Throughout my reading of the last part of the book, Wuthering Heights, I realized how big of a character Nelly really was. Up until my final reading, I had focused mostly on Heathcliff and Catherine. Not to say that Heathcliff and Catherine weren't two of the main characters because they were, but I never realized the importance of this story being told through Nelly. Nelly has the power to change details and twist plot lines however she wants and we would be none the wiser.
In the later sections of the book, it seems as though Nelly plays a huge part in almost everyone's actions. Nelly plays a leading role in Catherine's developing relationship with Linton because she isn't able to stop Catherine's hanging out with him and most importantly doesn't tell Edgar of their interactions. It almost is though, if Nelly weren't so worried about her job, a lot of the drama with young Catherine wouldn't have amounted. I say this because Nelly was so afraid of losing her job or of making Edgar mad that she didn't notify Edgar of the whole situation. If Nelly had notified Edgar, he would have been able to better control young Catherine and put distance between Thurcrush Grange and Wuthering Heights. However, because Nelly is afraid and doesn't step up, the two households become more intertwined.
It is also interesting to note that Nelly literally wrapped Edgar's hair and Heathcliff's hairs together in old Catherine's locket. She foreshadowed the intermingling between the two households better then any other character could have predicted. Some examples about how closely involved Nelly is with the other characters includes her conversation with Heathcliff at the end of the book. Heathcliff confides in Nelly that he no longer plans to exact revenge on young Catherine and Hareton. Also, Heathcliff literally puts Nelly in charge of Wuthering Heights, so she has moved away from Thurcrush Grange. It is key to note and understand that Nelly is also the only character that goes in between the two households freely. Every other character in the book is rooted to either Thurcrush Grange or Wuthering Heights. However Nelly seemingly gets along with every character even though her actions lead to a bunch of the drama with the other characters.
By saying she causes the drama in the other character's lives, I mean that, she either requites to inaction even though that might not be the right answer for anyone but herself pr is present at all major events. Nelly is always there it seems during the key plot points in the book. Whenever something major happens, Nelly is there as a bystander. For example, when Edgar’s health grows consistently worse and Catherine is worried for her father, Catherine reluctantly rides to her meeting with Linton on the moors. Nelly comes with her.
Only in the last section of the book did I realize what a big character Nelly was. She was the main storyteller so everything was always told from her perspective and she was also involved in every big event in both households. Nelly is a character that deserves a deep analysis because she serves an under-appreciated large role in the story.
