It is almost time for a new book from that infamous vase on Abby's desk. I'm sure some of you may be relieved that we can move on from this somewhat dreary book. I'm interested in your final thoughts. What do you think about Heathcliff's obsesssion? (His obsessive love for Catherine and his obsession of revenge). Any thoughts about how the class structure? Do we still have class structure today? Does anyone want to come over and watch the movie with me?
On a sidenote-Ross and I have decided that Nelly Dean must have the most amazing memory. I mean honestly-she was able to quote word for word conversations that had taken place years ago. Very impressive.
4 comments:
I totally do want to come over and watch the movie. (If only we'd thought about that during my layover on Tuesday.)
Here are a few of my thoughts on finishing the book -- they are just random thoughts, not really connected to each other or to an overall theme.
(1) I've been thinking a lot about Lindy's earlier comment about how the folks at Wuthering Heights were animalistic/uncivilized and the place itself barbaric and the folks at the Grange being civilized and the place lighter and more open. Heathcliff and Catherine the Elder seem to have grown up in a state of nature -- acting by instinct rather than reason. They were connected by a love that seemed instinctual as well -- Heathcliff can't describe it or explain it, he just knows that they are connected and he isn't whole without her.
(2) What makes the difference in Catherine the elder and Heathcliff's relationship and Catherine the younger and Hareton's relationship? Is it just the absence of Heathcliff? Is that a class commentary? Heathcliff, the gypsy/commoner, starts out base and uneducated and even after his education and he takes on the outward appearance/manners of the gentry, everything he touches becomes base, hateful and horrible. His relationship with Catherine, a gentleman's daughter, is destructive to her, him and many around them. Hareton, by Heathcliff's hand, becomes the same -- base and uneducated. For a lot of the book, he seems to have the same faults as Heathcliff -- acting on instinct, without reason but his education at Catherine's hand turns him into a rational, productive, relatively pleasant person. Together he and Catherine the younger bring Wuthering Heights out of its barbaric state.
(3) All the Bronte's books have a very brooding, dark, mystic, melancholy atmosphere to them -- an atmosphere often associated with the moors in England, where the Bronte's grew up. That makes me wonder how my perspective has been shaped by my physical environment. Hmmm.
I must admit that I did not like this book as much as I had hoped. I guess I just find it difficult to believe that Edgar could really be so ridiculous in loving Catherine the Elder. Edgar just seemed to be so ignorant of Catherine's true self-he was in love with the dream rather than who she really was. That being true, Catherine must have been very conflicted between behaving in the way to satisfy what Edgar believed she was and following her true self. She was in love with Heathcliff and yet married for "class." This is interesting because I remember having a boyfriend who I loved but who I felt was "beneath me." (Ridiculous and quite idiotic of me). But isn't that always the case? The struggle between being who you are and being the person society tells you that you should be? Perhaps Catherine (the younger) and Hareton finally fell in love because the two of them met in the middle--between what society dictates is appropriate and proper and their true nature.
KT--I'm not surprised that you ended up marrying for class. Look where it got you? Your classy husband didn't even read the book club selection!
I must admit I really enjoyed reading this book, but every single time I picked it up to read I thought about that friends where Rachel and Phoebe take a class at the junior college and Rachel doesn't read the book. Instead, she listened to Phoebe's analysis and steals all of the good comments in class. I think Ross might start doing that.
Yes, let's get together to watch the movie! I'll bring the popcorn.
Like KTC, I didn't like the book quite as much as I had hoped, though I still thought it a good read. Maybe it's because Jane Eyre is one of my all-time favorites, so I had unrealistic expectations of Emily. Sorry, Emily.
That said, here are a few random thoughts of my own, now that I've finished and don't have to be in internet hiding anymore:
1. I thought the two generations of story was a little drawn out. There. I said it. And I had to force myself to get past the whole cousin-love thing. Bleh.
2. I enjoyed Bronte's use of language, which brings me to what I thought to be one of the stronger themes of the story: the civilizing (is that a word?) power of books and learning. Abby touched on this. Little Cathy, without her books, started falling into the same brooding, unkempt groove as Heathcliff and Hareton, and we see the good, uplifting influence learning has on Hareton at the end.
3. The duality of Catherine's love was indeed intriguing. I think we all have been drawn to both Heathcliff-esque and Edgar-esque qualities in our lives. Why is that?
4. Was there supposed to be some kind of symbolism with the cultivation of Cathy and Hareton's garden and the burial of Healthcliff at the end? I can't seem to put my finger on it, but it seems like something is (or should be) there.
Anyway, thanks for your thoughts. They helped me dig a little deeper as I read. Ross, we expect great and classy Hemingway things this month.
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