JAMB 2024 Literature in English · Question 19

This question is based on Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff considered himself the second half of

Options

  1. A.Nelly Dean
  2. B.Isabella Linton
  3. C.Hindley Earnshaw
  4. D.Catherine Earnshaw

Answer: D. Catherine Earnshaw

Explanation written with AI and checked against the answer key

Analyze the question: The question asks who Heathcliff saw as his "other half", meaning the person he felt was inseparable from his own identity.

Explain the concept: The central relationship in Wuthering Heights is between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw. Brontë presents their bond as something deeper than ordinary romance. It is a kind of shared soul. Catherine herself says, "I am Heathcliff!" and "He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same." Heathcliff feels the same way. After her death he cries out that he cannot live without his life and his soul.

Step-by-step solution:

  • A. Nelly Dean is the housekeeper and main narrator. She is a witness to events, not Heathcliff's soulmate.
  • B. Isabella Linton is the woman Heathcliff marries only to take revenge on the Lintons. He despises her.
  • C. Hindley Earnshaw is Catherine's brother, who mistreats Heathcliff. He is a rival, not a counterpart.
  • D. Catherine Earnshaw is the one Heathcliff regards as his other half. They grew up together on the moors and shared the same wild, passionate nature. Her death leaves him haunted for the rest of his life.

Answer: The correct option is D. Catherine Earnshaw.

Exam tip: For Wuthering Heights questions about love, soul, or "other half," think of Heathcliff and Catherine first. Brontë's repeated theme is that their souls are one, so any option naming Catherine is almost always the right choice for this kind of question.

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