Wuthering Heights- Engaging Techniques

Question #7

Emily Bronte uses many techniques to engage her audience, some of them being quite unconventional. For example, the novel is in the first person point of view, but for the majority of the book, the story is told from the third person. Because the story contains the first person point of view, readers are interested in the same things as the narrator. Mr. Lockwood, the narrator, takes a personal interest in the affairs at Wuthering Heights, for he has found a personal attraction towards Cathy. Consequently, readers take a personal interest in the story. Nelly’s suspenseful account leaves Lockwood (and consequently, the readers) wanting more.

A second element that is found in the story is the existence of two parallel stories, which adds interest to the plot and another form of suspense for the reader. The love between Catherine and Heathcliff exists throughout the novel, intertwining itself with the new story of Cathy, Hareton, and Linton. (page 230) An intellectual aspect of the story is synonymous with the parallel plots; they force the reader to analyze the events that occurred and predict the ending based on previous events. This, in turn, adds suspense and interest to the story in a new, original way.

Brontë, Emily. Wuthering Heights. New York: Random House, 1943. Print.