Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Answers to Study Guide Part 2 - a Penny Culliton production

Chapters: 19-21 22-23 24-25 26-28 29-31 32-34

1. Which parent does Linton most take after? Explain.
He looks just like Isabella. He's weak and silly like her; but he also is ill-tempered like Heathcliff. In short, he has the WORST characteristics of BOTH parents and the good traits of neither one!
2. How does Catherine react to Linton?
She wanted to be friends with him and is disappointed at his coldness.
3. Who demands custody of Linton?
Heathcliff
4. What could Edgar demand in return? Why wouldn't that be very practical at this time?
He could demand Hareton, since Hareton is his nephew (his wife's brother's son). But Hareton is a product solely of the Heights and probably wouldn't ever go to the Grange. 5. Do you sympathize with Linton? Why or why not?
Yes because he seems innocent but no because he's obviously so weak.
6. What is Heathcliff's reaction to his son? Do you blame him for feeling this way?
YUCK! It can't be mine!! Not really - Linton IS pathetic. A "whey-faced, whining wretch."
7. What are Heathcliff's plans for Linton?
He will monopolize Linton's affections and "own" him emotionally. Then he'll keep him alive until Edgar dies, at which time his property will go to Linton., most likely.
8. How does Linton like Wuthering Heights?
He finds it horribly rough, etc. - just like his mother did.
9. What news does Nelly get about Linton in Ch. 21?
Heathcliff hates him but tries to hid it. And Linton's always getting sick with colds and the like.
10. What happens when Catherine turns 16?
She gets caught poaching grouse on Heathcliff's property. This brings her back to the Wuthering Heights household.
11. What are Heathcliff's plans for Catherine and Linton?
Have them marry to ensure that he'll get the Grange one way or the other.
12. How does Catherine react to seeing Linton again?
She is ecstatic about it.
13. How does Linton act ? Who finally keeps Catherine company?
Linton is okay at first, but very weak. Hareton finally ends up keeping Cathy company.
14. How does Heathcliff feel about Hareton?
He wishes Hareton were his son and not Linton, but the fact that Hareton is Linton's son forces Heathcliff to continue to degrade him and be cruel to him. He can also relate to Hareton, having once been in a similar position in the household.
15. What do Linton and Catherine make fun of?
Hareton's illiteracy.
16. Why is Catherine upset when Edgar forbids her to go to Wuthering Heights?
She wants to see Linton.
17. What does she continue to do?
Send letters back and forth with Linton.
18. How does the Linton-Catherine-Hareton situation recall the Edgar-Cathy-Heathcliff triangle?
Linton and Catherine are forbidden to be together and she doesn't want to be with Hareton because he's too low-class. So, both situations deal with a triangle between two higher-class and one lower-class person, and both have the element of a forbidden relationship between a boy and a girl.
In what ways are the two situations different?
Here, the two high-class people are the ones forbidden to meet. Also, there is no true love like the old Cathy's and Heathcliff's between Catherine and Linton. These two don't really even know each other.

Chapters 22-23 (top)

1. What happens to Edgar? He gets a bad cold and has to stay indoors all winter. 2. About what is Catherine upset? She cannot communicate with Linton anymore, and Edgar is ill. She will be completely alone if her father dies. 3. What happens to Catherine when she tries to get a rose? She drops her hat over the wall. Heathcliff comes along 4. What does Heathcliff say about Linton? Does this work? Heathcliff says Linton is in a "Slough of Despond," which works because Catherine believes Linton id dying and furthermore that it is her fault! 5. What quality in Catherine is Heathcliff playing on to carry out his design? Her compassion and also her concern about death and loss. 6. What is the first we hear of Linton when they visit him the next day? He's whining to Joseph about building up the fire because he's too weak to stand the cold. 7. What (if anything) does Linton really seem to want with Catherine? A shoulder to cry on and someone to wait on him hand and foot. 8. What do Linton and Catherine argue about? How does the argument end? They argue about their fathers and who's at fault in the feud between them. Cathy pushes Linton's chair and he starts coughing violently, so then she feels guilty. 9. Isn't Nelly's description of Linton as "the worst-tempered bit of a sickly slip that ever struggled into its teens" absolutely perfect?! Why, but of course! 10. What does Catherine do while Nelly is ill? She rides off to WH to visit Linton after taking care of Nelly through tea time (around 5 p.m. or so)

Chapters 24-25 (top)

1. What did Linton and Catherine argue about one day?
What Heaven should be like (which recalls all the other conversations about Heaven in the book and points up the differences between Catherine and Linton - differences that would obviously preclude any sort of happy union between these two, just as the differences between Edgar and the first Cathy made their relationship impossible).
2. How does Catherine embarrass Hareton?
He is proud of having learned his alphabet, but he doesn't know any numbers yet, and she makes fun of this.
3. How does Hareton react? He is ashamed and angry and sulks off (just like Heathcliff used to)Then he comes back and forces Linton to take Cathy to his own room.
4. What does Linton do?
Threatens to kill Hareton; blood then gushes from his mouth when he coughs.
5. What happens the next time Catherine visits Linton?
He blames her for the incident with Hareton.
6. When Linton apologizes, what does he say about the connection between his own behavior and how Heathcliff treats him? Do you sympathize at all now with Linton? Explain why or why not.
He says Heathcliff tells him all the time how pathetic he is and so on, and so he doubts himself. Linton is a bit more sympathetic here, because for once he seems to be sincere and also to view himself honestly and realistically.
7. Why does Catherine stop going to Wuthering Heights?
Nelly tells Edgar what's been going on, and he forbids it entirely (with good reason, since it's pretty clear to the adults what Heathcliff is up to).
8. Does Edgar disapprove of Linton? Explain.
No. He will certainly let Linton come to TG if possible.
9. According to Nelly, why aren't Linton's letters to Edgar filled with his usual whining and complaining?
Because Heathcliff watches what Linton writes and forces him to write things that will attract Cathy, not repel her.

Chapters 26-28 (top)

1. Why does Linton want Catherine to stay another half hour, even though he in clearly not enjoying their visit?
Heathcliff will be angry if she leaves earlier.
2. What does Nelly think is the cause of Linton's worsened condition? Do you think she is right? Why or why not?
That Heathcliff has passed from "passive to active hatred." In other words, he's physically, not just emotionally, abusing his son. She's probably right - Linton almost comes right out and says it.
3. How is Edgar Linton's health? What difference does this make to the plot of the novel (what will or will not happen because of this)?
He is rapidly worsening. Catherine does not tell him how bad off Linton really is, that he doesn't really enjoy her company, etc. , because she doesn't want to upset her father. So, he cannot be more firm in forbidding her to go anywhere near the Heights.
4. How does Linton act during their meeting in Ch. 27? How does Catherine react to this?
He falls on the ground, grabbing at her, begging and pleading for her to stay. She calls him an "abject reptile."
5. What was the purpose of Linton's histrionics?
To lure Cathy into WH.
6. What sort of person does Linton turn out to be? How is this to be expected when we consider his parentage?
Linton is cruel as his father can be and selfish as his mother usually was.
7. Why must Heathcliff force Catherine to marry Linton? (Explain how the inheritance works.)
Because Isabella is dead, according to old Mr. Linton's will, the property will go to Catherine next after Edgar dies. This is also true in Edgar's will. If Linton dies before he can marry Catherine, the Grange may well be lost for Heathcliff. But if Catherine marries Linton, what's hers becomes his. Then Heathcliff will force Linton to make his father his heir, so that when Linton dies, all the Grange property will become Heathcliff's.
8. How does Catherine react to Heathcliff's beating? How do you suppose her mother would have reacted in a similar situation?
She trembles and is bewildered. Her mother would surely have struck back.
9. What does Edgar try to do before he dies? What prevents him form doing it?
He tries to change his will to prevent Heathcliff's gaining control eventually; but heathcliff bribes the lawyer, who therefore doesn't go to the Grange until it's too late.

Chapters 29-31 (top)

1. Where will Catherine now be living? Why?
At the Grange; to be with Edgar until he dies. And then she'll have to go to the Heights, to wait on Linton and Heathcliff.
2. How did Heathcliff punish Linton for his part in Catherine's escape?
He just sat by him and psychologically tortured him with his very presence.
3. How does Linton feel about Catherine now? Why?
He is bitter at her desertion and would beat her if he could.
4. What does Heathcliff tell Nelly about Catherine's ghost?
It has haunted him.
What did he do after her funeral?
Tried to dig up Cathy but stopped when he felt her on the earth with him. Since then, it was as if he didn't really believe she was dead, until he saw her in the grave when Edgar was to be buried.
What did he do just before Edgar's funeral? How did this change his feelings about the ghost?
He had a look at Cathy's face and arranged it so that when he died, they'd be together in a sense. He felt at peace for the first time in 18 years.
5. What does Heathcliff bribe the sexton to do?
He bribed the sexton to lay him next to Cathy with no casket walls between them when he dies.
6. Why does Heathcliff not send for a doctor for Linton?
He says, "I won't spend a farthing on him."
7. What does Heathcliff show Catherine?
Linton's will - he left everything to Heathcliff and Heathcliff claims the property in his wife's right anyway.
8. How does Hareton feel about Catherine?
He likes her and wants to be with her.
9. Who is narrating the novel in Ch. 31?
Lockwood.
10. What does Catherine think about Hareton? How does she treat him?
He tries to touch her hair and she yells at him to get away.
11. What does Heathcliff sat about Hareton's face? What change does this mark in Heathcliff?
He can barely stand to look at it because it is so like the old Cathy's (Hareton's aunt). Heathcliff seems to be softening but also dying.

Chapters 32-34 (top)

1. When does Ch. 32 take place? How much time has passed since the opening of the novel?
It's 1802; almost a year has passed since Chapter 1.
2. What changes have taken place at the Heights since Lockwood was there?
Nelly is working at WH now. There are flowers. The gate is not locked. And Cathy and Hareton are in love!
3. Who narrates Ch. 33?
Nelly
4. What is ironic about Heathcliff's threat to Hareton?
It is the same threat Hindley used against him as a boy.
5. How does Hareton feel about Heathcliff? Is he foolish, do you think? Does Heathcliff deserve any sympathy? Why or why not?
Hareton sees the good in Heathcliff because Hareton himself is a good person. Heathcliff doesn't necessarily deserve Hareton's sympathy, though.
6. What does Heathcliff tell Nelly?
He's lost the will to exact his revenge, and he sees Cathy in everything he looks at.
7. What mood is Heathcliff in during the days before his death?
Wild, excited, and glad.
8. What significance is there in Heathcliff's refusal to eat?
Cathy did the same before she died. Worldly sustenance isn't enough for them.
9. What is the significance to the location of Heathcliff's death and to the open window?
It is the same widow to which Cathy's ghost appeared to Lockwood. Perhaps Heathcliff's spirit exited the world there and went to join Cathy's.
10. What actually caused Heathcliff's death?
Perhaps starvation or lack of will to live?
11. What is rumored to take place now that Heathcliff is dead?
His and Cathy's spirits roam the moors together.
12. Does the novel have a happy ending or a tragic one? Explain!
It is happy because everything is straightened out in the second generation. Hareton and Catherine will not repeat Heathcliff's and Cathy's mistakes. Young Catherine is not afraid to show her true feelings for Hareton as Cathy was for hers for Heathcliff. Heathcliff was too proud to let himself be taught bit by bit by Cathy, but Hareton is not. Pride, snobbery, and self-delusion (conformity) do not stand in the way of happiness for this second generation.

This Wuthering Heights study guide was found at www.englishresources.co.uk