What Happens in Wuthering Heights? Tea with Emily Brontë | Day 3 | Chapters 5-7

TL;DR

Mr. Lockwood dreams that Catherine Linton’s spirit begs to enter Wuthering Heights, then witnesses Heathcliff desperately calling for Cathy to return. Christina also examines Catherine’s carved surnames, her notes about Hindley’s cruelty to Heathcliff, and the uncertainty over whether the apparition was real or imagined. Read on to unpack the mystery, grief, and passion surrounding Catherine and Heathcliff.

Transcript

hi friends welcome back i'm christina the manager of the pacific beach library thank you for joining me for day three of our read along together of wuthering heights this is going to conclude our first week of our read-along i don't know why this one makes me so happy but it does okay so um i thought we'd start out by having some tea then we'll get... Read More

Key Insights

• 😂 The librarian's choice of tea reflects the passionate nature of Wuthering Heights.
• 📛 The mysterious names and carved names in the furniture add intrigue and foreshadow revelations about the characters.
• ❓ Mr. Lockwood's dream highlights the supernatural and intense aspects of the story.

Questions & Answers

Q: What happens in the Wuthering Heights ghost scene with Catherine Linton?

While sleeping at Wuthering Heights, Mr. Lockwood hears a voice outside the window pleading to be let in. A young woman identifies herself as Catherine Linton, says she lost her way on the moor, and claims to have walked the earth for 20 years.

Q: Why is Mr. Lockwood staying overnight at Wuthering Heights?

Mr. Lockwood, Heathcliff’s tenant, is caught there during a storm and fails to leave in time. Although Heathcliff does not want to accommodate him, he begrudgingly allows Lockwood to stay.

Q: What names does Mr. Lockwood find carved into the furniture?

Lockwood notices the name Catherine Earnshaw carved into the furniture. He also finds the variations Catherine Heathcliff and Catherine Linton, creating a mystery about Catherine’s identity and history.

Q: What does Lockwood discover in Catherine Earnshaw’s books?

He finds diary-like entries written in blank spaces within her books. Catherine writes about her father and about Hindley being unkind to Heathcliff, revealing that the three characters share a complicated history.

Q: Was Catherine Linton’s ghost real or part of Lockwood’s dream?

The account does not settle whether the figure was a genuine spirit or a product of Lockwood’s nightmare. Lockwood himself remains unsure, but Heathcliff reacts as though Catherine’s possible return matters deeply to him.

Q: How does Heathcliff react after hearing about Catherine’s apparition?

After Lockwood leaves the room, Heathcliff climbs onto the bed, opens the lattice, and cries for Cathy to come in once more. His sobbing exposes intense anguish, grief, and hope that the spirit will return.

Q: Why did Catherine’s claim about 20 years frighten Lockwood?

Lockwood says he would not let her in even if she begged for 20 years. She replies that it has already been 20 years and that she has been a wife for 20 years, intensifying the supernatural encounter.

Q: Why does Christina choose Rosa de Jamaica tea for the discussion?

Christina drinks Rosa de Jamaica, a loose-leaf herbal tea containing hibiscus, strawberry, and lemon myrtle. She connects its brilliant ruby-red color with the bloody, visceral, and passionate qualities she sees in Wuthering Heights.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The librarian starts the read-along by introducing the tea she is drinking and its relevance to the passionate story of Wuthering Heights.

• The librarian summarizes the events of chapters three and four, highlighting the mysterious elements and relationships between the characters.

• Mr. Lockwood, the tenant of Heathcliff, has a bizarre encounter with a ghostly figure named Catherine Linton, leading to tensions and revelations about the history of the characters.