- Read the info below about frame narratives in general. Discuss the structure of WH as a frame story. Create at least two comments in which you discuss how point of view changes in the story? How does this change affect the reader’s perception of the story? Link any relevant web pages to your comments.
Merriam Webster's Encyclopedia of Literature.
frame story also called frame tale translation of German Rahmenerzählung
Overall unifying story within which one or more tales are related. In the single story, the opening and closing constitutes a frame. In the cyclical frame story--that is, a story in which several tales are related--some frames are externally imposed and only loosely bind the diversified stories. The Thousand and One Nights, in which Scheherazade (Shahrazad) avoids death by telling her royal husband a story every night and leaving it incomplete, is an example of a frame story. Other frames are an integral part of the tales, as in Giovanni Boccaccio's Decameron, in which the stories are woven together by a common theme. Another famous example is Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, in which the pilgrimage frame brings together the varied tellers of the tales.
117 comments:
Mr. Lockwood tells the story of his personal experiences, but Mrs. Dean is telling her story within his story,so a frame story is formed. The point of view shifts from Mr. Lockwood's first person to Mrs. Dean's first person as she tells the story of her life at WH and TG. At random points, her story telling is interrupted by other conversation between Mrs. Dean and Mr. Lockwood; this helps to remind the reader that it is a frame story and not just Mrs. Dean's tales of love. Also, the fact that it is told by Mrs. Dean affects the way that other charcters are portrayed. For example, if Zillah were to describe Cathy Linton, it would be a very different description than Mrs. Dean's because they are both bias.
*biased, sorry!
At the beginning of the novel the reader is exposed to Mr. Lockwood as the narrator, but then Ellen Dean begins to tell her story in Mr. Lockwood's story, and a story within another story, a frame story, is produced. The reader is reminded of this change in narrator with the small amounts of conversation between Ellen and Mr. Lockwood. These little interruptions help remind the reader that this is Nelly's view of the situation, which can distort certain situations or make some events more exaggerated than necessary. Since Nelly is a woman, I think that she pays more attention to detail, figuring out the small and trivial details that later are important, such as her awareness of the evil in people like Heathcliff and Hareton and the naivety in others like Isabella. Since Nelly is the only narrator that has experience these events, she presents her views to the reader along with her thoughts, which draw the reader to characters she likes and draws the reader away from the characters Nelly detests.
I believe that Bronte chose to write Wuthering Heights as a frame story because different perspectives are formed from each character that recounts the tale, giving the reader the opportunity to develop a better appreciation and understanding of the novel as a whole. The pieces of the story told by Nelly are critical to the inside story-the story of Catherine and Heathcliff's relationship from its beginning and to its end. By using Nelly as narrator, as the housekeeper and good friend to these characters, Bronte can illustrate the characters' personalities, flaws, loves, and wants easily. Similarly, by showing Mr. Lockwood's point of view, Bronte brings the reader out of the inside story, and gives the reader the chance to reflect on the action and see it in a less detailed light.
The usage of a frame story adds to the uniqueness of Wuthering Heights. It allows the reader to follow the story with out missing any important facts, feels, or situations from the past that lead to the present. Being told from the view of the nanny/nurse Ellen, reveals how observant she is as an outsider to the conflict and the family. Because she is closest to Cathy, the reader experiences a biased narrative. It might have been interesting to have another frame story told by Zillah or Joseph when all the characters are living at WH without Ellen. The sporadic dialogue between Mr. L and Ellen reminds the reader of the present situation and helps lead into present time.
I am very fascinated by this writing technique since now I know the technical term and I can now point it out
I agree with Carey when she says it would have been interesting to add another character's point of view, especially because Bronte has been using the frame story so well with Nelly and Mr. Lockwood. However, I also believe that an additional point of view might have lengthened the story unnecessarily.
When I first started reading, I got really confused when all of a sudden there was a different point of view from Mr. Lockwood's. What I've come to really enjoy about the way Bronte uses Nelly's story inside of Lockwood's story is that you can kind of see it like a movie. I can just see Mrs. Dean sitting in her chair knitting, and telling her story. I really like the way the story is told through a frame, more than I thought I would like it anyways... :D
At the beginning of WH, Mr. Lockwood is the narrator, but as the novel goes on the first person narration changes to Mrs. Ellen Dean. Mrs. Dean recounts a collection of stories that form the history between Heathcliff and Catherine and their children. Because Mrs. Dean is a witness to the events of which she describes to Mr. Lockwood, her view point is very important. She has known each one of the characters that she talks about so therefore her narration would be less bias than if someone like Hareton tells the story. This helps to make the novel less confusing as the reader must separate the characters from the present and the past. Also because Mrs. Dean is apart of Heathcliff and Catherine's childhoods, her stories give an insight into each character's natures which helps to explain their actions as each one matures into adults. Throught Mrs. Deans narration, she and Mr. Lockwood have little converstations that creates a frame story and not just the history of two lovers.
Towards the end, Isabella writes a letter to Nelly, giving her view of the situation with Heathcliff, which further supports Nelly's descriptions of Heathcliff as a mean and self-centered man. She is sensitive to Heathcliff's actions and comments, which make the reader believe that Heathcliff really is a mean and difficult person to handle.
As you all comment on the narrators, remember to think about authenticity and credibility. Do these characters lend some form of normality or reality to an otherwise unbelievable tale?
My personal experience with English literature is limited at best. This summer’s reading has essentially been my first introduction to English writings by authors other than Shakespeare. In addition to this, I do not believe I have ever encountered “framing” in literature before, but, after reading the descriptions, I do recognize its usage in films. While the implementation of “framing” can be used to hook a reader into a story, I found this to not be the case in my reading of Wuthering Heights - far from it. Instead of whetting my appetite for the narrative, I was decidedly put off because the whole of the plot was stated within the first chapter or so. It was a bit like reading the Cliff notes for a novel, or watching a movie based on a book before reading the book. There was no suspense and thus I found it difficult to continue reading due to my lack of motivation. In the first few pages of the story, we are introduced to Mr. Lockwood and through him to Mr. Heathcliff, Mrs. Catherine Heathcliff, Hareton, and Nelly. In the course of these introductions, we are told the overview of the oncoming plot. Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw (later Catherine Linton) fall in love but are torn asunder, they each marry a member of the Linton family, Heathcliff and Catherine’s children are married and Catherine’s daughter and namesake is quickly widowed leaving her to live in grim and morose lodgings with Heathcliff and her cousin Hareton. All this is revealed within the first few chapters, leaving the subsequent thirty or so to fill in minute details primarily through Nelly’s point of view and occasionally Mr. Lockwood’s. The usage of framing in this instance, while it can be a very useful literary tool, detracted from my personal reading experience.
I agree with Carey and Elise when they say it would have been cool to have another character's point of view, possibly Heathcliff's, because Bronte's use of frame stories works so well in the novel. However, I believe that if Bronte had added another point of view, in addition to those of Nelly and Mr. Lockwood, things could have gotten very confusing and some of the point may have been lost.
The story begins with Mr. Lockwood describing his personal experiences. Then, Mrs. Dean begins telling her story within his story, and a frame story is created. Bronte's use of a frame story offers a unique perspective for the reader to enjoy. There are shifts in the novel from Mrs. Dean's first person narration of past events to Mr. Lockwood's p.o.v. of present thoughts and conversations that he has with Mrs. Dean. The way Bronte chose to write this story offers the readers a unique reading experience because there are not very many books that use frame stories to that extent, at least in my experience. Also, the use of the frame story allows the reader to pick up on all the important details and makes sure that the reader experiences the narrators' feelings and emotions with them. Another reason that the novel is interspered with present time conversations is to remind the reader that Mrs. Dean's story is biased.
I definitely enjoyed Bronte's use of the frame story, as learning Mrs. Dean's personal account of the complicated affairs of Wuthering Heights was very interesting, especially considering her personal experience/involvement in the lives of Cathy and Heathcliff. I agree with Carey and Elise, adding another character's perspective would have been fascinating, especially if you consider Ellen's bias that likely influence her account of the tale. Although it was often confusing, Lockwood's frequent interruptions reminded the reader of the role of Ellen's story in Wuthering Heights as a whole. In a sense, it allowed the reader to reflect on the main plot, rather than growing completely enrapt in Ellen's tale.
To an extent, I empathize with Chrissy's need for suspense with the use of the frame story. As the first few chapters account for the majority of the actual plot, I spent the whole of the novel hoping Mrs. Dean's narrative would cease and there would be somr sort of twist to the foreshadowed plot. After reading Ellen Dean's account of Cathy and Heathcliff's childhood to her recollection of Cathy's death, my attention to Mrs. Dean's tale dwindled and I found myself yearning for the major plotline from there on.
In the beginning of Wuthering Heights, Mr. Lockwood is exposed to people he has never met, and people of whose background he does not know. Because the beginning of the book is from Mr. Lockwood's point of view, the reader also does not know who these people are or their life's story. Because Mr. Lockwood was not fond of these people, I was very confused in the beginning of how I would find out about them or how the novel would build in structure. The frame story is created when Ellen Dean takes the main narrator role, forming a story inside another story, and eventually inside of yet another story.
So, I really really enjoy the way that Bronte uses the frame in her story because it gives an outside and objective yet personal look upon the relationships between Isabella, Edgar, Catherine, and Heathcliff. One of the best parts of the book to me, which also sets help a miniature frame, is when Nelly reads Isabella's letter how Heathcliff and his home are a wreck and literal "hell on earth". What is really fasinating is the next day when she goes to Wuthering Heights and finds that Isabella's story true, we also get to hear what Heathcliff thinks about his hellish treatment towards his unwanted and used wife. I'm happy to admit, I've liked this novel more than I thought I would!
I specifically want to address Chris's comment about the frame in the story; remember that when the main plot line is "given away" at the beginning of the novel, then most probably the author is telling you that the main plot is NOT what the novel is really about - right? You know what happens, so perhaps Bronte wants you to spend more time on how the characters got there, the psychological effects of their actions, the emotions involved, along with other elements that might even be *more* interesting and/or enlightening than the main plot.
Mrs. Dean's description of the lives of the people of both Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange are very important. In the beginning, I felt that she kind of sympathized with Heathcliff, but as he grew older and colder, she too grew colder towards him. Because she acted as a sort of mother towards Cathy (the youngest one), I think sometimes she is biased towards her. Mrs. Dean's closeness to each of the characters and her position as sort of mentor/mother/person-to-vent-to gives her lots of insight to each character's personal feelings and their reasoning for their actions, allowing the reader to sort of decide for themselves whether the character means well or not.
I really really liked the 'framing' of the story and how Bronte managed to insert different characters' points of view every once in a while. Mr. Lockwood got to narrate sporadically and the letter from Isabella helped variate points of view. Also, some of Mrs. Dean's really long stories told from someone else's point of view, such as Zillah's problems with Cathy, helped the reader to view some characters in a different light. I really liked the variation!
I think writing a novel in the form a frame story is an interesting and sometimes risky way of doing things. The author has the potential to present aspects of the story while using different emotional perspectives. However, the author definetely has to be careful not to make it too complicated because that could destroy the good they are trying to do.
I agree with Meredith when she says that the use of frame writing is sometimes risky because i know i had to reread a little to understand the story completely. However, I also agree with her when she says that it makes for a very interesting read. This specific style of writing gives the reader a chance to see the story from multiple perspectives; these perspectives being from Mr.Lockwood and Mrs.Dean. The reader is given a chance to know whats going on inside two of the characters' minds and their opinions and feelings, making the story much more interesting overall in my opinion.
i personally hate the way Bronte uses a frame narrative. to me, it gets me really confused on who's narrating the story and because if i don't keep track of who's narrating then i'm reading a different point of view without knowing it. as much as a frame narrative is challenging to read for people like me, it also has its good points. it makes me pay more close attention to the details of the novel and allows me to be open to different perspectives of the same basic story. but, i hate the framing of the story,
I believe that Bronte uses the concept of a frame story so the reader can get to know the characters' personality and point of view better. But I think that the frame story makes Wuthering Heights a very difficult novel to read. I had to read many pages over again to figure out what was happening and who was telling the story. But, I agree with one of my classmates in saying that the use of frame story creates more of a movie-like feel to the book, and I think it makes the novel more interesting.
Bronte's use of a "frame story" is different from anything I've read. Sometimes it is difficult to follow but it also keeps the reader on their toes. Lockwood is writing his account of Nelly's account of many interconneted lives. At one point even she is reading of letter to Lockwood of Isabella Linton-Heathcliff's account at Wuthering Heights. It was four stories intertwined as one big mess!
Honestly, I agree with Denise. The usage of a frame story was hard to follow at first but throughout the novel it has made me enjoy the book more because it seems like a more personal, intimate account.
As I'm getting more into the novel, I now see that the frame story makes parts of the novel more biased. But I think that's what makes this book interesting. I would like to have another narrator later in the novel to see his or her point of view. I think that either Zillah or Isabella would be interesting.
Because Bronte uses a frame story, she tells the ending of Heathcliff and Cathy's love at the very beginning of the novel. Therefore as we read it, i think we are supposed to be focusing on if their love is doomed from the start. We are allowed to take a closer look at the characters actions and have somewhat of an insight into their thoughts because of the frame story. I personally believe that they never would have been together on earth. Although Catherine loves Healthcliff she is somewhat selfish and stubborn and therefore she takes her anger out on Heathcliff by marrying Linton. From this point on the two lovers can never be together during their life times. The Frame story helps to explain these events but also shows us the effects of Heathcliff and Cathy's doomed love has on each and every character. I also think that with the use of a frame story WH must be read multiple times inorder to fully understand the theme that Bronte wants to relate to her readers.
WH essentially encompasses the tale of two star-crossed lovers related from a distinct point of view, the loyal servant Nelly Dean, who, like any good English servant, serves as the eyes and ears of the happenings in WH and TG. Nelly Dean, a nurturing woman, leaves no want of detail and pays particular attention to the emotions and attitudes of her story's characters. Her story is made more personal by the fact that it is entirely in first person, but this also limits the plot: the reader sees from the eyes of Nelly. However, Ms. Dean's story is framed within the less important one of Mr. Lockwood, who acts as the agent that launches Ms. Dean into the past of WH, TG, and their inhabitants by asking for the tale of the twisted past of his landlord, Heathcliff. The reader, then, learns about Heathcliff's and Cathy's story alongside Mr. Lockwood, since Ms. Dean is the only link between the outside world (the reader, Mr. Lockwood) and the world of WH. Ms. Dean is very intimitate with the character's in her narration, and therefore the reader develops strong attachments to them and, trusting the judgement of Ms. Dean, feels a wide range of emotions (usually in step with Ms. Dean's feelings) in response to the actions of Heathcliffe, Cathy, and the rest. Mr. Lockwood's interruptions of Nelly's story provides the reader with some time to breathe and reflect on the dense tangle of emotions.
When the main plot is given away at the beginning of a novel, particularly WH, (I believe) the story becomes more of a character study than one of adventuresome plot.
Furthermore, I actually felt even more mystified by knowing the "ending" right from the word go, since I, the reader, just like Mr. Lockwood, am consequently left outside the loop of characters in WH and have to find out everything that has happened from a second source as well as through a series of flashbacks, instead of living the story firsthand alongside the main characters. Sometimes the "how they got there" is more intriguing then actually getting there, as in WH's case; the struggles, suppressed passions, and failed endeavors are far more interesting than plot lines.
So far, the fact that WH is structured as a frame story makes it unique by offering the reader different opinions for the same story. Mrs. Dean's point of view is that of an objective storyteller. However, Mr. Lockwood's narration is a personal account, much like a journal. I agree with Meredith that the different points of view change the reader's perspective of the characters.
Upon reading the first chapter of WH, confusion sets in. The people, places, and events that had obviously developed long before the novel began creates questions and somewhat anxiety for the reader. The reader wants to immediately know what is happening and the background to each mentioned character. By creating a frame story within the novel, Bronte uses the first couple of chapters as an allure to the reader. When Mrs. Dean begins the long history of WH and TG, confusion in the reader seems to slowly diminish. Mr. Lockwood creates a point of view that brings the reader into a desire to know more. Mrs. Dean's point of view aids in the exploration of each character's emotions, secret desires, and traits. Without Mrs. Dean's story, nothing in the novel would be achieved. Mr. Lockwood in the end, after witnessing first hand Heathcliff and Cathy, and after hearing their history through Mrs. Dean, can formulate his own observations and tell the story to other desired listeners.
i agree with denise. the frame story aspect confused me very much at the beginning and i just didnt know who was talking and how they knew everyone in the story. i just could not figure it out. however, when i think more about it, i like how bronte began with telling what happens in the end. i do like how nelly tells most of the story, because she was way more interesting to me than mr. lockwood was. She went into more detail, as allie baker pointed out, and she knew the characters very personally, which obviously makes the story more interesting.
also, like meredith, i see how different views must be shown. we cannot just listen to nelly tell her love stories constantly and not see others views of the characters. Just as in life, there are different points of views about everyone, i also think that bronte was being a good author by letting the reader see different views so that they can decide themselves who to like, not just given who to like by nelly.
Emily Bronte opens through the voice and narrative of Mr. Lockwood whom upon coming into a new scene of life for himself as a tennet provides us the readers with a scanty outlining of Bronte's characters; however and quite logically, within the first 25 pages, Mr. Lockwood relinquishes his title as sole narrator to the loyal servant Nelly who embellishes the characters Lockwood has encountered thereby introducing the frame technique. Naturally upon touching on these people's rather gloomy state and general character, Mr. Lockwood becomes riveted by their circumstances and thus seeks a more knowledgeable mind on the lineage of the people within Mr. Heathcliff's abode; and Nelly provides him with such details in the course of many conversation in which the point of view switches several times as does the setting. By using the frame story technique, Bronte is able to illustrate much more complete characters, because not only does she provide an inside look but she also furnishes an outside.
As others before me have already commented, I also agree that a frame story is in fact a risky step; however if nurtured with the proper literary skill, it can used as an overwhelmingly successful and engrossing method. In aspects I feel Bronte accomplishes this but in others she does not. Two points struck me undeniably:
First, her employment of frame work through a conversational style was stimulating and brainy, but in my opinion, she lingers too long in one "world"- so I will say considering almost two different worlds are developed in WH. Second, the use of just two narratives for the frame story was perceptive in that if another were added it would have gotten to complicated for a number of readers.
Wuthering Heights is a frame story that explores love through two generations. It qualifies as a frame story because the tales of Catherine and Heathcliff, and later, Cathy and Linton are separate stories with the same theme that love is destructive. Bronte's use of the frame not only exhibits the theme of the novel, but it helps the reader understand the characters' distinct personalities by looking into their important family histories.
In Wuthering Heights, the story is told from two main points of view: Mr. Lockwood and Nelly Dean. In the first chapters, the story is begun by Lockwood, and the reader becomes very confused. However, as the point of view changes to Mrs. Dean, the reader begins to understand the people and places Lockwood has experienced. The rest of the story is told by Mrs. Dean with a few random comments from Lockwood serving only the purpose of reminding the reader how the story is being told. In my opinion, Lockwood's role as narrarator does not enhance the story aside from creating an original beginning. However, with a bit more thought, I realize Bronte might have included Lockwood's point of view so one could realize the outcome of the novel at the very beginning. If this is true, Bronte wanted her readers to pay attention to something rather than the solely the plot. I believe she wanted us to understand the nature of her characters in order for us to understand the theme that love is destructive.
I think Bronte chose to write Wuthering Heights as a frame story because it helps the reader understand different points of view, coming from different characters. Lockwood makes the reader look at the story from his side with little knowledge of the other characters. Later, the story is told from Nelly's point of view, almost inside of Lockwood's.
With the change of narrators in the story, this affected my perception of the novel. It might have been just me, but it made reading this story more difficult because it wasn't something you could just read without having to focus on who was actually speaking. As many have said, it creates biased opinions for the readers also because you hear and take in what the narrator is telling you, making you believe it. But for the most part, i think it was a cool idea on Bronte's part to make her story have different commentators.
Wuthering Heights could definitely be considered a frame story. The novel begins and ends around the frame of Mr. Lockwood coming as a tenant to stay in Thrushcross Grange. However, the majority of the book consists of Mrs. Dean telling Mr. Lockwood of the tragic and somewhat twisted history of Heathcliff. Throughout the novel, the point of view changes. It begins with Mr. Lockwood in the form of his diary, soon changing to Catherine through her diary as well. Introducing the small story of Catherine and Heathcliff as children creates a sense of curiosity in the reader. When Mrs. Dean tells her story of Heathcliff, the narrator again changes. The point of view even occasionally shifts to somewhat smaller characters such as Isabella through her letter to Mrs. Dean.
As Bronte opens with Mr. Lockwood's story of personal experiences at Wuthering Heights, the sudden shift in narration from Lockwood's tale to Mrs. Dean's tale forms a frame story of different points of view. Mrs. Dean's firsthand account of the lives of Catherine and Heathcliff's family relationships are significant in embellishing Mr. Lockwood's experience that he describes in only the first 25 pages of the novel and briefly at the end of chapters. However, Mrs. Dean's motherly, biased opinions of Cathy as a child personally shaped my opinions as well instead of giving me an opportunity on my own to like or dislike Cathy when introduced in the novel. I agree with other readers that reading a different viewpoint of the characters as children might give new opinions of them as adults in the frame story as a whole.
I truly like the frame story idea for this novel because it shows the theme of "love is destruction" from the very beginning of Mrs. Dean's narration. We are given an account that shows love and nature between people, and Mrs. Dean's knowledge of both Earnshaw and Linton heirs' personal lives make that relationship a reality. This knowledge also makes readers focus on the continuation of a theme throughout the entire novel, rather than just the plot.
WH is a good example of a frame story not only because of the different narrators, but also because of the structure of the book. It begins with Mr. Lockwood first entering WH and ends with his last visit to WH. Also, Mrs. Dean begins and ends the story of Catherine and Heathcliff from their childhood to the death of Heathcliff. I really liked the structure of WH as a frame story, and I think that structure made the book more interesting.
Since the narrator changes many times throughout the novel, the story is often interrupted. These interruptions and shifts in view make the story more suspenseful. Catherine’s diary entry at the beginning of the novel is an example of how the reader is introduced to a taste of mystery that is soon interrupted by other narration. I liked this method because it makes the whole book feel like a story being told to me.
I also agree with Callie on the aspect of the suspense that is displayed to the reader because of how the book was written. Because during the narration there are interruptions, the reader is sort of left with a cliff hanger between interruptions. This form also makes for a more interesting, but also somewhat confusing and slower read.
First off I would like to thank Anne and Mrs. Goodman for responding to my post. :) I appreciated the feedback.
In response to Mrs. Goodman, I very much agree that Wuthering Heights certainly evolved into much more of a "character study" (If I may borrow the words of one of my classmates) and was much less about the actual plot in itself. Perhaps my aversion to the story stems from that not being to my personal tastes, in that I would much rather be able to study the characters behaviors and mindsets and be able to conjecture from that what they would do next, rather than knowing what would happen and have everything painted before me. The latter seems to require no form of deep thought on the subject and appears to me as a very passive way to view a story.
Because Mr. Lockwood is narrating WH from the opening pages, therefore portraying his biased opinions on to the reader, Bronte chooses to tink with the reader's mind from the very beginning. She forces the reader to make an opinion about Lockwood's credibility, even before Nelly, the more credible character of the two, introduces her more knowledgeable information. However, this process sets up an interesting frame story, in that Lockwood not only outlines the basic qualities of the characters, but also reveals his opinions, forcing the reader to either agree or disagree with him from the very beginning. Nelly soon shares facts about the characters, previously reviewed by Lockwood, revealing their true identities. In order to explicitly understand the theme, love is destructive, the reader must first be familiar with the nature of the characters that create the plot, otherwise known as Lockwood's description of them. Although the level of reading intensified because of Bronte's choice of a frame story, I enjoyed the two different perspectives of the characters because it gave the reader, like Hensley said, both an insight and an outside look.
As a counterpart, I think it is essential to remember that although Nelly is trustworthy, she is also biased because of her real life encounters with the people and experiences that she is telling Lockwood, and therefore the reader, about. Like in today's world, people have different opinions about different people, because of past experiences, that one may or may not agree with. It is the same case with Nelly and the reader.
Like Zonia has already stated, WH opens up as a "character study" because the plot is already given. However, when the reader knows the end result of a character's life, it is human nature to ponder how they got there. For instance, in today's world, when someone dies, one of the first questions asked is "How did it happen?". Therefore, when Nelly notifies the reader that Catherine is the last of the Lintons and Hareton is the last of the Earnshaws, it made me wonder "How did this come about?". This occurence kept me reading.
I believe that Emily Bronte's style of writing for Wuthering Heights allows her readers to learn the characters' personalities through their different perspectives of their experiences. Beginning the story with Mr. Lockewood as the narrator, Bronte is able to explain Mr. Lockewood's relation with Wuthering Heights and his innocence towards the history of Heathcliff and the other characters. By starting the novel off this way, Bronte can create a sense of curiosity for the readers as they question the stories behind the strange characters around Mr. Lockewood. Later, Mrs. Dean becomes the narrator of another story inside of the story that Mr. Lockewood is telling. Mrs. Dean's story explains to Mr. Lockewood the reasons for his neighbors' strange actions. Mrs. Dean's story is interrupted randomly to remind the readers of the other story. Bronte's style of having multiple stories in one forms a new way to entertain her readers and allow them to learn about her characters.
I found Emily Bronte's style of writing easy to follow until further on into the novel as more and more characters began to give their input into the story that Mr. Lockewood is trying to piece together. Bronte uses her narrators to establish in the readers the same feelings towards a certain character that the narrator might have. For example, when Isabella is explaining how crazy and wild Heathcliff has become, I wondered at this time if really Isabella was just not used to this type of person and therefore her reaction to Heathcliff's actions created a hatred towards him within the readers. Therefore, I feel that Bronte did a great job with controling her readers' emotions with her form of writing.
I would have to say that the frame story narrative style makes the story very difficult to follow at first (for example, until Nelly began her story, I was utterly confused as to what was going on). However, it provides for an interesting way to present the backgrounds of all the characters. The reader gets to know the characters of the story as the narrators did.
The frame story style resembles in a way the in medias res style of epic poems.
I agree with Meredith's first comment in that a frame story narration shows bias. If the story were told from Heathcliff's perspective, for instance, it would be a spectacularly different story indeed.
I personally felt that the frame story was fairly easy to follow. The viewer did have to work a little bit harder, but Mrs. Dean possessed an excellant memory and did an excellant job of selecting details that would further her plot. In fact, her performance was somewhat unrealistic; it seems impossible that anyone could actually summarize the majority of their lifespan that effectively. As others have noted, the frame story has limits. For instance, we have no idea what went on when Mrs. Dean wasn't watching and know nothing about Linton's early childhood or other random details. However, this perspective has much potential. Comic interludes can be added easily, and the feelings of the narrator help the reader form their own opinions faster.
I like that Rachel pointed out the natural curiosity that is innate in the human species.
It is true that when Nelly introduces Catherine and Hareton as the last of their respective lines, the reader tends to be curious as to where they came from and how they came to be together and how they came to be the last people left in their families.
I really enjoyed the frame story aspect of WH. It definitely made the story more interesting than it would have been as a straight narrative. While I certainly agree that the opening was very confusing, what with all the different characters and confusing connections between them that you couldn't possibly understand, I, unlike some of my classmates, thought that this made the story better. For me, it served as a hook, drawing me into the story, making me want to discover the background of these characters and find out why they acted the way they did and how they all came to be living at WH. I definitely agree that finding out the story at the beginning made the focus of the story, the spotlight, if you will, be on the journey, not the destination, on the shaping and molding of the characters, instead of what happened to them in the end. I love that WH is so focused on the characters, on what drives them to do what they do, how their actions sometimes bring them misery, and especially Bronte's genius in intertwining the characters' lives through a twist of living situations and marriages.
On the subject of point of view, I have several thoughts. I did have to remind myself sometimes who was telling the story, and when the narrator switched to Isabella (in her letter to Nelly) and Zillah, I did get confused mid-way through the new narration and have to tell myself again who was talking. That was annoying, but not a big enough grievance to turn me from liking Bronte's narration choices on the whole. Mr. Lockwood is, as a character in itself, completely useless. His sole purpose is to get the ball rolling, to prod Nelly to tell the story, to, as a tenant, to witness the characters' state of living at WH at both the beginning and end of the novel. I think this is a good thing; Mr. Lockwood as an actual character, as he would have been if he had become involved with Cathy, as he fleetingly wished at some points, would have diluted the plot and taken away the focus from the three main names, two families plus Heathcliff.
I love Nelly as a narrator; her personality is exactly makes her the perfect narrator to describe all of Catherine and Heathcliff's, and then Cathy and Linton's, trysts and interactions. Growing up with the former, and acting as nurse and caretaker to the latter, she is naturally privy to conversations and scenes that no one else could have been. Furthermore, she is innately a nosy busybody and has no qualms about interfering with her charges' business. This trait again enables her to know more than another character would, and additionally establishes her as a character in the plot, as opposed to a bystander. She not only has a part in the plot, she drives the plot in places; for example, informing Edgar Linton of his daughter's exploits and stopping the letters between Cathy and Linton.
I think Joseph as a narrator would be an extremely bad idea because I am capable of understanding approximately 5% of what he says, so thick is his accent. If the entire novel were like the few instances when he speaks, I would cry.
Also, I agree with Ellie; Nelly Dean's remarkable accuracy of memory is completely unrealistic. However, I recognize that it is for a good purpose; if she didn't tell all those impossible details, it wouldn't be much of a story. I think of it sort of like a Pensive. Nelly is reliving the memory for Mr. Lockwood and us, the readers.
Other books contain this exact, unrealistic memory as well. Think Princess Diaries.
It starts with Mr. Lockwood telling the story from his personal point of view but then it is switched to Mrs. Dean telling her tale from within his telling of the story. The point of view switches from Mr. Lockwood and Mrs. Dean's narration from the first person as she tells of her experiences at WH. The narration is interrupted by side conversations to remind the reader that this story has many perspectives and should not be read upon a single bias.
through these changing perspectives throughout the novel, the reader can easily see the characters flaws. like their bias and their being led by emotion.
The point of view changes in Wuthering Heights from Mr. Lockwood to Mrs. Dean. Mr. Lockwood essentially ends up telling the reader what Mrs. Dean is saying which gives the reader two different perspectives of Wuthering Heights. A story withing Mr. Lockwood's story is developed. Mr. Lockwood's is more present based while the other is more about Wuthering Heights's past, especially within the beginning of the story. It took me a while to read the beginning of Wuthering Heights especially because Bronte's use of frame translation was so sudden. Just when i was getting the picture of where Mr. Lockwood was another character began to tell the story.
However, once I got used to the frame style of writting i caught on more easily throughout the novel and i actually really enjoy Bronte's style. I agree with my classmates when they say it gives a more movie-like feel to the book, which keeps the reader on her toes and in the plot. I find it is much more difficult to loose track of what story is being told because I'm interested in the character's different points of view. I think its a fascinating way to fill the reader in from the vague first impressions to minor details of Wuthering Heights that Mr. Lockwood and Mrs. Dean have to offer.
I disagree with Allison's comment that Mr.Lockwood's character served no purpose beyond prodding the story along. While this was certainly his major function, his character also provided comedic interludes and periods of rest which gave the reader time to absorb the material presented. Also, his first introduction to the major characters of the households fuels the curiosity of the reader. One wonders how the inhabitants descended into this condition. I personally found the opening scene very amusing.
The point-of-view changes throughout the novel provide a more realistic approach to the story that is being told. It is logical that Mr. Lockwood would inquire about the history of WH and its inhabitants. Its accurate because Mrs. Dean is telling it firsthand. If another hired help had told the story, places/events/dates would most likely be confused and accuracy would not be 100 percent. Mr. Lockwood asks the questions while Mrs. Dean provides the answers. Mr. Lockwood in a sense serves as the closest thing to the reader's mind because we are just as confused as he is in the beginning. Point of view changes within chapters, so one must read intently and not get confused with the narrator or the story will not make sense.
I think that in the beginning, Bronte wants the reader to begin to make speculations for herself and try to already start to piece together the lives of the characters. The frame story lets the reader understand how different people see the lives of the characters and how they feel towards them. Because Mrs. Dean has known each and every character for her whole life, it is easy for her to unravel their journey and keep the reader's attention. Then, when Mr.Lockwood's point of view comes into play, the reader is left only with what Mrs. Dean has told them. I believe that Bronte used this style of writing because it keeps the reader on their toes and allows them to keep making speculation of their own. I really like the structure of the frame story in WH and i believe that it makes the novel much more interesting and alluring.
Yeah like erin said, the frame narrative that Bronte uses does make it so its really hard to follow whats going on in the novel and like who is telling the story. But it helps in giving the reader lots of perspectives of what happened. I feel like it allows the reader to make his\her own decision on who the bad guy is or who the good guy is because theres not that much room for bias.
I liked the frame style of this story a lot! It started out narrarated by Mr. Lockwood and then quickly shifted to Mrs. Dean telling hime Catherine's account in her first person. I think the frame style gave the story motive. If the novel had just dived right in with a random lengthy history of the Earnshaws, Heathcliff, Lintons, etc the reader would have no reason to care. Yet because Mr. Lockwood essentailly begs Mrs. Dean to tell the story and because we are automatically drawn to Mr Lockwood and trust him, the reader has a motive for learning the history of Catherine. The frame style also just makes the novel more interesting. It gives the author the freedom to take periodic breaks in the main story and let the reader comprehend a little. I think Bronte did a good job with never letting it get confusing with who was narrarting at any given time.
I see there has been a little discussion about the role of Mr. Lockwood's character from Allison and Ellie. I think Bronte wanted the reader to suspect from the start that Lockwood's story would eventually line up with the dominant plot (marry young Catherine). At least, that's what I suspected. Yet, I agree with Allison in that his sole purpose is to ensure the story's smooth sailing. Could the story have been told without a Mr. Lockwood? Prehaps, certainly not in the frame style but nonetheless it could have been told. Mrs Dean is a central character, if not THE central character, but I don't think Lockwood has any purpose other than to give light feedback on the story and give the reader a chance to do the same.
I believe that the use of a frame story is essential for this book. Mr. Lockwood comes in as a character knowing nothing, and therefore has only first encounter perceptions of the characters that we first meet. He is essentially the same as the reader, hearing the story. I think the conversations in the middle of the story make the story seem more real, and not just a fairy tale. Because Mr. Lockwood is someone else like the reader, wanting to know more and more about the character's lives, we become more interested as well. We connect to him and feel like we are personally speaking with Mrs. Dean about the tale of these families. Having two different narrators adds to the story so much.
I also believe that Mrs. Dean is the perfect character for the second narrator in the story. She is not related to any person in the story, and she knows them all pretty equally. She delves deep into their heads, and she knows more about them than they know each other and themselves. Although she does like some characters more than others, she has seen the story throughout it all, and any other character would not know everything she knows. She has been with the characters their whole lives, and has seen them grow as people. Also, it is essential for there to be a narrator like this in the story. If there was no narrating character, we would not get the same perceptions of the characters and their thoughts and actions.
The point of view changes from Mr. Lockwood telling his story first hand to Mrs Dean explaining her story through his. This creates a frame story by having a story within a story and having the point of view change from Mr. Lockwood to Mrs. Dean. This effect helps the reader to understand every detail of both stories by experiencing both points of view. Every feeling, thought, and opinion is captured through this writing technique.
At the beginning of the book as I was introduced to Mr. Lockwood the story line seemed a little dull. I was shocked as it immediately switched over to Mrs. Dean's complex and very intense point of view as she retold her tale of life at Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. This frame story aspect of the book has the ability to give the reader different feelings and thoughts towards the love stories and even the almost horror stories, most of which include Heathcliff. Not only is the books' plot supplemented by both Mrs. Dean and Mr. Lockwood, but the long letters full of feeling and details also give the reader a more point of view. If not for the framed story, Wuthering Heights would not leave the reader the with same mixed feelings at the end of the book.
Although the framed story aspect of the book was very hard for me to follow at first, it forced me to pay close attention to the story and its details which was much better in the long run.
I agree with Carly when she says that it made you pay close attention to what you were reading. Although it got confusing at times, the frame story ended up basically creating the novel. Without it the reader would not have been able to feel like they had experienced what Mrs. Dean had experienced. The love, the terror, and the passion that she describes with such fire and devotion.
As some have said, the multiple frame stories of Wuthering Heights add to the depth of the story. Without including many intertwined (and sometimes biased) viewpoints throughout the novel, Emily Bronte could never have successfully told the complete love story of Heathcliff and Cathy. Certain characters, like Ellen Dean, tell most of the story because of their enduring attachment to and knowledge of its characters. Others, like Zillah and Isabella, are less acquainted with the intricacies of the plot, and only participate to reveal a new detailed facet of the story. The story is therefore only successfully told through the author’s clever integration of both detailed and broad frame stories. In other words, frame narration was utterly essential to the writing of Wuthering Heights.
I think that the frame tale format of Wuthering Heights is really appealing. Mr. Lockwood's point of view was rather detailed, and sometimes monotonous. His view also portrayed ignorance of the family history of Heathcliff. The change of point of view in the story shifts between the nurse/nanny, Nelly, and the visitor, Mr. Lockwood. The shift in point of view allows the reader to experiences multiple persectives from within one story, creating a multi-angled narration. The interest that Mr. Lockwood shows also kind of creates a compelling atmosphere for the reader.
By showing his interest the reader cannot help but also feel interested in a story. The sense that the history of the family is indeed a story also heightens the drama of it because if it was just told by the narrator the tale would be less interesting and more formal, rather like a history book within a novel. The story's informality is really fun. Nelly's language usage is less formal in telling the story, compared to the diction in the rest of the novel. This draws more attention to the story. It also allows the reader to relax and enjoy the drama between Heathcliff and Cathy. The interruption of Nelly by time and Mr. Lockwood create a sense of urgency that the story be continued because of two things: Nelly always leaves a good cliff-hanger (no pun intended =D ) and the desperate desire that Mr. Lockwood as to complete the story.
*has
The way Bronte uses two different narrators to create a frame story is very interesting and draws more attention to Ms. Dean's story instead of Mr. Lockwood's. It also allows the reader to basically know the end of the tale before he or she knows the beginning. Because Catherine and Heathcliff's story is placed in the past, it makes the tale more romantic .
Just like Kathryn and many others have said, the story within a story makes the book intertwined and more interesting. It creates conflict and the reader can realize how complicated the Earnshaw family really is before the tale even begins.
I think Bronte really did a great job of portraying this story by using a frame story. Originally, the narrator is Mr. Lockwood. I feel like the reader and Mr. Lockwood relate. Mr. Lockwood is exposed to Catherine and Wuthering Heights and is somewhat intrigued. He wants to find out more about this situation just like the reader does so he asks Mrs. Dean. From then on Mrs. Dean is the narrator for most of the book. When Mrs. Dean tells the story, I feel like a child being told war stories by their grandfather.
I think the choice to have Mrs. Dean as a narrator for most of the book was a really good one on Bronte's part. Mrs. Dean has such an interesting perspective because she is connected to all of the characters but is not really involved in the drama so she can see it for what is truly is. This book would have been totally different if it was told from another character's perspective. It also would have been different if there was no frame story. Say the story just began by an unknown narrator telling the story, it would have been more difficult to become engaged because the reader would have no idea what is really behind all this.
The way Bronte WH as a frame story was somewhat confusing at the beginning. From the start it was introduced that Mr.Lockwood was the narrator, who was new to his surroundings just as we picking up and reading the book are just being introduced to all the characters and so forth, but when the narrators changed, I had to do a lot of rereading to know exactly who was talking about what and what was happening to who..but actually that happens to me a lot..
The start of the story is told by Mr. Lockwood but then Ellen Dean begins telling her story in Mr. Lockwoods story creating a frame story. I did not really like this style of writing because i found it confusing. i would sometimes get mixed up with who was narrating. once i figured it out, i saw the good side to this style of writing. Frame stories make you pay attention to the details so you can better understand it and figure out who is narrating the story at the time.
Also even though i dislike this stye of writing i think it has some good to it. The frame story style of writing Bronte uses in Wuthering Heights gives the readers different opinions of the same story. as well it aloes the readers to learn about the same characters through different characters perspectives. i think this is a unique writing style but i am not fond of it.
I actually agree with Kendall on how the use of frame story keeps the suspense going and the use of Isabella's letter created much more suspense along with the frame story because from Isabella's point of view, the change of narration seemed to flow better because it was one of the easiest changes I caught and was pretty clear. Also the fact that Nelly narrates gives more depth to the characters of Catherine and Hindley, but also gives great passion to the novel due to the fact of her personal relations with the two and enhances Mr. Lockwood's story.
Before I proceed with my comment, here are two websites that I will refer to, which I found extremely helpful: http://www.laits.utexas.edu/farrell/documents/Reader's%20Role%20in%20WH.pdf
http://teoriadelaliteratura.blogia.com/2006/032901-narrative-structure-and-techniques-in-wuthering-heights..php
Unfortunately, I could not make the blogging links work-I tried to follow the instructions though. Just copy and paste into your browser.
The first website adds much to the discussion of the subjective biases of the narrators and their position in the novel, while the second provides a helpful diagram to further explicate the structure of Bronte's frame story.
In my opinion, two issues make the frame narrative of Wuthering Heights instrumental in the success of the story: authenticity and reader participation. First, Lockwood and Nelly Dean perhaps represent the most "normal" characters in the novel; coming from them, the story seems plausible. The fact that the story is primarily recounted as a flashback by Nelly Dean also increases believability: since the supposed events have already happened it becomes much more difficult to label them as rumor or delusion. The frame narrative serves to shift the focus from authenticity (did these events really happen) to subjectivity (were these events recounted in a biased way). Whereas a reader questioning the validity of the plot could have undermined the story, questions concerning the subjectivity of the narrators serves only to further the psychological analysis of Bronte's characters.
I completely agree with Mrs. Goodman in the view that the plot of the story is revealed in the beginning of the narrative so that the reader may concentrate on the story's main points, namely character analysis and social criticism. One of the articles I link to places the frame narrative of Wuthering Heights in an interesting context: that of the "mass privacy" of Bronte's time, in which many were reading books alone for the first time and learning how to accept or challenge ideas on an individual basis. Although Wuthering Heights is given as a narrative, it is really more of a book within a book. Nelly Dean speaks without interruption or confusion as if she is writing, and Mr. Lockwood, like a reader, accepts all she says without interjection. This leaves a spot open for the outside reader to assume the role of investigator: do the narrators really tell the truth? Did these events really happen? And, most importantly, what does this story reveal about human nature? Bronte's frame narrative serves as the best possible means of forcing the reader to be an active participant in the story.
Mr. Lockwood begins by telling his story but then Nelly's story is interwoven into Mr. Lockwood's, which creates a frame story. At times this became a bit confusing for me, but conversations would bring it back into the present. This would allow me to rethink what happened and become clear on who was speaking. Though there were confusing moments it was very helping in getting background inforation and also seeing different peoples views on the situation. In looking back on the story you can see how some peoples views were slanted creating a whole new sense of what was happening.
I agree with Denise in the fact that Bronte's use of frame story is pretty confusing at first. However I also agree with almost everyone else who's saying that Bronte's use of frame story is very beneficial to the reader. We get multiple points of view on the story so that we don't have many facts missing. Since Nelly has known Catherine for a long time, she knows much more than Lockwood and has stronger feelings for the characters in her story.
Also, I agree with Mary in that reading various points of view in the novel makes the story much more interesting and intriguing. I believe Bronte wrote WH in frame story so that readers could become more involved in the story and learn to appreciate different styles of British Literature and the novel itself. Also, the frame story technique Bronte uses adds a very unique touch to the story. I've loved being exposed to the frame story style of writing for the first time!
i think this novel i would enjoy more as a movie because i get so lost when im reading as to who is talking...in a movie, the voices would help me out!
This novel is a perfect example of a frame story through the different views of Mr. Lockwood and Mrs. Dean. Though this style of writing was confusing and hard to decipher whose point of view it was, it certainly made you pay attention to each detail that each character described in their stories. However, this style of writing allows the reader to get a full understanding of the story with a character that is intertwined with the story and one that is merely just a listener. At the beginning, Bronte literally leaves you in the dark about what exactly is happening in the story. However, the descriptions by Mr. Lockwood of Heathcliff, Cathy, and the other present characters create a suspenseful and mysterious situation that draws the reader into wanting know the reasons for the mysterious characters' behaviors and their stories. Mrs. Dean's narrative answers all the readers questions and you almost forget that there is even a Mr. Lockwood in the plot. This style of writing felt almost like a dream that feels so real, then suddenly you're snapped back into reality (or in this case, the story of Mr. Lockwood).
I also agree with Carey that another person's point of view would have been more interesting to read. Though Mrs. Dean was the main character that connected the story, I really wished to hear Heathcliff and Catherine's emotions.
Mr. Lockwood begins the novel as the first person narrator, telling his personal experiences. As the novel goes on, Mrs. Dean begins tell her story within Mr. Lockwood's story, therefore creating a frame story. Although most of the novel is told from Mrs. Dean's point of view, there are random times when her story is interrupted by trivial conversation between Mrs. Dean and Mr. Lockwood. Emily Bronte carefully placed this conversation throughout the novel to remind the reader that this is not just Mrs. Dean's story of life at WH and TG, but a complex story within another story.
In my opinion, I do not think the story could have been told in a frame story structure without both Mrs. Dean and Mr. Lockwood. On the other hand, I think in a different structure, the story could have been told with just Mrs. Dean, because she is a central character in the novel. Mrs. Dean portrays the story of WH and TG wonderfully, but how do you think the story would have sounded from a different point of view? I think that although Mrs. Dean had a very up close and personal view of WH and TG, she is bias in some ways. Therefore hearing another point of view, even another maid such as Zillah, the story would have been told siginificantly different.
The progression of frame narration throughout the story accentuates its complexities. Mr. Lockwood begins the story (in present time, 1st person), and has real experiences, rather than listening to a related story. Then, Mrs. Dean relates the backstory (past), giving the reader the impression of impartiality and inserting her own feelings about the events that occur. From that point on, other characters insert their own side-stories to further complexify the plot. Their details add a level of bias that adds realism to the story and the characters.
When first reading Wuthering Heights the story is about Mr. Lockwood and the readers wonder everything about him, and who he is and what he has to do with the story. Then the readers see how he is not who the story is about because Ellen starts telling him the story of Cathy and Heathcliff after he finds the diary about Cathy. The readers start to not worry as much about how Mr. Lockwood is involved but now are starting to wonder how Cathy and Heathcliff are involved especially with the lady telling the story. It is also interesting because this story is a flashback and Mr. Lockwood first sees Catherine who is Cathy’s daughter.
I agree with a lot of people that it would be interesting to hear another persons point of view because whatever Nelly feels towards a person is what the readers experience. Nelly might feel different about another person in the story than a lot of the other characters do, but she tells Lockwood the story as she saw it. She is the character who can make Heathcliff look like a mean man for what he has done, but it would have been a different story and we would have had more sympathy if Heathcliff was telling the story instead.
• Authors typically employ the frame narrative technique by writing a series of smaller, shorter stories that contribute to one, conclusive manuscript, encompassing one overall theme. Typically, all the small stories relate in some way and are knit together in a cyclical manner to create one narrative. Bronte uses this method to write her only novel, Wuthering Heights. In this work of fiction, the author writes recounts from two different points of view: the differing standpoints of Mr. Lockwood and Nelly. In addition, Bronte also incorporates subplots. Mr. Lockwood narrates on the present and Nelly, on the past. However, all of these scattered accounts on the life of Heathcliff are bound together to establish the overall examination on the negative attributes in human nature.
By writing from the viewpoints of two different characters, Bronte gives her readers the freedom to choose their outlook on the situation. Both Nelly and Mr. Lockwood represent two different sides of the story, therefore letting the reader consider to contrasting perspectives, based on their own understanding of humanity.
http://teoriadelaliteratura.blogia.com/2006/032901-narrative-structure-and-techniques-in-wuthering-heights.php
I also think that what Kathryn about the how using the frame narrative gives the story a sense of realism is really interesting. By giving us only short pieces of the story at a time, the actions appear more real to us.
Mr. Lockwood tells Nelly's story, who in turn tells the story of Heathcliff and Catherine; sometimes she even tells the stories of servants or acquaintences, who in turn take on different viewpoints of Heathcliff and Catherine's romance.
In each frame, there is a certain depth of detail and certain things revealed as the story progresses. With Mr. Lockwood narrating first, you only get a brief glimpse of Heathcliff in his present countenace. In my opinion, I believe it is meant to alight the reader's curiosity. Nelly's purpose is to satifisfy and retain it with her initimately detailed recounts of the anguished and doomed lovers. Each story within Nelly's narrative is meant to intensify all that is revealed and give perspective where Nelly could not.
As for the perception of the reader, I think it increases the intimacy. From seeing an outside, unbiased and third person (basically) point of view, to one who had a hand in what went down and knows all there is to know from such a stand point. You can percieve the differences between the two accounts, and learn how things came to be. It is an interesting break from novels who just go from beginning to end, with no other perspectives than that of the narrator's.
I'd like to comment on several things my classmates said concerning frame narratives.
1) I think there are many satisfying narratives from the characters already giving them: Mr. Lockwood, Nelly, Isabella, and Zillah. I think to add another one, though interesting, would have made the book much too complicated and heavy. Heathcliff's point of view, I'm certain, would have been abismally depressing or crazed, as would be Catherine's. In a story already as wildly morbid as this, it might have pushed the reader over the edge and been too difficult to follow; this is just my opinion though.
2) As for the narratives being confusing, I quite disagree. I think there were very clear signs before the shift took place, and clearer signs when they shifted back. For example, Nelly interrupted her storytelling several times to ask Mr. Lockwood questions, and that was a clear sign when the narration had ended. Without the switches, we wouldn't have been able to form quite as informed an opinion than if it had been with just Nelly and Mr. Lockwood.
In the beginning of the novel, the reader follows the narration of Mr. Lockwood, who gives his perspective on the Heights and even Heathcliff. The new narrator Mrs. Dean is introduced when Mr. Lockwood inquires about the life of Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw. Throughout the novel, Mrs. Dean remembers her experiences at the Heights and Thrushcross Grange, and shares them with the curious Mr. Lockwood. Mrs. Dean's recollections of the Heights and Thrushcross describe a love story basically of two generations. This frame story kept me eager to know more about the "Catherines" and their troubling love lives. At the end of the novel, with the help of Mrs. Dean's stories about her past, Mr. Lockwood fully understands why Heathcliff is self and mean.
However, I agree with others that Mrs. Dean's thoughts are biased. It would have been great if Bronte had Heathcliff share his perspective on Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. Now that would have been really interesting!
I really liked having the frame narratives because I felt like it helped to isolate certain points that Nelly, moreover Bronte, was trying to get across. Each frame narrative is set apart so that the reader can pick up specific details that might not have normally existed.
As for the point of view changes in the story, I agree with Ali that having another point of view would be difficult and even more than that, would take away from the mystery of the story. In between frames also, it is helpful, when for example Nelly would try and stop telling the story to Lockwood and go to bed, because it checks the reader back in and reminds him or her that it is her perception of what happened and can sometimes be somewhat biased.
I agree with anna lauren in that the author does want us to focus on the fact that there is no way that cathy and Heathcliffs love will survive. Rather she seeks us to learn about the characters and there actions revolving around this.
Mr. Lockwood tells the story as an outsider. He was not actually involved with the long history between the Earnshaws and the Lintons. The actual shift in narrator from Mr. Lockwood to Mrs. Dean occurs when he asks about Wuthering Heights. This change in point of view gives you a more biased opinion on things. Mrs. Dean shows favoritism in some characters, which cause people to also find a liking for them too. A reader’s automatic liking of selected characters definitely persuades a person to read with certain mindset. Though, if the story was told with a complete outside view like that of Mr. Lockwood, readers might have different feelings towards some of the characters.
But, if the whole story was told from a complete outsider the story would lack many of the relationships between the characters. These relationships are very imperative to the actual plot. Without Mrs. Dean’s fine knowledge of many of the characters, the story would not be as deep. Though, I like the combination of these two narratives by Bronte because they are very well written.
The flip in narration that occurs when the story is told from Nelly's point of view as opposed to Lockwood's perception allows the reader to see the same story in two different manners. At first Lockwood, inquisitive about Heathcliff and his dwelling, invites Nelly to command the story. Nelly brings her emotions into the tale, making it much more personal and giving Lockwood her own unique feelings about the situation. When Lockwood is the narrator, he also brings his own twist to the story from his own experiences. Thus, the frame story that Wuthering Heights forms allows the reader to see the story though another's eyes, bringing more dimension to the words.
I agree with Carey that it would have been very interesting to see the story from Zillah or Joseph's point of view. Each character brings new information and a new feel to the situation.
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