- In life, individuals are faced with many social and physical barriers that they must choose either to overcome, or let these barriers impede our future. In the novel Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, these physical and social barriers, both prevent and allow true love from either fading or thriving. The actions taken by the characters are mainly motivated by the intense and contradictory emotions of both love and hatred. Catherine is motivated by money as well as her quest in becoming a true lady, regardless of the consequences it may have on her and those around her. Distance is a barrier, which prevents any chance of true love occurring between Heathcliff and Catherine, therefore when Heathcliff runs away, and the possibility of their romantic relationship, true love, comes to an abrupt end. Death, final and irreversible, is the ultimate physical barrier. Catherine and Heathcliff are eventually separated by it, Catherine deceases while Heathcliff lives; he then attempts everything in his power to try to be with her again.
             Catherine is torn between the social barrier of money and social standing in the novel. She must choose to either follow her heart to her true love Heathcliff; or to marry for money and raise her social standing by marrying Edgar. Catherine discusses her dilemma with Nelly, and says, "It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall never know how I love him; and that, not because he's handsome, Nelly, but because he's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same, and Linton's is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire." (Bronte, pg. 82) Catherine however, does not realize that Heathcliff is within listening distance, and he upon hearing this, runs away very abruptly as his heart has just been broken, for he is not an educated man like Edgar. In series of events that make up life, individuals are drawn to admire and love people who a...