Amanda Aurigemma. Gill 5Th Hour. Ap Literature. 24 February

Amanda Aurigemma Gill 5th Hour AP Literature 24 February 2017 Nature’s Truth in Wuthering Heights The metaphors drawn from nature in Wuthering Heights drive the plot primarily through characterization. Rarely does the story venture outside, containing almost exclusively scenes leading up to a character’s departure and the response to his/her journey. The absence of tangible nature in a book so driven by its symbolism seems peculiar at first. Why does the author not provide the reader any detail of Heathcliff’s struggle against the storm after he departs in heartbreak? By narrating the storm in terms of how it is observed from inside, the reader loses the expected description of the storm’s intensity. Even Catherine’s diary, the most†¦show more content†¦Heathcliff personifies nature combating the human attempt to confine it in his stark contrast to the civilized Lintons. Unlike any other character in the novel, Heathcliff remains authentic to nature and does not try to fully domesticate its furious be auty. Where most people are more prone to suppress their natural inclinations in favor of culture, Heathcliff is willing to defy societal standards, even if the results are destructive. His revenge is not rooted in the evils of man, but rather cataclysmic nature as driven by psychology. As Abraham Maslow argues in his â€Å"A Theory of Motivation,† any danger to our basic needs or the defenses that protect them impose a psychological threat, bringing about emergency reactions that could potentially be destructive. Heathcliff s experiences align with the deprivation of these â€Å"basic needs,† and his revenge can therefore be seen as an entirely natural inclination. The five basic needs in order of primacy are physiological needs, safety needs, love/belonging needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs. The most pressing need will overtake and individual’s consciousness and organize their capacities. The less pressing needs are minimized, even forgotten or denied. However, when a need is satisfied, the next higher need emerges (Maslow -- find citation). In order to most effectively analyze Heathcliff’s revenge, it is important to study this hierarchy of needs in ascending order in relation to their