Summary
Chapter 6
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Hindley returns for his father's funeral with a mysterious wife, Frances, whose origins he never explains—probably because she lacks money and status. She's childlike, delighted by everything except death, which terrifies her. Hindley immediately asserts his authority, demoting Heathcliff from family member to outdoor laborer, forbidding his education, and banishing him to servants' quarters. At Frances's urging, Hindley unleashes all his childhood hatred of Heathcliff. But Catherine and Heathcliff escape to the moors daily, growing wilder together, united against their persecution. One Sunday evening, locked out as punishment, they run to Thrushcross Grange to spy on the wealthy Linton children. Peering through windows, they see Edgar and Isabella fighting over a lapdog in a luxurious drawing room—pampered, petty, pathetic. Catherine and Heathcliff laugh at them. But the Lintons hear them, release their bulldog, and Catherine is viciously bitten on the ankle. The dog won't let go. The Lintons drag Catherine inside, but when they recognize Heathcliff as "that strange acquisition" old Earnshaw brought home, they throw him out. Catherine must stay five weeks at the Grange while her ankle heals—five weeks that will transform her and their relationship forever.
Coming Up in Chapter 7
Cathy returns from her stay at Thrushcross Grange transformed from a wild child into a proper young lady, setting up the class tensions that will drive the rest of the story.
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An excerpt from the original text.(~288 words)
Mr. Hindley came home to the funeral; and—a thing that amazed us, and set the neighbours gossiping right and left—he brought a wife with him. What she was, and where she was born, he never informed us: probably, she had neither money nor name to recommend her, or he would scarcely have kept the union from his father. She was not one that would have disturbed the house much on her own account. Every object she saw, the moment she crossed the threshold, appeared to delight her; and every circumstance that took place about her: except the preparing for the burial, and the presence of the mourners. I thought she was half silly, from her behaviour while that went on: she ran into her chamber, and made me come with her, though I should have been dressing the children: and there she sat shivering and clasping her hands, and asking repeatedly—“Are they gone yet?” Then she began describing with hysterical emotion the effect it produced on her to see black; and started, and trembled, and, at last, fell a-weeping—and when I asked what was the matter, answered, she didn’t know; but she felt so afraid of dying! I imagined her as little likely to die as myself. She was rather thin, but young, and fresh-complexioned, and her eyes sparkled as bright as diamonds. I did remark, to be sure, that mounting the stairs made her breathe very quick; that the least sudden noise set her all in a quiver, and that she coughed troublesomely sometimes: but I knew nothing of what these symptoms portended, and had no impulse to sympathise with her. We don’t in general take to foreigners here, Mr. Lockwood, unless they take to us first.
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Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Power Grab Pattern
How individuals and groups reorganize themselves when established power structures suddenly change
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
Literature teaches you to recognize the subtle ways people establish and maintain social hierarchies, especially during transitions
Practice This Today
Next time there's a change in leadership at work or in your community, observe how people position themselves in relation to the new authority. Notice who tries to get close to power, who resists, and who just tries to stay out of the way.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
quarter ourselves
To relocate to lesser accommodations, usually servants' quarters
Modern Usage:
Like when new management comes in and suddenly you're moved from the nice break room to the basement
mourners
People attending a funeral to grieve the deceased
Modern Usage:
Family and friends who show up to pay their respects at a viewing or service
hysterical emotion
Overwhelming, uncontrollable emotional response
Modern Usage:
Having a complete breakdown or panic attack, especially when triggered by something specific
Characters in This Chapter
Hindley Earnshaw
New master of Wuthering Heights
Returns from college changed, immediately begins asserting power and reshaping household dynamics
Modern Equivalent:
The family member who inherits the business and immediately starts making changes to show they're in charge
Hindley's Wife
Mysterious new mistress
Represents someone who married up but can't hide her insecurities about death and social position
Modern Equivalent:
Someone who married into money but still feels like an outsider, anxious about fitting in
Nelly Dean
Servant and narrator
Observes the power shifts and class tensions with the practical wisdom of someone who's seen it all
Modern Equivalent:
The long-term employee who watches management changes and knows how these things usually play out
Key Quotes & Analysis
"We don't in general take to foreigners here, Mr. Lockwood, unless they take to us first."
Context: Explaining the household's cold reception of Hindley's wife
Shows how insular communities protect themselves by making outsiders prove their worth first
In Today's Words:
We're suspicious of new people until they show us they belong here
"Are they gone yet?"
Context: Hiding from the funeral proceedings, terrified of death
Her fear of mortality reveals someone who's never had to face life's harsh realities
In Today's Words:
Is the scary stuff over? Can I come out now?
"Young Earnshaw was altered considerably in the three years of his absence."
Context: Observing how Hindley has changed after his education
Education and exposure to different social classes can fundamentally change someone's identity and values
In Today's Words:
College changed him completely - he's not the same person who left
Thematic Threads
Social Class Anxiety
In This Chapter
Hindley's wife is clearly from a lower class but trying to fit into her new elevated position while being terrified of exposure
Development
Her fear of death and constant nervousness reveal someone who's never felt secure in any social position
In Your Life:
Notice how people act when they're in situations above their usual social level - the overcompensation, the anxiety, the need to prove they belong
Power and Hierarchy
In This Chapter
Hindley immediately starts rearranging the household staff and living arrangements to establish his authority
Development
Shows how new power holders often make dramatic changes just to demonstrate control
In Your Life:
Watch for this pattern when new managers, landlords, or authority figures take over - they often make unnecessary changes just to mark their territory
Isolation and Belonging
In This Chapter
The household's cold reception of the new wife shows how communities exclude outsiders
Development
Nelly's comment about not taking to foreigners reveals the defensive nature of insular groups
In Your Life:
Every workplace, neighborhood, and social group has unspoken rules about how newcomers must prove themselves
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
Why do you think Hindley kept his marriage secret from his father?
analytical • Consider what this reveals about class expectations and family approval - 2
What does the wife's fear of death tell us about her background and personality?
character_analysis • Think about how different life experiences shape our relationship with mortality - 3
How do you think the servants feel about being demoted to the back-kitchen?
perspective • Consider the emotional impact of sudden status changes on working people - 4
Is Nelly's attitude toward 'foreigners' justified or prejudiced?
ethical • Examine the difference between protective caution and unfair exclusion
Critical Thinking Exercise
Power Transition Analysis
Think of a time when leadership changed in your workplace, family, or community. Map out what happened: Who took power? What changes did they make immediately? How did different people react? What was the real motivation behind the changes?
Consider:
- •Were the changes necessary or just about establishing authority?
- •Who benefited and who lost status?
- •How long did it take for things to stabilize?
- •What could have been done differently to make the transition smoother?
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you had to adapt to new authority or rules. What was hardest about the change? How did you figure out what the new expectations were? What did you learn about yourself during that transition?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 7
The coming pages reveal social pressure transforms people and relationships, and teach us class differences create invisible barriers between lovers. These discoveries help us navigate similar situations in our own lives.