre (gothic) of the novel?
Requirements for Essay Assignments
In answering the question, you must demonstrate that you understand the following:
1. Communicate a sensitive and informed personal response to literary text. (this is your
opinion/interpretation of the theme and characters)
2. Understand the meanings of the text beyond the surface. (author’s purpose and
implications)
3. Recognize ways in which the writer uses language, structure and form to create and shape
meaning and effects. (diction, tone, syntax, point of view, pun, alliteration, imagery, other
literary techniques, etc.)
4. Knowledge of the text through the use of close reference to details and use of quotations.
5. Demonstrate an understanding of characters, relationships, situations and themes.
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Assignment Length: Writing must be between 600-700 words in length.
NOTE:
1. Essays must be typed (double spaced, Times or Arial).
2. Title each assignment.
3. Highlight your essay’s thesis statement.
4. Bring the assignments to class on September 04, 2013.
Mrs. Brown’s Writing Checklist
Make sure you check the following aspects in your writing before turning in a final draft and
you will guarantee yourself a great paper.
1. Do you have a strong thesis?
2. Does your introduction preview your points without just listing them?
3. Are you supporting your thesis with strong evidence from the text?
4. Are you following your thesis throughout your writing?
5. Does each new idea/point have its own paragraph?
6. Do you have ample quotes and specific evidence to support each idea/point?
7. Do you have full transitional sentences that tie the paragraphs/ideas together?
8. Does your conclusion bring together all your points without simply repeating your
introduction?
9. Are you addressing all the aspects of the assignment?
If there are any pressing concerns or questions you may contact me via email:
osulinbrown@aol.com.
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"Gothic" has come to mean quite a number of things by this day and age. It could mean a particular
style of art, be it in the form of novels, paintings, or architecture; it could mean "medieval" or
"uncouth." It could even refer to a certain type of music and its fans. What it originally meant, of
course, is "of, relating to, or resembling the Goths, their civilization, or their language" ("gothic").
A. History of the Goths
The Goths, one of the many Germanic tribes, fought numerous battles with the Roman Empire for
centuries. According to their own myths, as recounted by Jordanes, a Gothic historian from the mid
6th century, the Goths originated in what is now southern Sweden, but their king Berig led them to
the southern shore of the Baltic Sea. They finally separated into two groups, the Visigoths (the
West Goths) and Ostrogoths (the East Goths), so named because of where they eventually settled.
They reached the height of their power around 5th century A.D., when they sacked Rome and
captured Spain, but their history finally subsumed under that of the countries they conquered
("Goths").
B. Connection to the Gothic Novel
Centuries passed before the word "gothic" meant anything else again. During the Renaissance,
Europeans rediscovered Greco-Roman culture and began to regard a particular type of architecture,
mainly those built during the Middle Ages, as "gothic" -- not because of any connection to the
Goths, but because the 'Uomo Universale' considered these buildings barbaric and definitely not in
that Classical style they so admired. Centuries more passed before "gothic" came to describe a
certain type of novels, so named because all these novels seem to take place in Gothic-styled
architecture -- mainly castles, mansions, and, of course, abbeys ("Gothic...").
II. Elements of the Gothic Novel
The Gothic novel took shape mostly in England from 1790 to 1830 and falls
within the category of Romantic literature. It acts, however, as a reaction
against the rigidity and formality of other forms of Romantic literature. The
Gothic is far from limited to this set time period, as it takes its roots from
former terrorizing writing that dates back to the Middle Ages, and can still be
found written today by writers such as Stephen King. But during this time
period, many of the highly regarded Gothic novelists published their writing
and much of the novel's form was defined.
As Ann B. Tracy writes in her novel The Gothic Novel 1790-1830 Plot
Summaries and Index to Motifs, the Gothic novel could be seen as a
description of a fallen world. We experience this fallen world though all
aspects of the novel: plot, setting, characterization, and theme.
The setting is greatly influential in Gothic novels. It not only evokes the atmosphere of horror and
dread, but also portrays the deterioration of its world. The decaying, ruined scenery implies that at
one time there was a thriving world. At one time the abbey, castle, or landscape was something
treasured and appreciated. Now, all that lasts is the decaying shell of a once thriving dwelling.
The Gothic hero becomes a sort of archetype as we find that there is a pattern to their
characterization. There is always the protagonist, usually isolated either voluntarily or
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involuntarily. Then there is the villain, who is the epitome of evil, either by his (usually a man) own
fall from grace, or by some implicit malevolence. The Wanderer, found in many Gothic tales, is the
epitome of isolation as he wanders the earth in perpetual exile, usually a form of divine
punishment.
The plot itself mirrors the ruined world in its dealings with a protagonist's fall from grace as she
succumbs to temptation from a villain. In the end, the protagonist must be saved through a reunion
with a loved one. For example, in Matthew G. Lewis's The Monk, the monk Ambrosio is tempted
by Matilda. She lures him into succumbing to his lust until he turns fully to rape and murder of
another young girl. In the end, he makes a deal with Satan and dies a torturous death on the side of
a mountain. Emily of Ann Radcliffe's The Mysteries of Udolpho does not have the same kind of
temptations but finds that she cannot escape her evil uncle's castle (called Udolpho) without the
help of a suitor. In the end she does find retribution in her affection for her once-lost love,
Valancourt.
Even though the Gothic Novel deals with the sublime and the
supernatural, the underlying theme of the fallen hero applies to the real
world as well. Once we look past the terror aspect of this literature, we
can connect with it on a human level. Furthermore, the prevalent fears of
murder, rape, sin, and the unknown are fears that we face in life. In the
Gothic world they are merely multiplied.
Because of the supernatural phenomena and the prevailing morbid
atmosphere of Gothic novels, this genre is traditionally brushed off as "un-academic". But as
George Haggerty writes in Gothic Fiction/Gothic Form, "the Gothic novel is a liberating
phenomenon, which expands the range of possibilities for novelistic expression" (Haggerty 34).
III. Criticism of Gothic Novel
The Gothic novel has received much literary criticism throughout the years. Critics of the genre
have engaged in analysis of the various elements of the Gothic novel and tie those elements with
the repressed feelings of individuals and, in a twentieth century perspective, the unconscious of the
human psyche. Vijay Mishra, in his essay entitled "The Gothic Sublime," states the Gothic novel is
a "presentation of the unpresentable" (Mishra 1). The Gothic novel deals with understanding
attained through horror. Mishra also believes the Gothic novel, in the afore-mentioned sense, is a
foil to the typical Romantic novel, wherein the sublime is found through temperance (Mishra 2).
Literary critic, Davis Morris, believes the Gothic novel addresses the horrific, hidden ideas and
emotions within individuals and provides an outlet for them (Morris 1). The strong imagery of
horror and abuse in Gothic novels reveals truths to us through realistic fear, not transcendental
revelation. Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick writes about the same idea in her essay, "The Structure of the
Gothic Convention," and she adds that the idea of a protagonist having a struggle with a terrible,
surreal person or force is a metaphor for an individual's struggle with repressed emotions or
thoughts (Sedgwick 1). Personifying the repressed idea or feeling gives strength to it and shows
how one, if caught unaware, is overcome with the forbidden desire.
Another author, Joyce Carol Oates, writes of how the repressed emotions, which are personified in
the Gothic novel, are horrible not only because of what they are, but also because of how they
enslave a person (Oates 1). These desires are mysterious, and mystery breeds attraction, and with
attraction, one is easily seduced by them. With this in mind, it is easy to understand how Bertrand
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Evans points out the hero in the Gothic novel is consistently weaker than the antagonist and usually
flees from it rather than defeating it. The similar themes of repression of forbidden desires, and the
horror surrounding and penetrating them, are clearly focal points of most Gothic critics. The
enlightenment gained from these aspects is the driving force behind the Gothic novel.
IV. Parodic Efforts
A. What is a Parody?
Mikhail Bakhtin defines parody as a "'stylization,' that involves the
appropriation of the utterances of others for the purposes of inserting a new
orientation of meaning alongside the original point(s) of view. . . .The imitator
[or the author] usually merges utterances so completely that one 'voice' is
heard" (Howard 14).
B. Who Writes a Gothic Parody and Why?
By the 1790s, many felt that the Gothic novel was an exhausting trend, and
other authors were starting to write against it (Roberts 83). Both Jane Austen's
Northanger Abbey and Thomas Love Peacock's Nightmare Abbey, published
in 1818, were the first to react to the genre in the form of the Gothic parody
(271).
When we look at one of the first Gothic parodies, like Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey (1818), we
must remember one important aspect raised by Backhtin: the new author parodying the Gothic
genre simply "inserts" his or her opinion into the previous author's "point of view(s)" (Howard 14).
Austen does directly mock the genre with her references to Anne Radcliffe's The Mysteries of
Udolpho. She in turn "adopts standard Gothic machinery -- an abbey, secret closets, and mysterious
manuscripts -- only to undercut their significance in her denouement" (Roberts 271). Austen also
depicts "General Tilney as a villain -- not a true wife murderer -- thus still recognizes that the fears
of patriarchal authority are ultimately genuine" (Roberts 271). Even though she parodies and mocks
the Gothic novel, she still retains part of the genre's overarching themes: "the individual is
something so precious that society must never be allowed to violate it" (Morse
29).
In general, the Gothic novel, "behind its trappings and mysteries, . . . presents a
powerful critique of arbitrary power" which many authors who parody it wish to
retain (Morse 14). In American history there have been a few who wish to make
the Gothic novel into a political parody, Harriet Jacob's Incidents in the Life of
a Slave Girl and Harriet Wilson's Our Nig. It is important to recognize that the
Gothic parody, and even the Gothic movement, extend beyond British literature
and the 19th century. "The Gothic parody survives into the 20th [and 21st
centuries] by way of the related technique of metafiction. Writers such as Jorge Luis Borges and
Umberto Eco habitually deploy, self-consciously and ironically, the narrative devices of the
Gothic" (Roberts 271).
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The Alchemist
Ten Years On: Introduction
Vocabulary
disinter – unbury, reveal
impetus – encouragement, goad
1.
The author says that four obstacles stand in the way of a person who tries to live his or
her dream. What are these obstacles?
2.
What does the author classify as the secret of life?
3.
The author is a citizen of another country. What is the country?
Prologue
1.
The Prologue is a fable. What does it involve?
2.
Why would the author include a fable before the story even begins?
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Part One (Pages 3 – 47)
Vocabulary
breastplate – personal armor covering the chest
crook – the curved stick used by a shepherd
geologists – people who study rocks and the layers of rock and dirt
infidels – unfaithful ones or nonbelievers
levanter – a wind that comes from the eastern end of the Mediterranean, near Turkey,
which is sometimes called the Levant
Moorish – relating to the Moors, the Arab/Berber Muslim people who arrived from
Africa and conquered Spain in the 8th century
sacristy – a room in a church used to store sacred vessels for communion
scabbard – the metal case used to hold a sword
seminary – school, especially one in which students study to become priests
trajectory – the path of a moving object
1.
Who is Santiago? How is he introduced in the beginning of the story?
2.
What is strange about Santiago’s dream?
3.
Where is Santiago going?
4.
Santiago spends a lot of time thinking about his sheep and their place in the world. Why
would the author include this kind of thought?
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5.
The Introduction has prepared the reader to understand that something significant occurs
while the boy and girl are talking. What is it, and what does it mean?
6.
What is the geographical setting for this part of the story?
7.
What did the boy’s parents plan for him, and how did he change the plan?
8.
What does Santiago plan to do in Tarifa?
9.
One ethnic group is singled out in a negative light. What group is stereotyped by the
presence of the old woman who interprets dreams, and how is this group described?
10.
What is the price of Santiago’s consultation with the old woman about the dream?
11.
Santiago meets an old man in the village. The old man says that Santiago’s new book is
irritating and contains the world’s greatest lie. How does it irritate, and what is the lie?
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12.
Who is the old man, and what is his name? What Biblical references does this imply, and
why would the author include these in the story?
13.
What does Melchizedek want in payment for helping Santiago? How does this payment
differ from the one demanded by the Gypsy woman?
14.
How does the old man convince Santiago of his power?
15.
How does Melchizedek explain the concept of the Personal Legend to Santiago?
16.
How does the old man explain why few people attain their Personal Legend?
17.
Melchizedek, who has identified himself as the king of Salem, reveals that he may appear
in other forms. Why has the author given him these powers, and how will these powers
add suspense to the story?
18.
What reason does Melchizedek give for demanding payment of one tenth of the flock for
advice about finding the treasure?
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19.
Santiago initially thinks of his quest in simple terms (sell the sheep and search for the treasure)
but he comes to realize that the quest requires a change in his thinking. What fundamental
change would Santiago be required to make if he decides to seek his Personal Legend?
20.
What does the old man tell Santiago to follow?
21.
Why does Melchizedek let Santiago see the golden breastplate, and what does the old man
take from the breastplate as a gift for Santiago?
22.
Melchizedek tells Santiago a story that concludes with the secret of happiness. Retell the
story and its message.
23.
What do we learn about Melchizedek after he walks away?
24.
Where do we next see Santiago, and what does this location tell us?
25.
What does Santiago learn about the local people, their customs, and their faith?
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26.
What happens when Santiago follows his new friend to the marketplace, and what story
does this echo?
27.
What is Santiago’s reaction when he realizes he has been fooled and robbed?
28.
A turning point occurs, helping Santiago rethink his frustration. What helps Santiago
change his outlook? How does this incident strengthen the structure of the novel?
29.
Although he does not speak Arabic, he has a “conversation” with the candy seller. Why is
this important?
30.
Describe Santiago’s first exchange with the crystal merchant and what they learned from
each other.
31.
What does Santiago say he needs money for, and what does this tell the reader?
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Part Two (Pages 51 – 167)
Study Section: The Englishman (Pages 51 – 86)
Vocabulary
alchemy – a medieval philosophy and science with the goal of changing common
metals into gold, finding a universal cure for illness, and discovering methods of
halting the aging process to prolong life
archaeological – relating to the discovery and preservation of evidence of earlier cultures,
frequently through the excavation of buried artifacts
Bedouins – nomadic Arab people
capricious – given to whimsical decisions, unpredictable
divination – telling the future
elemental – basic, raw
Esperanto – an artificial language developed to be universal; a combination of the
main European languages
hookah – a water pipe used extensively in Muslim communities; it is not drug-related but is a shared activity
immersion – complete dedication or absorption; being put under water or into a new
subject
incredulous – those who do not believe
intuitively – emotionally, or without conscious thought or analysis
Koran – the holy book of the Islamic faith, the book that teaches Muslims about Allah and his servant, Mohammed, the founder of Islam
manifestation – physical form
Mecca – the holy city of Islam, where faithful Muslims go in pilgrimage; it is the
birthplace of the prophet Mohammed and is located in modern Saudi Arabia
nocturnal – relating to or active during the night
nostalgia – longing for the past
obscure – with hidden meanings, unclear, mysterious
purification – making clean or holy
Ramadan – a month of prayer and fasting observed by Muslims
sentinel – guard
surveillance – studying an area for people or danger
1.
What job did Santiago find, and how did he feel about it?
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2.
The merchant is a Muslim, or a follower of Allah. How does he describe the five duties of
a faithful Muslim?
3.
Why does the crystal merchant refuse to travel to Mecca?
4.
Why does the author include the merchant in the story?
5.
Give an example of Santiago’s lively approach to business and the crystal merchant’s caution.
6.
What does maktub mean?
7.
A leitmotif is a repeated element in a story. What does Santiago ask for when he says goodbye to the merchant? Why is this request important in the structure of the story?
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8.
Thinking of Melchizedek, Santiago feels that it was “almost as if he had been here and left
his mark...he always appeared to help those who are trying to realize their Personal Legend.”
What makes Santiago think the old king has been with him during the year he spent in the
crystal shop? Why does this constitute a turning point in the story?
9.
What do we learn about the Englishman?
10.
What motivates the Englishman’s decision to befriend Santiago?
11.
The author describes the caravan as making detours, stopping and starting, and unloading
and reloading. In this way, the caravan becomes a metaphor for a journey to a destination.
The Englishman, however, is unaware of this. Why does he not understand this, and what
does his lack of awareness imply for his larger journey?
12.
What wisdom did the camel driver share with Santiago?
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13.
Who are the Bedouins, and what is their role in the story?
14.
When Santiago advises the Englishman to study the caravan more, the Englishman uses
a simile comparing books and the caravan. What is he telling Santiago?
15.
According to the Englishman, what is the Soul of the World?
16.
The Englishman and his books give Santiago a seminar on alchemy. What does the reader
learn about alchemy?
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Part Two (Pages 51 – 167)
Study Section: The Oasis (Pages 86 – 123)
Vocabulary
astride – mounted on a horse or other animal
genies – spirits or supernatural beings capable of taking on human forms
habituated – accustomed to
imperceptibly – unable to be perceived
melancholy – sad
prognostications – predictions; statements telling of the future
Santiago Matamoros – patron saint of Spain, famous for killing Moors (in Spanish,
mata = kill, moros = Moors) to eject them from Spain; a famous statue depicts the
saint as described, with cowering Moors beneath the hooves of his horse
scabbard – case for a sword
scimitars – very sharp knives with curved blades
seer – one who can see the future
traitorous – able to commit treason
venom – poison
1.
Why is the alchemist watching people as they enter the oasis from the caravan?
2.
Describe the oasis.
3.
What is the law of hospitality in the oasis?
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4.
What does it mean when a woman is dressed in black in the oasis, a Muslim society?
5.
What is the Language of the World, and how does Santiago learn it?
6.
What power does Santiago’s love for Fatima give him?
7.
What agreement do Santiago and Fatima come to?
8.
Santiago sees two hawks as an omen. What do they signify, and what do they say about
Santiago?
9.
What happens when Santiago visits the tribal chieftains to tell them about his vision?
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10.
What test do the chieftains outline for Santiago?
11.
Describe the arrival of the alchemist.
12.
Why does the author have Santiago talk about Allah instead of God?
13.
What advice does the horseman give Santiago?
14.
Why did Santiago find the horseman’s advice so powerful?
15.
Describe the battle at the oasis of Al-Fayoum.
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16.
What was Santiago’s reward for saving the oasis?
17.
After the battle, Santiago goes to the alchemist’s tent. What advice does the alchemist give
him now?
18.
Why does the author have the alchemist say, “Remember that wherever your heart is,
there you will find your treasure.”
19.
What might make the reader classify the Englishman as a static character, as opposed to
Santiago, who is a dramatic character?
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Part Two (Pages 51 – 167)
Study Section: To the Pyramids (Pages 123 – 163)
Vocabulary
abraded – scratched and cut
Coptic – an ancient Egyptian sect of Christians who believe that Christ was completely divine, not partly human and partly divine
luminous – glowing
scarab – a beetle used in Egyptian art as a symbol of the after-life or of God; among
Egyptians, scarabs are seen as lucky charms or omens
simun – a wind-borne sand storm
sirocco – a wind that blows from the oceans over the land, bearing moisture
1.
What does the alchemist say about the existence of the natural world? Why is the desert
important? What can a single grain of sand symbolize?
2.
What advice does the alchemist give about listening to one’s heart?
3.
How does the reader know that more trouble awaits Santiago?
4.
What did the Arabs find when they searched the alchemist? Why did they allow the alchemist
to keep these treasures?
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5.
Using the technique of understatement, the author has the alchemist impart an important
lesson to Santiago in telling the Arabs about his treasures. What was the lesson?
6.
What does the alchemist reveal to Santiago about the quest for gold?
7.
What happens when the alchemist and the boy are taken to the military camp?
8.
Why would the alchemist set up such a test for Santiago?
9.
Does the alchemist think he could die if Santiago fails the test?
10.
What conversation does Santiago have when he begins to turn himself into wind?
11.
In addition to the sands of the desert, what other natural forces help Santiago?
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12.
Critics apply the term pathetic fallacy to instances in which human characteristics (such
as the ability to reason and speak) are given to parts of the natural world. Name three
parts of the natural world that are personified in this way during Santiago’s efforts to turn
himself into the wind?
13.
Describe Santiago’s experience of communion with God.
14.
Two people were smiling after Santiago turned himself into the wind. Who were they, and
why was each smiling?
15.
What did the alchemist do at the Coptic monastery?
16.
How did the alchemist distribute the gold he created?
17.
Why did the alchemist think Santiago would need additional gold later?
18.
What is the point of the alchemist’s story about the sons of the Roman emperor Tiberius?
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19.
What advice did the boy’s heart give him as he approached the Pyramids?
20.
What did the boy do when he saw the Pyramids?
21.
What does he see as he looks down at his feet?
22.
Who approaches Santiago as he digs in the sand, and what did they do?
23.
What story does one attacker tell Santiago?
24.
After the attackers leave, Santiago gets up from the sand and begins to laugh. Why?
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Epilogue (Pages 165 – 167)
Vocabulary
conquistador – Spanish soldier, so named because they conquered their enemies
1.
Where do we next see Santiago?
2.
Who is “the old sorcerer” that Santiago talks with?
3.
Is Santiago bitter that he went halfway across the world when the treasure was right at home?
4.
Why does the boy plan to return to Tarifa?
5.
What scent does Santiago detect on the levanter?
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Wuthering Heights
Masterprose Study Questions
Chapter 1
I. What is the setting of the first chapter?
2. Who is the narrator of the story?
3. Describe Mr. Lockwood as he appears in this chapter.
4. What event opens the story?
- Why is the place called Wuthering?
6. Why does Lockwood like the neighborhood and Heathcliff?
7. Contrast the appearance of Heathcliff with that of his home.
8. Do you think that Lockwood is as antisocial as he believes himself to be? Why or
why not?
Chapter 2
9. How is Lockwood received on his second visit to Wuthering Heights?
10. How do Heathcliff and Mrs. Heathcliff appear to get along with each other? What
about relationships in the rest of the household?
II. What is Mrs. Heathcliff's relationship to Heathcliff?
12. Who is the young man?
13. Why must Lockwood spend the night at Wuthering Heights?
Chapter 3
14. What hints does Zillah give Lockwood about household mysteries before he retires
that night?
15. Describe the bed in which Lockwood sleeps.
16. What does Lockwood find written in the books on the window ledge?
17. Describe Lockwood's first dream.
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18. Describe Lockwood's second dream.
19. Is Lockwood dreaming, or does the spirit really appear?
20. What is Heathcliff's response to Lockwood's dream?
Chapter 4
21. What information is Lockwood seeking, and from whom does he try to get it?
22. Give a sketch of Nelly's character.
23. How has Hareton Earnshaw been mistreated?
24. What is Lockwood's impression of young Cathy at this point?
25. According to Nelly, what was the reaction of Mr. Earnshaw's family when he
brought home an orphan from Liverpool?
26. What is the source of the name "Heathcliff"?
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27. What possible reason can Mr. Earnshaw have for bringing Heathcliff home and
treating him as his favorite?
28. Why does Hindley hate Heathcliff?
29. What illusion does Nelly have about Heathcliff at this time?
Chapter 5
30. What has happened to Mr. Earnshaw?
31. Describe Catherine at this time.
32. What is Joseph like? How does he cause trouble in the household?
33. What happens at the end of this chapter?
Chapter 6
34. What surprise occurs when Hindley returns home for his father's funeral?
35. After his return, how does Hindley treat the servants and Heathcliff?
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36. How do Catherine and Heathcliff react to Hindley's treatment of Heathcliff?
37. Describe Heathcliff and Catherine's experience at the Lintons' home and its
aftermath.
38. Contrast Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange.
39. What is Heathcliff's opinion of Edgar and Isabella Linton?
Chapter 7
40. How is Catherine different when she returns from her five-week stay at the
Grange?
41. Describe Catherine and Heathcliff's reunion after her return.
42. Why do the Lintons disapprove of Heathcliff?
43. What disrup.tive event occurs during Edgar and Isabella's visit?
44. Describe Catherine's two conflicting desires as seen in this chapter.
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45. What intention does Heathcliff have at this point?
Chapter 8
46. What child is born in this chapter?
47. How does the death of Frances affect the household?
48. How does Heathcliff change under Hindley's ill treatment?
49. How does Catherine treat both Heathcliff and Edgar? What does her treatment of
them suggest about her character?
50. What is Catherine's relationship with Heathcliff and with Edgar at the end of the
chapter?
Chapter 9
51. How does little Hareton regard his father, Hindley? Why?
52. What part does Hareton play in a scene between Hindley and Heathcliff? What
does the incident indicate about Heathcliff's feelings?
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53. What confidence does Catherine share with Nelly in the kitchen?
54. What does Catherine think her relationship will be with Heathcliff after her mar­
riage?
55. Contrast Catherine's love for Edgar with her love for Heathcliff.
56. Why does Heathcliff run away?
57. How does Catherine react to Heathcliff's disappearance? What foreshadowing is
woven into this episode?
58. What are two results of Catherine's illness?
59. How are the forces of calm and storm balanced when Catherine marries Edgar
three years later?
Chapter 10
60. How are Catherine and Edgar getting along at Thrushcross Grange when this
chapter begins?
61. Describe the changes in Heathcliff when he returns.
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62. What effect does Heathcliff's return have on Catherine? On Edgar? On Isabella?
63. Why is Edgar concerned about Isabella's love for Heathcliff?
64. Where is Heathcliff staying? Why does he lodge there?
65. Why is Nelly fearful of the future?
Chapter 11
66. How has Hareton changed when Nelly sees him again?
67. Who has taught Hareton to act rudely and to hate his father? Why?
68. How does Heathcliff bring the battle at Thrushcross Grange to a dramatic con­
frontation?
69. Why does Heathcliff make advances toward Isabella?
70. Whom do you see as most responsible for the stormy situation at Thrushcross
Grange: Catherine, Heathcliff, or Edgar? Why?
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Chapter 12
71. What happens at Thrushcross Grange during the three days following Heathcliff's
visit?
72. How serious does Catherine's fit become?
73. What significant statement does Catherine make about death during her illness?
74. Describe Edgar's reaction to the news that Heathcliff and Isabella have eloped.
Chapter 13
75. Describe Catherine and Edgar's actions during the two months following
Heathcliff and Isabella's elopement.
76. What is significant about Catherine's comment about the hills?
77. What prospect cheers the household despite Catherine's illness?
78. What feelings does Isabella have about her life at Wuthering Heights, as revealed
by her letter to Nelly?
79. Why does Heathcliff mistreat Isabella?
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Chapter 14
80. What is Edgar's response to the news about Isabella?
81. Describe Nelly's reception at Wuthering Heights.
82. What fact does Heathcliff admit during Nelly's visit?
83. What does Heathcliff force Nelly to agree to do?
Chapter 15
84. What is Catherine's response to the letter from Heathcliff?
85. What is Catherine's immediate response to Heathcliff's appearance in person?
86. Briefly describe the conversation between the two lovers.
87. How does Catherine and Heathcliff's meeting conclude?
88. What does this scene indicate about the relationship between Catherine and
Heathcliff?
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Chapter 16
89. What happens to Catherine after Heathcliff leaves?
90. Why is the birth of a daughter significant?
91. Describe the reactions of Edgar and Heathcliff to Catherine's death.
92. What curse does Heathcliff place upon the dead Catherine?
93. What does Heathcliff do to the corpse?
94. What is Nelly's response when she discovers Heathcliff's act? What do you think
of her action?
Chapter 17
95. Briefly describe Isabella's fortune as related in this chapter.
96. What changes are apparent in Isabella after her marriage?
97. What happens to Hindley Earnshaw? How does Hindley's fate allow Heathcliff to
take over Wuthering Heights?
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98. How has Edgar changed following the death of his wife?
99. When Nelly and Edgar try to take Hareton away from Wuthering Heights, what
does Heathcliff threaten to do?
100. How has Heathcliff revenged himself so far on Hindley and Edgar?
Chapter 18
101. Describe the young Cathy and her life at this point.
J 02. What circumstances bring Cathy into contact with Wuthering Heights?
I 03. Describe Cathy's reaction to the news that Hareton is her cousin.
Chapter 19
104. What kind of boy is Linton when he comes to the Grange after the death of his
mother?
105. Why does Heathcliff send for Linton to come and live at Wuthering Heights?
!06. Describe Linton's departure from Thruschross Grange.
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Chapter 20
107. How does Heathcliff receive his son and what is his opinion of the boy?
108. How does Linton react to Heathcliff?
109. What use does Heathcliff plan to make of his son?
Chapter 21
1 10. What is Linton's life like at Wuthering Heights at this time?
1 I 1. How does Cathy become reacquainted with Linton?
1 12. Describe the relationship between Hareton and Cathy.
IJ3. Describe the relationship between Linton and Cathy.
114. Why does Heathcliff want Linton and Cathy to get along?
Chapter 22
I 15. Why is the atmosphere depressive at Thrushcross Grange in this chapter?
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116. How does Heathcliff persuade Cathy to come to Wuthering Heights?
117. How does Nelly feel about making the trip to Wuthering Heights?
Chapter 23
118. How are Nelly and Cathy received by Linton at the Heights?
119. What causes a serious quarrel between Cathy and Linton?
120. What is important about the fact that Edgar and Nelly are sick at the same time?
Chapter 24
121. What discovery does Nelly make when she is well again?
122. What reason does Cathy give for her visits to Linton?
123. What do Cathy's and Linton's thoughts about the ideal way to spend a summer
day reveal about their differences?
124. What is Hareton trying to learn to do and why?
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125. How does Edgar react to the news of Cathy's visits to Wuthering Heights?
Chapter 25
126. How much time has passed between the events Nelly just related and the present,
where Nelly is telling the tale?
127. What suggestion does Nelly make to Lockwood? How does Lockwood react?
128. How does Edgar feel about Cathy's marrying Linton?
129. How does Linton get permission to see Cathy?
130. What is Edgar's state of health and Linton's?
Chapter 26
131. How does Linton appear physically and emotionally during his first meeting on the
moors with Cathy?
132. Why does Cathy agree to meet with Linton again?
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Chapter 27
133. How does Heathcliff get Cathy to Wuthering Heights?
134. Why does Heathcliff imprison Cathy and Nelly at the Heights?
135. What is Cathy's reaction to Heathcliff's plan?
I 36. How long is Nelly imprisoned at Wuthering Heights?
Chapter 28
137. What tale does Nelly discover has been circulated about her disappearance and
Cathy's?
I 38. Where is Cathy? According to Linton, what are the plans for Cathy?
I 39. How does Cathy manage to escape the Heights to be with her dying father?
140. Describe Edgar's state of mind at his death.
141. How are Edgar's plans to alter his will thwarted?
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142. What now appears to be the future of Cathy and Thrushcross Grange?
Chapter 29
143. What plans does Heathcliff reveal when he comes to the Grange after Edgar's
funeral?
144. What does Heathcliff reveal to Nelly about his actions concerning the elder
Catherine's grave?
145. Why is it significant that Heathcliff has felt Catherine's presence outside the
bedroom window at Wuthering Heights?
146. What is the only thing that Heathcliff takes from Thrushcross Grange besides
Cathy?
Chapter 30
147. What is Cathy's life like at Wuthering Heights?
148. What soon happens to Linton?
149. How has Heathcliff managed to prevent Cathy from gaining control of
Thrushcross Grange?
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150. Who tries to be friendly with Cathy at Wuthering Heights? How does Cathy
respond?
151. How does Nelly conclude her story to Lockwood?
152. What are Lockwood's plans?
Chapter 31
153. Describe the situation Lockwood finds when he arrives at Wuthering Heights.
I 54. Why is Hareton trying to learn to read? How does Cathy react to his effort?
155. What state is Heathcliff in? What is happening to his plans for revenge?
Chapter 32
156. What changes does Lockwood find at Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange
when he returns?
157. Why is Hareton fearful of becoming Cathy's friend? What earlier event in the
story does his comment evoke?
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158. How do Cathy and Hareton make peace?
Chapter 33
159. What does Cathy resolve after her argument with Heathcliff?
160. What does Heathcliff see in Hareton's and Cathy's eyes that gives him a shock?
161. What has happened to Heathcliff's desire for revenge?
162. What is Heathcliff reminded of when he sees Hareton?
163. What obsesses Heathcliff at this point?
Chapter 34
164. How does Heathcliff act during his final days?
165. How does Heathcliff's desire to change his will recall Edgar's situation before his
death?
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166. Why is it significant that Nelly finds Heathcliff's body with his hand on the sill,
the skin broken but not bleeding?
167. Who is the only person who seems to mourn Heathcliff's death?
168. Where is Heathcliff buried?
169. What are Cathy and Hareton's plans?
170. What stories are being circulated by the neighbors about Heathcliff's ghost and
Catherine's?
171. When Lockwood visits the graves of Catherine, Edgar, and Heathcliff, what does
he think about the stories of the ghosts?
172. How has harmony been restored to Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange?
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Masterprose Discussion Questions
An Examination of Characters
I. Describe the two sides of the elder Catherine's personality.
2. Describe Heathcliff as a child, as an adult, and as a dying man.
3. Contrast Heathcliff and E-dgar.
4. Compare and contrast the younger Cathy with the elder Catherine.
5. Briefly describe each of the following. minor characters: Lockwood, Nelly Dean,
Hindley, Isabella, Hareton, and Linton.
An Examination of Literary Techniques
1. How does the point of view change throughout the novel? How does this change
affect the reader's perception of the story?
2. Describe the imagery and symbolic elements in Wuthering Heights.
3. How is symmetry maintained through the structure of Wuthering Heights?
An Examination of Themes
I. Discuss revenge as a theme of Wuthering Heights.
2. Can Wuthering Heights be viewed as a story about rebellion? Why or why not?
3. What is the dual nature of romantic love as depicted in Wuthering Heights?
An Examination of Philosophy
I. Who is more favorably depicted in the novel, rebels like Heathcliff and Catherine,
or conformists like Edgar? Why do you think so?
2. Is Heathcliff a realistic character? Specifically, does his love for Catherine seem
believable? And is his desire for revenge realistically compatible with that love?
Why or why not?
3. Is life really divided into stormy and calm elements as Bronte suggests? If so, can
these two opposing elements ever peacefully co-exist? Why or why not?
4. Should Heathcliff be blamed for his actions? Do you think he should be excused
on the basis of his presumably impoverished childhood and Hindley's abuse?
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Research
Masterprose Discussion Questions
I. Read Jane Eyre by Emily Bronte's sister Charlotte. Compare and contrast the two
novels in terms of setting, principal characters, depiction of Jove, or overall at­
mosphere.
2. Read a novel by a twentieth-century Gothic novelist such as Daphne du Maurier,
Victoria Holt, or Mary Stewart. How do you think Wuthering Heights influenced the
theme or content of the twentieth-century writer?
3. Research the original critical reaction to Wuthering Heights. Decide if the critics
were fair to the book. You might wish to do an in-depth analysis of only one or two
of the reviews.
Imagination
!. Imagine a conversation between the ghosts of Catherine and Heathcliff. Would
Heathcliff be at peace at last? How would they view their survivors? Would Edgar be
present or in their thoughts?
2. Suppose that Heathcliff stayed long enough during Catherine's conversation with
Nelly to hear Catherine declare her Jove for him. Outline how you think the story
might have been different if this change had occurred.
3. Why do you think Bronte titled her novel Wuthering Heights instead of Wuthering
Heights and Thrushcross Grange or Catherine and Heathcliff or some other title? Do
you have a better title to propose?
4. Suppose that Catherine had married Heathcliff. How do you imagine their mar·
riage would have turned out?
Reaction
l. Most of Heathcliff's actions as an adult are motivated by a desire for revenge. Is
revenge ever im acceptable motive for action? Why or why not?
2. Which kind of people are more admirable to you: rebels like Heathcliff and the
elder Catherine or conformists like Edgar? Why?
3. In your opinion, which kind of love is most "real," Heathcliff's love for
Catherine or Edgar's? Why?
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