Nelly, a highly intellectual 21 year old servant in the Earnshaw household is the strongest charcter of the entire novel. She grew up and raised the Earnshaw children, stays through all of the drama and petty differences the characters face, and appeals to all of the characters. She stays around the Earnshaws through mistreatment and hardships, raises Hindley's child for him, raised Catherine and Heathcliff when they had no father or mother, and appeals to their adolescent selves.
Questions we have for Nelly Dean 1. How can you put up with both the Earnshaw's and the Linton's drama? 2. Where did you come from Nelly, and how did you get to be so.... Nelly-ish? 3. Why do you tell Lockwood the families' story? What compells you to do so? 5. Why is she involved with Hindley so much? And why does she not like Catherine and Heathcliff instead of Hindley who is a raging fiend? 6. What are your feelings on Isabella Linton?
"I certainly esteem myself... a reasonable kind of body... I have undergone sharp discipline and got something out of it also" (page 56-57) "I see no reason that he should not know as well as you. And if you are his choice, he'll be the most unfortunate creature that ever was born!" (page 73) " I didn't know that you wished to foster her fierce temper! I did not know that, to humour her, I should wink at Mr.Heathcliff. I performed the duty of a faithful servant in telling you, and I have get a faithful servants wages! Well, if it will teach me to be careful next time. Next time you may gather information yourself!