A. Fishman Final Argument

We are asked to choose which novel we would rather discuss in class. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is a very appetizing novel with its satire and dramatics, but I believe that Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte is a much better choice because it explores human relationships and emotions more efficiently than Pride and Prejudice does. Austen’s novel has a very singular point to make clear, and that is about marriage. While her critique of this particular institution and the acts that come before, are interesting, it makes a lesser argument. Bronte’s novel, on the other hand, explores more than just one idea. There are many elements to her story, such as the frame narration which she uses; it is a unique style and her effective execution of it brings the story a sense of reality which cannot be seen through just third person. Also, the characters Bronte creates, such as Heathcliff, explore a vast number of things such as devotion, obsessive love, and human nature in general. A third thing to consider when discussing this novel is the genre in which it falls: gothic romance. Wuthering Heights is perhaps one of the best examples of something so intense, like the love between Catherine and Heathcliff, that it becomes deadly. It brings to mind the question whether love is the ultimate redemption of ones actions, or whether it is a punishment. Wuthering Heights is, all in all, more argumentative, and presents more aspects to discuss than Pride and Prejudice does.