The rising action of the novel begins when Catherine comes home, this is when Heathcliff is truly contrasted to a near perfect opposite. The Lintons are described as refined, cultivated people, and what is worse; they appear to have refined and cultivated Catherine into a young lady. This marks a drastic contrast to the rough and tumble Heathcliff who has kept himself in the background until Catherine calls him forward. She kisses and hugs him at first, and then her nature turns right about and laughs at him directly in his face because he is so “black and cross”. This wounds him and it changes his development from her for the rest of the novel. At first, he makes a serious attempt to change his appearance by asking Ms. Dean to groom him.