NiceguyEddie Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 I loved Wuthering Heights Me too. I studied it for A level & loved it. The same could not be said about Hard Times as we had some drippy student teacher teaching it, who did nothing but dictate her notes over a term. Dreadful. I'll forever associate that book with her and tedium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyB Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 I loved Wuthering Heights (I've only read it once, I wonder how it would stand up to a re-read) but I hated Heathcliffe character. I think that's one of the things that impressed me about the book, how much it made me get involved. I hated Heathcliffe's character also and wanted to shout out to Isabelle Linton not to go near him. I really felt it when him and Cathy between them brought so much heartache to the Linton household - I found the destruction within the novel quite unbearable at times - it's a compelling read about human weakness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polka Dot Rock Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Re: Wuthering Heights I have never liked Wuthering Heights ... The story looks a bit too much at the negative and unredeemable aspects of humans. That's what I love about it! It was such an amazingly modern novel for the time it was written in. I loved Wuthering Heights ... I hated Heathcliffe character. I think that's one of the things that impressed me about the book, how much it made me get involved. Ditto! I think anyone who thinks that Cathy and Heathcliffe are a stereotypical literary romance either a) has never read it or needs a quick whack on the head with a stick! I really felt it when him and Cathy between them brought so much heartache to the Linton household - I found the destruction within the novel quite unbearable at times - it's a compelling read about human weakness. It's such a fascinating premise, that two apparently oppressed people can 'lash out' at those or the conditions that they feel have oppressed their 'true' nature... But are both pretty horrible people anyway so you end up feeling sorry for neither of them. (Wow, I hope that made some sense...) Also, I think people focus too much on Cathy and Heathcliffe: what about Cathy II? She's in the narrative far longer than her mother is! I like that she's essentially a spolit brat who ends up learning to be strong to survive. And Nelly's role is very interesting too. Re: Updike's Rabbit novels I actually on chose Rabbit, Run because I didn't want to choose the Rabbit series as that's 3 1/2 books, but it could have been any of them. Rabbit is Rich is very good also. I really must read the last two... Is Rabbit at Rest a novella, then? I didn't realise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oblomov Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Re: Wuthering Heights That's what I love about it! It was such an amazingly modern novel for the time it was written in. I know what you mean and that's what I find disturbing. At the time it was written and for sometime afterwards, it might have seemed refreshingly different from the mainstream. But looked at from the modern perspective, Wuthering Heights almost revels in latent uncaring selfishness of people....something that is becoming all too obvious in modern society, particularly British society. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polka Dot Rock Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Hmm... But I don't necessarily think that all novels should be 'correctives' to modern malaise. Surely we need novels to also be horrible and show humanity's nasty side? Holding an unflattering mirror up, as it were. I always think it's interesting how at the end, we see capitalism prevail - As Cathy Linton and Hareton* both assume their 'rightful' (i.e. hereditary) positions as the owners of both properties. Although technically they'd both go to Hareton* if they married... *(I can't remember how to spell his name! And I can't check as I'm at work *grumble*) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oblomov Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Hmm... But I don't necessarily think that all novels should be 'correctives' to modern malaise. Surely we need novels to also be horrible and show humanity's nasty side? Holding an unflattering mirror up, as it were. True. But as long as the nasty side of human nature is recognised as such, I can enjoy the story....after all, very few of us are really "good" . But when the nastiness becomes collective and pervades the entire atmosphere of the story and involving most of the characters, it also seems to become the "norm". IMO, Wuthering Heights edges towards that trend and that is what I find a bit disturbing. I always try to put myself 'inside' a story that I am reading - not necessarily as an important character but often as an invisible bystander - and like to have a soothing corner to retreat into. I don't enjoy stories where I cannot find that corner and I'm afraid WH was one of those. Sorry, it is a personal thing (might be bacause I grew up in a nasty atmosphere myself and always struggled to find that sanctuary corner). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polka Dot Rock Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Fair enough, that's understandable It's the literary critic in me emerging (clearly I'm in practice for September ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NiceguyEddie Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 Re: Updike's Rabbit novels I really must read the last two... Is Rabbit at Rest a novella, then? I didn't realise! Hmmm.. no. My mistake. It's been quite a while since I read them all. There are FOUR Rabbit novels. Plus Rabbit Remembered which is in Licks of Love. It takes up the story after his demise. If you've read all four you'll know that Rabbit goes out the way he came in - playing basketball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyB Posted July 26, 2007 Share Posted July 26, 2007 True. But as long as the nasty side of human nature is recognised as such, I can enjoy the story....after all, very few of us are really "good" . But when the nastiness becomes collective and pervades the entire atmosphere of the story and involving most of the characters, it also seems to become the "norm". IMO, Wuthering Heights edges towards that trend and that is what I find a bit disturbing. I always try to put myself 'inside' a story that I am reading - not necessarily as an important character but often as an invisible bystander - and like to have a soothing corner to retreat into. I don't enjoy stories where I cannot find that corner and I'm afraid WH was one of those. Sorry, it is a personal thing (might be bacause I grew up in a nasty atmosphere myself and always struggled to find that sanctuary corner). I know what you mean - I'm the sort of person who hates to see happiness spoilt by events or others and so I spent the novel feeling very protective towards the more vunerable characters, the Lintons, Hareton, Cathy 2 etc - that's the side of WH that I found unsettling. At the same time however, I enjoyed the atmospheric side of WH - which is why I enjoy the writing of the Brontes - and I found it very evocative - I first read it for A level and didn't really take it in properly but the images of the setting created in my mind stayed with me for years. It was only when I read it again in my 30's that I really appreciated it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne Flint Posted August 6, 2007 Share Posted August 6, 2007 1) Harry Potter 2) The Giver 3) The Uglies 4) Eragon 5) The House of the Scorpion This will probably change tomorrow! It's so hard to narrow it down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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