Heathcliff's Defense by Cooper PettitDear reader of Wuthering Heights, I, Heathcliff, feel as if my actions are not properly motivated by the narrator's Nelly, Mr. Lockwood, and Isabella. So you've heard about my weaknesses in the book and some of you are probably thinking, "wow, what a bad guy he is." But I assure you that none of the reasons for condemning my actions are right. You've heard their side of the story. Here's mine. From the beginning of the novel and even from the beginning of my life, I have suffered pain and rejection. When Mr. Earnshaw finally gives me a chance by taking me to stormy heights, I am seen as a thing rather than a child. Mrs Earnshaw was ready to throw me out the door, while Nelly put me on the landing hoping that I would leave the next day. Without having done anything to deserve this terrible rejection, my young self is made to feel like an outsider. What else could you think of if you were me? After the death of Mr. Earnshaw, I suffer cruel abuse at the hands of my half-brother Hindley. In these ...