A recently finished book of mine, Wuthering Heights is written by Emily Brontë and tells the story of the destructive relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw. The novel is set on the Yorkshire moors and is told through a few narrators, Mr. Lockwood and Nelly Dean. Heathcliff, was an orphan taken in by the Earnshaw family, and grows up with Catherine, the two develop a strong but complicated bond. Later, Catherine chooses to marry Edgar Linton for social status, which makes Heathcliff to leave, angry and later returning for revenge on who he believes did him wrong. The story explores love, revenge, class, and how emotions can completely shape people’s lives.
“Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same; and Linton’s is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath — a source of little visible delight, but necessary.” (p. 84)
In this quotation, Catherine is explaining how connected she feels to Heathcliff. She believes their souls are the same, meaning they understand each other in a way no one else can. At the same time, she compares her feelings for Edgar to something weaker and less meaningful. This shows that even though Catherine chooses Edgar for his wealth and social status, she still feels connected with Heathcliff. This quotation is important because it shows the main conflict in the novel, Catherine’s decision to choose status over love. Her choice leads to Heathcliff’s anger and desire for revenge, which continues the rest of the story.