Literature-In-English Paper 2 WASSCE (SC), 2022

Question 7                  EMILY BRONTE: Wuthering Heights

Examine the significance of Lockwood’s second visit to Wuthering Heights.

This question is on the significance of Lockwood’s second visit to Wuthering Heights. Most candidates narrated all of Lockwood’s visit as they were unable to distinguish between his first and second visits.

Candidates were expected to discuss the following:

  • The theme the upheavals within an upper middle class English society due to internal and external forces. These generate sub-themes like marriage, revenge, property ownership etc.
  • Character identification of Lockwood.
  • Lockwood’s experiences on this visit: Lockwood is portrayed as a naive narrator, who is prone to making vain and amusing mistakes. He mistakes Cathy for Mrs. Heathcliff
  • The presence of the supernatural in the novel: Lockwood narrates his conversation with the ghost of Catherine. Heathcliff’s torment over the loss of Catherine Earnshaw is unnatural.
  • Contribution of the visit to the development of plot: the visit introduces the reader to the power play or conflict in the household of Wuthering Heights. The visit shows the unfriendly nature of both Wuthering Heights and its occupants.

Candidates’ performance was average.