Research Paper on:
Nurture and Nature in Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
to be at the heart of Emily Brontes book, Wuthering Heights. In fact, the idea is explored through relationships, setting and circumstances. In her book, it is as if Bronte  is attempting to arrive at the answer to this nature versus nurture by pitting the one against the other. Meaning that nature is represented by the old Earnshaw family,  or more specifically Catherine and Heathcliff. They can be said to represent nature because they are ruled, it would seem, by their passions rather than by reason or social ideas  civility or morality. This idea of nature is reflected not only through the characters, but also in the setting. Wuthering Heights is quite symbolistic of this innate primitive instinct, or  wildness. In this setting, then, Catherine and Heathcliff are free to be whom they wish to be. However, on the side of nurture is the comparison house of Thrushcross Grange  and the Linton family, who represent culture, civility and the epitome of reason and logic over passion and emotion. An early example of this squaring off of the two  extremes is when, in Chapter six, Catherine is bitten by a dog that belongs to the Lintons. She is taken immediately to the nearest place, which is Thrushcross Grange. It  is there that she first experiences the Lintons. At first, it seems as if nature will be the victor in the constant sparring and juxtaposition of the two families. And,  in fact, it can be said that the Lintons are changed forever due to their affiliation and influence by Catherine and Heathcliff. However, toward the end of the novel, civility  and morality win out. This can be thought to have been the conclusion because to conclude otherwise embraces chaos, whereas a belief that anyone can be changed has an element