There are contrasting opinions about Cathy Ames within the characters from Steinbeck’s novel East of Eden, some of which are her neighbors whom she left them behind with "a scent of sweetness” (Steinbeck; Ch. 8); then there are other characters who thought of her as an inhuman monster who manipulates to do evil and destroy someone’s life. Her beauty does not reflect her actions, making her an innocent illusion, sugar coated, with despicable sprinkles, and poisonous filling. She mostly has evil intentions behind every - even good - action. Cathy can be nice and do good actions, but only with a selfish reason behind it, which shows how Steinbeck portrayed distorted evil in a woman and how this façade is all revealed and hated.
He took to Heathcliff strangely, believing all he said (for that matter, he said precious little, and generally the truth), and petting him up far above Cathy, who was too mischievous and wayward for a favourite” (Bronte
Bronte highlights in the novel that Cathy has romantic feelings for both Heathcliff, and Edgar, but ultimately Cathy is only able to be with “soulmate” Heathcliff after they have both died. This highlights how the pressure, and traditions of society meant they were unable to be happy when they were alive, and after their death they are finally able to be together. It also shows that their love was not understood by society on Earth, and therefor to be truly happy together they had to wait until after death. Like Jay, few people attended Heathcliff’s funeral, however after his death he finally attained Cathy’s affection. Heathcliff and Cathy are aware that they will only be truly happy when they can be together, alone after their deaths.
She states in the chapter “Why, how very black and cross you look! and how-how funny and grim!” Catherine really takes into notice the way Heathcliff has changed in the amount of time that she has been gone and starts to point out is flaws in a distinct manner. This scene adds a highlight to the chapter in the way that Catherine is noticing the way Heathcliff looks and believes it is okay to talk about him in that manner. She sees absolutely nothing wrong in the way that she is regarding his looks and it takes a toll on him in the way he reacts to her remarks.
When speaking to Isabella Linton, Catherine tries to display Heathcliff’s true insanity before her. She says, “Tell her what Heathcliff is: an unreclaimed creature, without refinement, without cultivation; an arid wilderness of furze and whinstone” (102). Even though Catherine tries to sway Isabella away from Heathcliff so that their love can be again,
Firstly the obsessive love between Catherine and Heathcliff. Catherine claims that her love for Heathcliff “resembles the eternal rocks beneath –a source of little visible delight, but necessary” (73). She tells her housekeeper “Nelly, I am Heathcliff –he’s always, always in my
Heathcliff’s transformation into a monster is inevitable, only if he is brave enough to break away from the past. While Catherine and Heathcliff argue, Catherine calls Heathcliff an “ungrateful brute” (116) for wanting revenge, to which he replies less vehemently with, “I seek no revenge on you. That’s not the plan. The tyrant grinds down his slaves, and they don’t turn against him” (176-177). Though Catherine deserves punishment, Heathcliff cannot bring himself to punish her or turn against her because he is not a monster, yet.
As shown above Catherine was never the victorian age women she is supposed to be until she comes back from the Linton’s house. She even calls Heathcliff “dirty” agreeing with others (Brontë 42). As Catherine changes into a snotty victorian women like the rest of society wants her to be, Heathcliff tries to follow suite switching to something he is not. Heathcliff comes back from his three years of absence rich and very different: “[he is] tall, athletic, well-formed man […with] upright carriage”( Brontë 98). Both Catherine and Heathcliff pretend to be someone other than themselves because of society, and this is why they never end up together.
