My accomplice M and I took on this endeavor to further our literary knowledge (since we were never really assigned to read much of what we thought we should have in high school) and now I’m really wondering why…
Was it to feel stupid? To be utterly confused by the narrative? To look (and sometimes, feel) downright miserable while reading?
All of the above?
Really, I believe it was to see what all the fuss was about…to experience what we were missing. And it’s been a rough ride folks…at least for me. .Let’s start with the first book of our odyssey: Wuthering Heights. This novel threw me for a loop…and a few corkscrews. Like M, I’m not the biggest fan of the story within a story within a story within a story within a story within a story within a story concept. Especially when it’s as confusing as this novel. I often found myself asking “Who the hell is telling this part of the story and to who?” Again, like M, this could be an issue with my own intellect and not necessarily the book itself or Emily Bronte’s writing (which is incredibly old fashioned…maybe I’m just too much of a modern girl for this?). Oh, and one of the characters that may or not be telling the story may or may not be a ghost…color me befuddled.
Now onto a few things I did understand: Heathcliff and Catherine are downright miserable people and are (subconsciously?) bent on making everyone around them miserable too. Some may say “Oh, they are not, they’re just flawed,” but I say they’re absolutely wretched characters; and are both incredibly engaging. It’s astonishing the lengths they go to, especially that Heathcliff, to wreak havoc upon one another’s psyche particularly since they’re head over heels in love. Due to different social standings between the two, they’re not allowed to be together…
Right? That’s what I took from the monotonous prose anyway. Is there something else there that went over my head?
…Anyway, they marry other people, chaos and jealousy ensue. Harsh words and actions are exchanged. Children are birthed into this hateful world. People die and the ones that are left are just as miserable as I felt reading it. Now, after all that you may laugh at this, but I…liked it. After all the confusion, abhorrent behavior and tedious writing, it’s a good read. It may take a while, and for me it did but I think it was worth it…at least to be able to say “Yeah, I read that.”
On the other hand, I may not be able to say that about Emma. I may only be able to say “I got about halfway through it but looked and felt afflicted while reading it that I gave up.” But more on that later…
Until next time folks…
B
“M” likes this! and agrees completely. We’re going to have to watch the movie for that one I think!