Index IntroductionCatherine and Hareton's conflictConclusionIntroductionIn Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë develops a conflict between Catherine Linton and Hareton Earnshaw and uses the resolution of their conflict to resolve the conflict between Catherine and Heathcliff. Although their social classes and upbringings are different, the two cousins possess the same wild spirit and are a perfect match. To discover their compatibility, however, they must both break down their walls and let go of their bitterness. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The Conflict of Catherine and Hareton When Catherine II and Hareton Earnshaw first meet, Catherine treats Hareton with contempt and refuses to recognize him as her cousin. She arrived in Wuthering Heights with a wall around her heart. She is unhappy to be there and decides not to make friends with its inhabitants. Hareton behaves politely in the best way he knows how, and tries to give her his seat by the fire and retrieves books for her from the shelves. He lowers his seat and, according to Zillah, “turns up his nose.” She accepts the books from him, but then turns to read them. Even though she doesn't thank him, he "felt gratified that she accepted his help." Hareton obviously tries hard to be someone Catherine respects, but she continues to snub him. After she turns away, he is completely engrossed in looking at her and reaches out to touch a curl. This shamelessness disgusts and infuriates Catherine. She asks him, “How dare you touch me?” and continues by telling him: “I can't stand you!”. He feels silly and becomes shy in her presence. Although he wants her to read aloud to him, he now fears her too much to ask her, so he asks Zillah to ask for him. Catherine responds with another outburst, telling Hareton outright that she doesn't care about him at all and can't even stand the sound of his voice. This humiliation is the final straw for Hareton. In response to her treatment of him, Hareton stops trying to please Catherine. He becomes hateful towards her and considers her snobbish and superficial. He "muttered, he might go to hell" and stops refraining from engaging in activities that he had previously been told might displease Catherine if they were done on a Sunday, such as cleaning his gun. It hurts his pride too much to care about her when she hates him back, so he puts up a wall and decides to be just as hateful, making himself less vulnerable. Malice begets malice, and their hatred has a snowball effect. Catherine snubs Hareton, even when he tries to be polite, so she sees his every action as a declaration of his haughtiness. Then he finds it even more barbaric and even more cruel. She makes fun of his illiteracy and he becomes bitter and embarrassed. Catherine mocks Hareton that he is "always trying to write and read by himself" and proceeds to ridicule his efforts in the attempt. Hareton resents the fact "that he should be mocked for his ignorance, and then mocked for trying to remove it." Catherine goes on to inform Hareton that she has desecrated all his favorite books due to his poor reading. He throws the books at her in anger, but she continues to tease him. However, Brontë does not leave Hareton and Catherine at odds. In fact, through books and reading Catherine and Hareton resolve their differences. After Nelly's arrival at Wuthering Heights, Catherine's attitude and behavior improve, and one day Catherine announces to Hareton, "I wish you were my cousin." Hareton resists at first, but Catherine insists that she doesn't hate him. Finally, to demonstrate his seriousness, he gives it to him.
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