Catherine, The Embodiment of Self-Interest

How best to describe this powerful character? The character, who above all others, values herself as the most important, the most vital, the most influential. Every move she makes is to push herself forward, to make herself better, to give the illusion that she isn't completely insane, although sometimes that is questionable.

What made her this way? Or maybe, who? What pivotal moment struck a chord in her bosom that drove herself to such lengths? Perhaps it was Heathcliff, the little gypsy boy who became a constant companion to her? Or maybe, it was the "sound blow from her father" (30) she earned after she spat upon him after the loss of her whip, which could also be an example of her self interest far beyond the arrival of Heathcliff.

So perhaps I'm not wrong, and I can blame Amityville Heights but perhaps that could be a stretch of the imagination.

Yet we cannot let Heathcliff off so casually. Catherine's greed grew exponentially with Heathcliff's arrival, and considering Catherine and Heathcliff were "now very thick" (30), I believe he could be one of the many causes. They followed each other around, and seemed to enjoy each other for their company, so perhaps what they did in their company that aroused this growing greed.

Heathcliff's character alone matched Catherine so well. After his horrendous treatment in Wuthering Heights, his hatred combined with her greed to create a super evil being which spread between the two of them. Their love became to bound that Catherine even begant o see herself as Heathcliff! "(Catherine) I am Heathcliff -- he's always, always in my mind -- not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself --.." (64).

The line "not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself" is another thing that is important. This reminds me of the common "tactic" among people to tote along an "ugly person" to make themselves seem more beautiful. I almost think that Catherine's attraction to Heathcliff is out of self interest. She uses him as a tool to make her being seem majestic in comparison. I for one wouldn't put it past Catherine to use someone to better herself (case in point, Edgar).

This blog brings about many questions, both to myself and my potential readers. What is important about this self interest? What effect does it have on the characters, such as Edgar? What effect does she have upon him?

I see Catherine as the driving force to Edgar's insanity, just as Hindley's wife influenced his madness. Every character Catherine touches (aside from Heathcliff) is driven to madness by her presence, and the only people who could change her are the parental figures which die off so early on in her life. As much as Nelly tries, she cannot cure crazy. Maybe I should make a point to talk about Nelly and her Parental Powers in another blog...