Emily Bronte, author of Wuthering Heights, incorporates an image of locks and keys repeatedly throughout her story. The image of locks and keys is found in characters, places, and events both figuratively and physically. An example of locks and keys found in a character is Lockwood. His name contains lock which symbolizes the fact that he locks himself away from other human beings. When the reader is first introduced to Lockwood, he explains how Wuthering Heights is “A perfect misanthropist’s heaven” (Bronte 3). Here, Lockwood admits that he is a misanthropist, or a person that hates human beings, and by staying at Wuthering Heights, he can avoid civilization and lock himself away from human interaction.

Later, he reflects on a love he once had, and explains how he loved a woman from behind his emotional and social barriers, but he dared not to express his feelings toward her. When she finally returns his love, he seals his feelings from her and returns to his former antisocial self. An example of locks and keys found in places, such as Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange is the gate leading into Wuthering Heights. This gate reflects the story of Wuthering Heights and is always locked when Lockwood is learning of the history of Heathcliff. The lock is found unlocked at the end of the book when Lockwood unlocks the mystery of Wuthering Heights and Heathcliff’s past. This lock also symbolizes the grasp Heathcliff has on Catherine for his revenge plan. When Catherine’s hat falls on the other side of the wall, she has to go and retrieve it and climbs over into Wuthering Heights. Nelly is left on the outside and Catherine bumps into Heathcliff on the inside.

This represents how Catherine can not escape Heathcliff’s clutch on her for his revenge. Locks and keys are used in the plot of Wuthering Heights as well. An example of this is when Isabella asks Heathcliff for a key to their bedroom because they are married. Heathcliff yells at Isabella telling her that it is not “their” bedroom, just “his”. This possession represents how Heathcliff controls Isabella by locking her out of rooms and keeps from creating any real emotional attachment to her. Bronte depicts locks and keys by using people, places, and events in the plot.

Bronte uses the image of locks and keys to emphasize the themes of isolation, secrecy, and revenge. By calling himself a misanthropist, Lockwood introduces the first theme and it is an example of how Bronte uses the motif of locks and keys to stress the theme of isolation. This approach is more effective than using other motifs, such as light and dark imagery or windows, because locks and keys are used to keep things closed or to keep people out, which is what Lockwood does because of his anti social behavior. Another example of locks and keys representing isolation is the gate outside Wuthering Heights. The gate stays locked throughout most of the story which represents how Heathcliff keeps himself isolated from the rest of society.

By keeping people out and keeping things locked, locks and keys also enforce the theme of secrecy. Bronte uses the unlocked gate to Wuthering Heights to represent the uncovering of the mystery of Heathcliff’s past for the reader and Lockwood. Even though it represents isolation, the unlocked gate represents the theme of secrecy as well because Heathcliff’s past was a secret and Lockwood had Nelly reveal it to him. Revenge is emphasized by locks and keys as well because Heathcliff seeks revenge on Catherine and he keeps control over her by locking her in Wuthering Heights. When he decides that he does not want to continue his revenge plan, he unlocks his true feelings to Nelly and admits he feels weaker and older than when he decided to exact his revenge. Bronte uses locks and keys to stress important the themes of isolation, secrecy, and revenge.