How are the houses (re-read the descriptions of the settings of the two houses) a reflection of the characters who live in them? What effect do the houses have on the characters as they inhabit a house other than the one from which they originally came?
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Wuthering Heights, even in the name itself, represents storminess. The physical appearance of the house also suggests that it was built to withstand strong weather. The Earnshaws are very "stormy," or moody characters. Catherine, for sure, is a good example of this. She mood swings and can become quite cruel. Hindley treats Heathcliffe cruelly even though they are brothers. Heathcliffe is absorbed in his plots of revenge.
Thrushcross Grange, on the other hand, is quite the opposite. It represents more of the calmness and beauty in life. Even when someone as cold as Heathcliffe sees it, he cannot hide his admiration for the house's physical appearance. Edgar and Isabella tend to be seen as the nicer characters, and certainly are compared to some of the things the Earnshaws do. Isabella loved openly and was hurt by the cruelness of Heathcliffe and Wuthering Heights. Edgar is presented as the better choice for Catherine to marry because he is more refined and calm-tempered than Heathcliffe. And in the end, little Catherine and Hareton move to Thrushcross Grange to start their life together in a good place.
When little Catherine is forced to live with Linton at Wuthering Heights, the house brings its misery upon her. She is not there by her own free will and also hates the men who are keeping her there. Wuthering Heights tends to impose its negative qualities on the characters whereas Thrushcross Grange gives those who reside in Wuthering Heights a brighter look on things.
Just saying the name Wuthering Heights doesn't exactly conjure up the most pleasant of images. The house is a dark, turbulent kind of place and the Earnshaws live in this kind of enviroment. From the beginning when Mr.Earnshaw brings Heathcliff home, trouble began to brew. Hindley treated Heathcliff with extreme cruelty, and caused him nothing but grief. But at the same time, cruelty was shown towards Hindley himself. Perhaps it was cruel for Mr. Earnshaw to show more affection towards Heathcliff, and eventually abondon his own son. The storminess causes the need to seek revenge; Hindley yearns to seek revenge on Heathcliff, and after the death of Mr.Earnshaw he gets that. However, Heathcliff's treatment after his death instills in him the want for revenge on Hindley.
Thrushcross Grange is seen as a much more lighthearted place. Okay, perhaps lighthearted is not the proper adjective, but it is definitely more ideal. It is more appealing as far as beauty goes. It is an appealing place to behold and to inhabit. The Linton children were seen as the "more acceptable" children, and Catherine was not an acceptable young lady until she spent time there. Generally, minus a few exceptions, the Lintons are just good people. Isabella actually loved Heathcliff, and would never have done something like forcing herself to love him for the sake of revenge. And even Edgar was more acceptable due to the status that was created by the Thrushcross Grange, and the way they lived.
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