Original Text(~198 words)
While Miss Linton moped about the park and garden, always silent, and almost always in tears; and her brother shut himself up among books that he never opened—wearying, I guessed, with a continual vague expectation that Catherine, repenting her conduct, would come of her own accord to ask pardon, and seek a reconciliation—and she fasted pertinaciously, under the idea, probably, that at every meal Edgar was ready to choke for her absence, and pride alone held him from running to cast himself at her feet; I went about my household duties, convinced that the Grange had but one sensible soul in its walls, and that lodged in my body. Nelly watches as both Catherine and Edgar engage in a destructive standoff after their fight. Catherine locks herself away, refusing to eat, hoping Edgar will come crawling back. Meanwhile, Edgar stays buried in his books, too proud to make the first move. Both are waiting for the other to apologize first. Nelly, the only rational person in the house, refuses to enable their dramatic behavior and simply goes about her work. After three days, Catherine finally asks for food, still playing the victim and threatening to die from neglect.
Continue reading the full chapter
Purchase the complete book to access all chapters and support classic literature
As an Amazon Associate, we earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
Available in paperback, hardcover, and e-book formats
Summary
Nelly watches as both Catherine and Edgar engage in a destructive standoff after their fight. Catherine locks herself away, refusing to eat, hoping Edgar will come crawling back. Meanwhile, Edgar stays buried in his books, too proud to make the first move. Both are waiting for the other to apologize first. Nelly, the only rational person in the house, refuses to enable their dramatic behavior and simply goes about her work. After three days, Catherine finally asks for food, still playing the victim and threatening to die from neglect.
That's what happens. To understand what the author is really doing—and to discuss this chapter with confidence—keep reading.
Terms to Know
pertinaciously
stubbornly persistent; refusing to give up or change course
Modern Usage:
Like someone who keeps texting their ex even after being blocked - they're being pertinacious about getting attention
expostulations
earnest attempts to persuade someone not to do something; protests or objections
Modern Usage:
When your friend keeps making the same bad dating choices and you stop giving advice - you're done with expostulations
lethargy
a state of tiredness and inactivity; lack of energy and enthusiasm
Modern Usage:
That feeling when you're so emotionally drained from relationship drama that you can't even get off the couch
Characters in This Chapter
Catherine Linton
The dramatic wife staging a hunger strike
Shows how people use self-harm as emotional blackmail in relationships
Modern Equivalent:
The partner who threatens to hurt themselves when you try to set boundaries - using crisis to control
Edgar Linton
The proud husband refusing to apologize first
Represents how ego and social expectations can destroy love
Modern Equivalent:
The guy who'd rather lose his marriage than admit he was wrong - pride over partnership
Nelly Dean
The practical housekeeper who won't enable the drama
The voice of reason who refuses to play into toxic relationship games
Modern Equivalent:
The friend who stops picking sides in your relationship fights and tells you both to grow up
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
Learning to identify when someone is using emotional crisis to manipulate you, and developing the strength to maintain healthy boundaries even when it feels 'mean'
Practice This Today
Next time someone tries to make their crisis your emergency, pause and ask: 'Is helping them actually helping, or am I enabling destructive behavior?' Sometimes the kindest response is to step back and let people face the consequences of their choices.
You have the foundation. Now let's look closer.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"I determined they should come about as they pleased for me; and though it was a tiresomely slow process, I began to rejoice at length in a faint dawn of its progress"
Context: Nelly decides not to interfere in Catherine and Edgar's standoff
This shows healthy boundary-setting - refusing to be the middleman in someone else's relationship drama
In Today's Words:
I decided to let them figure it out themselves. It was exhausting to watch, but I wasn't going to fix their problems for them.
"Oh, I will die, since no one cares anything about me. I wish I had not taken that."
Context: Catherine's dramatic declaration after her three-day fast
Classic emotional manipulation - using threats of self-harm to get attention and control
In Today's Words:
Nobody loves me and I'm going to hurt myself to prove it - but wait, maybe I don't actually want to die because then he'd be happy.
"he'd be glad—he does not love me at all—he would never miss me!"
Context: Catherine's internal monologue about Edgar's supposed indifference
Shows how people in toxic relationships create narratives that justify their destructive behavior
In Today's Words:
He probably wants me gone anyway - he doesn't really love me and wouldn't even care if I was dead!
Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Enabler's Dilemma: When Not to Save Someone
Refusing to participate in or rescue people from self-created drama, allowing natural consequences to teach lessons that interference would prevent
Thematic Threads
Emotional Manipulation
In This Chapter
Catherine uses a hunger strike and threats of death to control Edgar's behavior
Development
Shows how people weaponize their own suffering to get what they want from others
In Your Life:
Recognize when someone is using crisis or self-harm threats to manipulate you - this is not love, it's control
Pride vs Love
In This Chapter
Both Catherine and Edgar are too proud to apologize first, letting their relationship deteriorate
Development
Demonstrates how ego can become more important than the relationship itself
In Your Life:
Ask yourself: is being right more important than being happy? Sometimes love means swallowing your pride
Healthy Boundaries
In This Chapter
Nelly refuses to enable their drama or act as messenger between the fighting couple
Development
Shows how maintaining boundaries protects your own mental health and forces others to take responsibility
In Your Life:
You don't have to fix other people's relationship problems - sometimes stepping back is the most loving thing you can do
Modern Adaptation
When Your Ex Won't Stop the Drama
Following Heath's story...
Heath's ex-girlfriend Sarah has been texting him constantly since their breakup, alternating between begging him to come back and threatening to hurt herself if he doesn't respond. She's stopped eating and keeps posting cryptic messages on social media about 'no one caring if she lives or dies.' Heath's friends keep forwarding him her posts, expecting him to 'do something.' Meanwhile, Sarah's new boyfriend (a wealthy guy she left Heath for) is ignoring the whole situation, probably hoping Heath will deal with it so he doesn't have to.
The Road
Heath feels responsible for Sarah's wellbeing and guilty about not responding to her crisis. He's torn between concern for her safety and anger at being manipulated. His friends pressure him to 'be the bigger person' and check on her.
The Map
Like Nelly, Heath needs to set firm boundaries. Sarah's mental health is not his responsibility, especially after she chose someone else. Responding to her threats only reinforces that this behavior gets attention. He should block her on social media, tell mutual friends he won't discuss her, and if he's genuinely concerned about self-harm, contact her family or emergency services - not play rescuer himself.
Amplification
The story shows that sometimes the most loving thing you can do is refuse to enable someone's destructive patterns, even when they're someone you once cared about deeply.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
Is Nelly being cruel by not trying to help Catherine and Edgar reconcile, or is she being wise?
analysis • Consider the difference between helping and enabling - when does intervention make problems worse? - 2
Why do you think both Catherine and Edgar are waiting for the other to apologize first?
character • Explore how pride and social expectations can become more important than love in relationships - 3
Have you ever been in a situation where someone used threats of self-harm to get your attention? How did you handle it?
personal • Reflect on your own experiences with emotional manipulation and boundary-setting - 4
What's the difference between someone who genuinely needs help and someone who's using crisis for control?
critical • Analyze the signs of genuine crisis versus manipulative behavior - how can you tell the difference?
Critical Thinking Exercise
The Enabler's Audit
Think about the relationships in your life where you frequently find yourself playing peacemaker, rescuer, or problem-solver. List three specific situations where you've stepped in to help someone avoid the consequences of their choices.
Consider:
- •What happened when you intervened versus times when you didn't?
- •Did your help actually solve the problem long-term, or did it just postpone it?
- •How did playing rescuer affect your own mental health and other relationships?
- •What would happen if you stepped back and let people handle their own drama?
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when someone expected you to fix their self-created problem. How did it make you feel? What would you do differently now, knowing what Nelly teaches us about healthy boundaries?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 13: Catherine's Recovery
What lies ahead teaches us guilt and emotional trauma can manifest as physical illness, and shows us the toll that caring for someone with mental health struggles takes on relationships. These patterns appear in literature and life alike.