Question

Read the following excerpt from when Catherine returns home after recovering from her injury at Thrushcross Grange. Then, considering specific textual details in the excerpt, analyze how the author uses the characters to challenge and / or confirm gender roles and expectations. Write a developed paragraph that contains a claim, evidence, and commentary to establish and support your line of reasoning.

Cathy stayed at Thrushcross Grange five weeks: till Christmas. By that time her ankle was thoroughly cured, and her manners much improved. The mistress visited her often in the interval, and commenced her plan of reform by trying to raise her self-respect with fine clothes and flattery, which she took readily; so that, instead of a wild, hatless little savage jumping into the house, and rushing to squeeze us all breathless, there 'lighted from a handsome black pony a very dignified person, with brown ringlets falling from the cover of a feathered beaver, and a long cloth habit, which she was obliged to hold up with both hands that she might sail in. Hindley lifted her from her horse, exclaiming delightedly, 'Why, Cathy, you are quite a beauty! I should scarcely have known you: you look like a lady now. Isabella Linton is not to be compared with her, is she, Frances?' 'Isabella has not her natural advantages,' replied his wife: 'but she must mind and not grow wild again here. Ellen, help Miss Catherine off with her things—Stay, dear, you will disarrange your curls—let me untie your hat.'

Answer 1

Catherine's transformation in the novel reflects Victorian gender roles and expectations imposed by society, emphasizing the superficiality of these societal standards and the patriarchal gaze influencing female identity.

Step-by-step explanation:

The excerpt from the novel presents a nuanced portrait of gender roles and expectations, as Catherine undergoes a transformation that aligns with Victorian ideals of femininity. Upon returning home, Catherine, previously a 'wild, hatless little savage', is now seen as a 'dignified person' dressed in refined garments that demand a certain poise and restraint. The transformation undertaken at the Grange, with the aid of 'fine clothes and flattery', challenges the untamed nature of her gender expression and confirms to the standards of ladylike behavior. The reaction of the male characters, particularly Hindley, who praises her newfound beauty, underscores the patriarchal gaze and its influence on female identity. Moreover, Catherine's metamorphosis is shown as an external, rather than internal, revolution, hinting at the superficiality of gender expectations imposed by society.

Answer 2

In this excerpt from Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, the author uses the characters of Cathy and the mistress to challenge gender roles and expectations. After staying at Thrushcross Grange for five weeks, Cathy's ankle is cured, and her manners are much improved. The mistress attempts to reform Cathy's wild ways by raising her self-respect with fine clothes and flattery. As a result, Cathy transforms from a wild, hatless little savage into a dignified person who arrives on a handsome black pony, wearing a long cloth habit, and with brown ringlets falling from the cover of a feathered beaver. The text describes her new appearance in great detail, emphasizing the importance placed on appearance and manners in the patriarchal society of the novel. Hindley's delighted exclamation of "Why, Cathy, you are quite a beauty!" further reinforces this point. The mistress's plan to reform Cathy is an attempt to mold her into the ideal of a proper lady, challenging the idea that women should be wild and unruly. However, the text also suggests that this ideal of femininity is dependent on external factors such as fine clothes and flattery, rather than being innate. The mistress's attempts to reform Cathy also reinforce the idea that women are expected to conform to societal expectations, rather than being allowed to be themselves. Overall, the characters of Cathy and the mistress challenge and confirm gender roles and expectations, highlighting the limitations placed on women in the patriarchal society of the novel.

Step-by-step explanation: