Summary
The Return and the Reunion
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
A black-edged letter announces Isabella's death. Edgar travels to claim his nephew Linton, now thirteen, who's been living in the south with Isabella. Catherine is ecstatic—she's built elaborate fantasies about this cousin she's never met, imagining him as a perfect playmate. When Edgar returns with Linton, Catherine's excitement turns to disappointment. Linton is a pale, sickly, whining boy—more delicate than Catherine, with fair hair, blue eyes, and a weak constitution. He's peevish and complaining, nothing like the robust companion she imagined. Still, Catherine fusses over him kindly, trying to make him comfortable. That evening, a servant from Wuthering Heights arrives with Heathcliff's demands: Linton must come immediately to live with his father. Edgar is horrified—he'd hoped to raise Linton away from Heathcliff's influence—but legally, Heathcliff has every right to his son. Edgar knows Heathcliff will use the boy as a pawn in some revenge scheme. He has no choice but to send Linton away, knowing the boy is walking into a nightmare. Catherine asks where Linton went. Edgar lies, saying Linton's father sent for him. He forbids Catherine from ever mentioning Linton again.
Coming Up in Chapter 20
The meeting between Catherine and her cousin Linton doesn't go as planned. Edgar realizes the boy must be kept away from Wuthering Heights and Heathcliff at all costs, but secrets this big have a way of coming to light.
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An excerpt from the original text.(~294 words)
letter, edged with black, announced the day of my master’s return. Isabella was dead; and he wrote to bid me get mourning for his daughter, and arrange a room, and other accommodations, for his youthful nephew. Catherine ran wild with joy at the idea of welcoming her father back; and indulged most sanguine anticipations of the innumerable excellencies of her “real” cousin. The evening of their expected arrival came. Since early morning she had been busy ordering her own small affairs; and now attired in her new black frock—poor thing! her aunt’s death impressed her with no definite sorrow—she obliged me, by constant worrying, to walk with her down through the grounds to meet them. “Linton is just six months younger than I am,” she chattered, as we strolled leisurely over the swells and hollows of mossy turf, under shadow of the trees. “How delightful it will be to have him for a playfellow! Aunt Isabella sent papa a beautiful lock of his hair; it was lighter than mine—more flaxen, and quite as fine. I have it carefully preserved in a little glass box; and I’ve often thought what a pleasure it would be to see its owner. Oh! I am happy—and papa, dear, dear papa! Come, Ellen, let us run! come, run.” She ran, and returned and ran again, many times before my sober footsteps reached the gate, and then she seated herself on the grassy bank beside the path, and tried to wait patiently; but that was impossible: she couldn’t be still a minute. “How long they are!” she exclaimed. “Ah, I see some dust on the road—they are coming! No! When will they be here? May we not go a little way—half a mile, Ellen, only just half a mile?
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Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Innocence Before the Storm
When family drama from the past shows up in your present, affecting people who had nothing to do with the original conflict
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
Catherine's fantasy about her cousin teaches us how dangerous it is to build relationships on projections rather than reality
Practice This Today
Next time you meet someone new - coworker, neighbor, potential partner - notice what stories you're already telling yourself about them
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
mourning attire
Black clothing worn to show respect for the dead and grief for their loss
Modern Usage:
Today we might wear black to funerals, but Victorian mourning had strict rules about what to wear and for how long
sanguine anticipations
Optimistic, cheerful expectations about future events
Modern Usage:
Like getting excited about a blind date or new job before knowing what you're really getting into
playfellow
A companion for games and activities, especially for children
Modern Usage:
Today we'd say playmate or friend - someone to hang out with and have fun
Characters in This Chapter
Young Catherine Linton
Edgar's daughter, excited about meeting her cousin
Her innocent excitement sets up the tragic complications to come
Modern Equivalent:
A sheltered kid getting hyped about a cousin moving in, not knowing the family drama involved
Edgar Linton
Returning father bringing his nephew home
Must navigate protecting his daughter while honoring his dead sister
Modern Equivalent:
A single dad taking in his troubled nephew while trying to shield his own kid from drama
Young Linton Heathcliff
Isabella's son, the new arrival
Represents the bridge between two warring households
Modern Equivalent:
A kid caught between divorced parents who hate each other
Key Quotes & Analysis
"Catherine ran wild with joy at the idea of welcoming her father back"
Context: Catherine's reaction to news of her father's return with her cousin
Shows Catherine's sheltered innocence and capacity for pure joy, soon to be complicated
In Today's Words:
Catherine was over the moon about her dad coming home and bringing her cousin
"Oh! I am happy—and papa, dear, dear papa! Come, Ellen, let us run!"
Context: Her excitement while waiting for her father's arrival
Pure childish enthusiasm, unaware of the grief and complications accompanying this reunion
In Today's Words:
She's like a kid on Christmas morning, not knowing the presents come with strings attached
"poor thing! her aunt's death impressed her with no definite sorrow"
Context: Catherine wearing mourning clothes without understanding their meaning
Children can't grieve for people they never knew, even family members
In Today's Words:
She's wearing black but doesn't really feel sad about losing someone she never met
Thematic Threads
Innocence vs. Reality
In This Chapter
Catherine's romantic fantasies about her unknown cousin contrast with the grim reality of family death and conflict
Development
Her excitement will soon crash against the harsh truths of her family's complicated history
In Your Life:
Notice when you're building up expectations about new people or situations based on limited information
Family Obligations
In This Chapter
Edgar must take in Isabella's son despite knowing it will complicate his peaceful life with Catherine
Development
Duty to family often conflicts with protecting those we love most
In Your Life:
Sometimes doing right by one family member puts others at risk - there's no perfect solution
The Past Invading the Present
In This Chapter
Isabella's death brings Heathcliff's son into the Linton household, connecting two worlds Edgar tried to keep separate
Development
You can't escape family history forever - it finds ways to resurface
In Your Life:
Old family drama has a way of showing up in new generations, whether you want it to or not
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
Why do you think Catherine has built up such elaborate fantasies about a cousin she's never met?
analysis • Consider how isolation and limited social contact might fuel imagination - 2
How might Edgar be feeling about bringing Isabella's son into his household?
empathy • Think about the conflict between family duty and protecting your own child - 3
What do you predict will happen when Catherine actually meets her cousin?
prediction • Consider how reality rarely matches our fantasies, especially in this story - 4
Have you ever been excited about meeting someone new, only to be disappointed by the reality?
personal_connection • Reflect on times when your expectations didn't match the actual person or situation
Critical Thinking Exercise
Expectation vs. Reality Check
Think about a time when you were really excited to meet someone new - maybe a blind date, new coworker, or family member you'd heard about but never met. Write about what you expected versus what actually happened.
Consider:
- •What information did you base your expectations on?
- •How did your imagination fill in the gaps?
- •What was different about the reality?
- •How did the disappointment (or pleasant surprise) affect you?
Journaling Prompt
Catherine is about to learn that people rarely match the stories we tell ourselves about them. What stories are you currently telling yourself about people in your life that might not be true?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 20
The meeting between Catherine and her cousin Linton doesn't go as planned. Edgar realizes the boy must be kept away from Wuthering Heights and Heathcliff at all costs, but secrets this big have a way of coming to light.
