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Wuthering Heights


            Hareton Earnshaw: What Enabled Him to Survive?.
             In Emily Bronte's 1847 novel, Wuthering Heights, the character Hareton Earnshaw only triumphed over the cruelty of his childhood because of Catherine's love. Hareton was a pale copy of his father figure. He tried to be cruel to others but when he did it was not full force. He had a front that he put on to disguise his true feelings because every time he tried to do anything he was taunted by those around him. He wants to fit in but he has been taunted to the point that his self-esteem is too low and he doesn't know how to be anything but cold and hard hearted.
             Hareton had "first rate qualities" but they were dulled because of the lack of positive attention and education (217). The qualities that Hareton possessed were intelligence, capacity to love, gentle heart, sensitivity, and respect for his family even though they wronged him. He hid these feelings because he did not know how to use them and was not given any good example to follow. He had "sensitive though uncultivated feelings" that he could not show until Catherine let him (299). She saved him through kindness and patience. Until she came along he had been content with his simple existence and harsh nature. "His honesty, warm, and intelligent nature shook off rapidly the clouds of ignorance and degradation in which it had been bred; and Catherine's sincere commendations acted as a spur to his industry" (319). .
             Catherine was Hareton's saving grace. She was his passion and, therefore, so was learning. He tried to make her happy even if it was from afar. Together they made quite a pair "one loving and desiring to esteem; and the other loving and desiring to be esteemed - they contrived in the end to reach it" (313). Without her Hareton would never had become a respectable, well adjusted, man who could finally think for himself. He demonstrates his ability to act on his own by pulling up Joseph's bushes (even though he states that he will put them back) to plant flowers for Catherine.


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