Differences Between the Book and Film
I have to write an english paper detailing the differences between the book and film; also analyzing why the changes were made. Please help!!
shareProbably a bit late, but the in the book the scene in which Cathy's ghost appears is very clearly depicted as Mr Lockwood having a nightmare about her whilst he is staying in Cathy's old room at Wuthering Heights after Ellie, the housekeeper tells him all about Heathcliff, Cathy and Edgar. This nightmare wakes Lockwood who tells Ellie and Heathcliff about it. Heathcliff then camps out in Cathy's room by the door begging her to reveal herself to him (but she does not, as it was only a dream that Lockwood had).
Lockwood is appalled at Heathcliff's revenge upon Hindley and Edgar Linton, and his treatment of Isabella and Cathy (when they were alive) and his own son Linton. He leaves the grange for a year and goes to London.
Whilst he is in London, everythings comes to a head at Wuthering Heights and, upon his return a year later, Ellen tells him what has happened. Catherine and Hareton have fallen in love and Heathcliff has had to come to terms with this love - and Hareton's determination to protect Catherine. It reminds Heathcliff of Cathy's love for him, the lady loving the rough, uneducated boy
When he finally accepts that it is happening, Heathcliff seems to suffer a mental breakdown and starts to see Cathy's ghost.
After this his life long search for revenge against his old enemies soon disappears and, not long afterwards, he dies. Ellen tells Mr Lockwood that, when he died, next to the open window, he has a smile on his face, his hand is stretched outwards, as though he was reaching towards someone elses hand - a sign that he has joined Cathy in the afterlife.
The book ends with Lockwood visiting the graves of Cathy, Edgar and Heathcliff who are all buried together and there are tales that several villagers sear they have seen Cathy and Heathcliff's ghosts wandering the moors together. However, Lockwood concludes that the gravesite actually seems like a very restful spot to be buried.
Another difference in the story is that Isabella stayed with Heathcliff in the film and died there. In fact in the book, once she realised Heathcliff was abusive, she escaped Wuthering Heights whilst pregnant with Linton and took refuge back with Edgar for the next 12 years until she died. It was only after her death and when Edgar was close to death that Heathcliff wanted anything to do with Linton, when he saw an opportunity to marry Catherine and Linton and take control of the grange. In the film, Catherine seemed not to know Linton.
In the book, although he was not kind to Hareton, he thought of Hareton as more of a son than Linton and did not take to Linton as he felt he was a spoiled and sickly child.
Hope that helps.
OK I just need to make one correction to the differences stated above. Isabella does not stay with Heathcliff and die there, you are correct in that. However, she also does not take refuge with Edgar when she flees from Heathcliff. Although she does make a brief appearance at Thrushcross Grange, at which point she reveals the details of her escape to Mrs. Dean, she then takes leave of the Grange never to return, knowing that if she stayed, Heathcliff would never leave her in peace.
It is not until she is approaching her death some 12 years later that Edgar makes the 300 mile trip to London to see to Isabellas affairs and take charge of her son Linton. He then brings the sickly boy back to Thrushcross Grange, where Cathy meets him only briefly for one evening before Heathcliff demands he be delivered to Wuthering Heights. He is delivered to WH the morning following his arrival at TG, and Cathy is never told where he has gone. As she is not allowed outside the grounds of the Grange, she is not aware that WH exists, and completely unaware that Linton is a mere 4 miles away. When finally Cathy does encounter Linton some 4 to 6 years after their initial meeting, she truely does not know him.
When I read the book I came away with a real feeling that Catherine was a real piece of work. Quite the actress, throwing tantrums and as good as admitting they were not authentic to get her own way. Acted poorly to Nelly (who made it very clear in her narration she did not like Cathy). Then she would use her natural charm and beauty to get people ack on side. Her manipulative and evil nature made me think they were two peas in a pod and hence I rooted for them even though they were both unpleasant people. Quite an achievement of the writing I think. Somehow in the film though feel like they underplayed Cathy's bad nature. Or who knows maybe it was just because the actress had a kind face.
Either it's just me that thinks this or maybe a mistake in the film making. Or maybe the director did not have the courage to have both the leads in a love story be so unlike-able.