Chapter 8: Volume II

Edgar is ill. Nelly takes Cathy out for a walk on the moors to enjoy some fresh air and to cheer her up after ending her little romance. They discuss the possibility of Edgar dying and Cathy announces that she loves Papa and would never "do an act, or say a word to vex him" (22.18). Right. While out on the walk, Cathy drops her hat over a wall and clambers over to retrieve it. Heathcliff comes up the road and, not seeing Nelly on the other side of the wall, scorns Cathy for sending love letters to Linton and then abruptly stopping. He tells Cathy that Linton is heartbroken and dying and threatens to send the love letters to her father. Nelly and Cathy return home. Nelly promises to take Cathy to Wuthering Heights the next day.

Catherine Cathering amused herself with dancing to and fro before the door - Cathy is nearly the spitting image of her mother, impulsive and wild. Miss Catherine delighted to climb along these trunks, and sit in the branches, swinging twenty feet above the ground - The wall around the garden symbolizes the boundary between nature and civilization. Besides being tomboyish, Cathy's climbing over the wall shows her adventurous spirit and her connection to nature. How dreary the world will be, when papa and you are dead She is occupied by thoughts of death, contrasting to her surroundings of the natural world. I care for nothing in comparison with papa, And Ill never never oh, never, while I have my senses do an act, or say a word to vex him / but next day beheld me on the road to Wuthering Heights Catherines passion for her father is highlighted through her description of never doing anything to hurt her father, however her fickle nature is also empathised as she immediately goes against her word. Possibly this is an implication that love blurs the senses and that is why she so willingly went? Her pale dejected countenance and heavy eyes The emotion of pain has overcome her and is reflected in her appearance. Heathcliff Dont mind Mrs Deans cruel cautions, but be generous, and contrive to see him - Heathcliff further engineers the relationship between Cathy and Linton, not because he wants them to be happy together (they are clearly a terrible match), but simply to further his revenge. As true as I live hes dying for you breaking his heart at you fickleness Heathcliff uses emotional blackmail to achieve what he wants.