As with my other monthly posts I’ve taken a two (almost three) month hiatus from participating. However, I figured a new year, a new time to try again!
For January the hosts of the Classics Club have chosen another user submitted question:
“Which character from classic literature is most important or influential to you and why? Or which character do you most despise and why?”
Now once again I have to ask why didn’t they chose an easier question! Even if I limit myself solely to those Classics on my list, or even more so those I’ve read only since starting the project I’m still hard pressed to narrow down my choice.
Do I go Southern with Celie from the Color Purple or what about Bone from Bastard Out of Carolina (yes I know this isn’t on my list) and what about the other amazing southern characters I’ve read and loved over the years? Do I go British with Helen from The Tenant of Wildfell Hall or any of Austen’s heroines: Lizzie, Fanny, or any of the others? I most certainly won’t go with any of the Russians or Ancients, but I’m still at a loss.
So push-come-to shove I will say Heathcliff and Catherine from Wuthering Heights. Now this isn’t a clear-cut answer because it isn’t just the characters that have had such a profound affect on me, but also the setting of the novel as well as when and where I have read the novel each time. And Heathcliff cannot stand on his own without Catherine. I think you need to read my review (linked above), in order to truly understand why I chose them.
I have got to get around to Wuthering Heights one of these days. I tried reading it years ago and just couldn’t get into it, but maybe it will be different the second time around. So many people love that book that I know it deserves another chance.
It’s so hit or miss with people. I personally think you have to push your way through at least twice before you truly see the amazingness of it, but I’ve also read it at least 5 times.
Wow that is a hard question–geez I don’t think I could have picked just one either. I think we’ve discussed before how I really did not like Wuthering Heights, but I have only read it once about 8 years ago. Having just read your review you’ve convinced me that I should give it go again. Now that I am 8 years older and wiser I feel like I have a better perspective from which to appreciate some of the things I originally hated.
YAY! I mean I’m starting to get that it’s not a book everyone could love, but when you think about the seeming desolation of the Moors and the clinging to a seemingly unrequited love, there’s just something so moving about it. You just have to get past the weird (to me) narrator and Heathcliff’s ridiculously gruff exterior.
It’s such a hard question I think I am taking the coward’s way out this time Geoff. If push came to shove on my end these two would also be on my list because I remember so well the very heated discussions as we studied this for A level literature. The class was completely divided along gender lines.