Lockwood’s character is the narrator of the novel. It means that the readers perceive various events from his point of view and judgment. His narration frames the story of Nelly Dean. It has the function of distancing the readers from the events in this case. In addition, the character indicates some rules that existed in the society of those times.
Detailed answer:
Wuthering Heights is considered to be a classic of English literature for a few important reasons. The story provides its readers with a glimpse of history. It is an honest portrayal of life in the 19th century. The structure of the text and the way the events are presented play an essential role in making the story accurate for the readers.
Lockwood is the frame-narrator of the novel. His significance lies behind the fact that the character has the function of creating a specific structure of the book. Wuthering Heights consists of a number of frame narratives that overlap and coexist in the text. This technique is considered to be key for gothic literature used to confuse the narration. Thus, the character of Lockwood plays an essential role in organizing the story in a gothic way.
Lockwood is the main narrator of the story. His character is vital for a clear and accurate understanding of the novel and its themes. Lockwood narrates the entire book. But he appears to be unreliable from time to time. Lockwood is an outsider. His judgments may not be fully objective in many situations covered in the book. He often has wrong views. Confusing interactions reveal that he may not be as trustworthy as expected.
For this reason, it can be stated that Lockwood encourages the readers to not simply read the story. He forces the readers to try to analyze it and create conclusions. Due to Lockwood’s nature, the readers are motivated to question his vision and think about the real events. Hence, the narrator is important because he makes the reading much more entertaining. He encourages the readers to engage in a detailed analysis.
Finally, the actions that Lockwood undertakes and the judgments he creates highlight the social conventions that existed at that time. He also emphasizes the way they were disregarded in the novel. For instance, he believes that Heathcliff is a “capital fellow”. Lockwood later starts to flirt with the thought of beginning a relationship with Catherine who was much younger than him. Lockwood represents specific issues that were based on the social standards in the 19th century.
Overall, Lockwood’s character is one of the most essential people in the novel. He is the main narrator of the book. The readers understand and analyze the events with his help. Lockwood is not fully reliable because of the main qualities of his nature. This fact encourages the readers to think more and interpret the events in a different way. He is a sample of how social conventions were disregarded in the society of those times. Now, it became clear that the character of Lockwood is essential, didn’t it?
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