In chapter 7 of Wuthering Heights, Catherine, after being bitten by the Linton's dog, stays at Thrushcross Grange for five weeks. During her stay, Mrs. Linton teaches her how to act and behave like a lady. Catherine is transformed so much so, that when she returns home, she is nearly unrecognizable. While this is not necessarily a dominate theme in the novel, it caught my attention because this is a theme that I have seen in my own life. Like Catherine, when I was younger, I liked to run around outside and cause problems. Also like Catherine, it was expected of me to become 'a lady'. Overall, I believe that this is a problem in today's world. Many young girls grow up surrounded by expectations. For me, I was told that if I did not become a proper, soft-spoken, well-mannered young lady, I would never amount to anything. Some girls are told that if they do not become successful and independent they will always be walked over and disregarded. No matter the expectations, while reading Wuthering Heights, I realized that little girls and young ladies have, and seemingly always will, grow up surrounded by expectations placed on them by society and their families. The process of becoming a lady, while in some regards has changed over the decades, is still (unfortunately) very alive in today's world.
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