Summary
Chapter 7
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Catherine returns from Thrushcross Grange completely transformed—refined, beautifully dressed in elegant riding clothes, her wild hair now in fashionable ringlets. The Lintons have civilized her with fine clothes and flattery. She arrives on Christmas, and everyone is stunned. Heathcliff, meanwhile, has grown dirtier and more degraded, working as a stable boy. When Catherine greets everyone elegantly but laughs at Heathcliff's filthy appearance, he feels the sting of class difference for the first time. Hindley mocks Heathcliff's dirty state, and Catherine's new refinement makes Heathcliff feel ashamed of himself—a devastating moment. Nelly tries to clean him up, but he realizes no amount of washing will change his status. The Linton children visit for dinner, and Edgar Linton's refined manners contrast sharply with Heathcliff's roughness. When Edgar insults him, Heathcliff throws hot applesauce in his face, earning a beating from Hindley. Catherine sides with Edgar, choosing her new refined friends over Heathcliff for the first time. Heathcliff is locked in the garret, planning revenge, while Catherine enjoys Christmas dinner with the Lintons. The chapter marks the beginning of their separation, as class consciousness divides what love once united.
Coming Up in Chapter 8
A new birth brings joy to Wuthering Heights, but tragedy follows close behind as consumption claims another victim, setting the stage for the next generation's struggles.
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An excerpt from the original text.(~297 words)
Cathy stayed at Thrushcross Grange five weeks: till Christmas. By that time her ankle was thoroughly cured, and her manners much improved. The mistress visited her often in the interval, and commenced her plan of reform by trying to raise her self-respect with fine clothes and flattery, which she took readily; so that, instead of a wild, hatless little savage jumping into the house, and rushing to squeeze us all breathless, there lighted from a handsome black pony a very dignified person, with brown ringlets falling from the cover of a feathered beaver, and a long cloth habit, which she was obliged to hold up with both hands that she might sail in. Hindley lifted her from her horse, exclaiming delightedly, “Why, Cathy, you are quite a beauty! I should scarcely have known you: you look like a lady now. Isabella Linton is not to be compared with her, is she, Frances?” “Isabella has not her natural advantages,” replied his wife: “but she must mind and not grow wild again here. Ellen, help Miss Catherine off with her things—Stay, dear, you will disarrange your curls—let me untie your hat.” I removed the habit, and there shone forth beneath a grand plaid silk frock, white trousers, and burnished shoes; and, while her eyes sparkled joyfully when the dogs came bounding up to welcome her, she dared hardly touch them lest they should fawn upon her splendid garments. She kissed me gently: I was all flour making the Christmas cake, and it would not have done to give me a hug; and then she looked round for Heathcliff. Mr. and Mrs. Earnshaw watched anxiously their meeting; thinking it would enable them to judge, in some measure, what grounds they had for hoping to succeed in separating the two friends.
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Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Makeover Trap
The higher you climb socially, the more you must leave behind of your original self
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
Literature teaches us to see how social pressure shapes identity and relationships, helping us resist manipulation and maintain authentic connections
Practice This Today
Next time you feel pressure to change yourself to fit in, ask: 'What am I being asked to give up, and is it worth it?'
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
Reform
To improve or change someone's behavior or character through training
Modern Usage:
Like when someone gets a makeover show transformation or goes to finishing school
Consumption
Tuberculosis, a deadly lung disease common in the 1800s
Modern Usage:
Similar to how we fear cancer today—often a death sentence back then
Habit
A woman's riding dress, typically long and formal
Modern Usage:
Think expensive equestrian outfit or designer sportswear that shows status
Characters in This Chapter
Catherine Earnshaw
The transformed wild child
Shows how class pressure can change someone's entire identity
Modern Equivalent:
Someone who gets a scholarship to an elite school and comes back acting completely different
Heathcliff
The abandoned outsider
Represents how society discards those without status or protection
Modern Equivalent:
Heath - the construction worker watching his childhood love become someone he can no longer reach
The Lintons
The civilizing influence
Represent how the upper class shapes and controls others
Modern Equivalent:
Wealthy family who sponsors someone's education but expects total transformation in return
Key Quotes & Analysis
"Why, Cathy, you are quite a beauty! I should scarcely have known you: you look like a lady now."
Context: Hindley's reaction to Catherine's transformation after her stay with the wealthy Lintons
This quote reveals how appearance and manners are equated with worth in this society
In Today's Words:
You look expensive now—like you actually matter in society
"She dared hardly touch them lest they should fawn upon her splendid garments."
Context: Describing how Catherine now hesitates to interact naturally with the dogs
Shows how class consciousness creates barriers even with innocent affection
In Today's Words:
She was afraid to be herself because it might mess up her new image
"If he were careless, and uncared for, before Catherine's absence, he had been ten times more so since."
Context: Describing Heathcliff's deterioration while Catherine was away
Reveals how abandonment and hopelessness can destroy someone's self-worth
In Today's Words:
When the person you love starts moving up in the world, you can spiral down
Thematic Threads
Social Class Division
In This Chapter
Catherine's complete transformation from wild child to refined lady creates an unbridgeable gap with Heathcliff
Development
The class system doesn't just separate people economically—it reshapes their entire identity
In Your Life:
Think about times you've changed how you dress, talk, or act to fit in with a 'better' crowd. What did you have to give up?
The Cost of Conformity
In This Chapter
Catherine gains social acceptance but loses her natural spontaneity and connection to her true self
Development
Respectability requires sacrificing authenticity
In Your Life:
When have you felt you had to choose between being accepted and being yourself? What was the real cost?
Abandonment and Neglect
In This Chapter
Heathcliff deteriorates further while Catherine is away, showing how isolation destroys people
Development
Without love and care, people become their worst selves
In Your Life:
Who in your life might be struggling while you're focused on climbing higher? How do we stay connected to our roots?
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
Is Catherine's transformation a betrayal of Heathcliff, or is she just trying to survive in her society?
moral_complexity • Explores the tension between personal loyalty and social survival - 2
How does Heathcliff's deterioration during Catherine's absence reveal the connection between love and self-worth?
psychological_insight • Examines how abandonment affects identity and behavior - 3
What does Catherine's reluctance to touch the dogs tell us about how class consciousness changes our relationships?
symbolic_analysis • Analyzes how social mobility creates barriers to natural affection - 4
In what ways do we see similar 'makeover' pressures in modern society, and how can we resist them?
contemporary_application • Connects historical themes to current social media and class pressures
Critical Thinking Exercise
The Authenticity Audit
Think of a time when you changed something about yourself to fit in with a group or impress someone. Write about what you changed, why you felt you had to change it, and what the results were. Then consider: What parts of your authentic self are you most afraid of showing? What would happen if you showed them anyway?
Consider:
- •How did the change affect your relationships with people who knew the 'real' you?
- •Did the acceptance you gained feel genuine or conditional?
- •What would Catherine's story look like if she had refused the makeover?
- •How can we pursue growth and opportunities without losing our core identity?
Journaling Prompt
Write a letter to someone you've grown apart from because of changes in social status, education, or lifestyle. What would you want them to know about who you still are underneath all the changes?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 8: Birth and Death
What lies ahead teaches us birth and death create power shifts in families, and shows us grief can destroy people who aren't prepared for it. These patterns appear in literature and life alike.