Explore the ways in which Brontë makes Nelly Dean such a memorable character in the novel. Support your views with details from Brontë's writing.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2011). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. Candidates should explore how Brontë makes Nelly Dean a memorable character, using details from throughout the novel.
2. Focus on her role as the primary narrator, shaping the reader’s understanding of events and characters.
3. Her blend of common sense, loyalty, and occasional judgmental attitudes.
4. Her long-standing connection to both Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange, making her a unique observer.
5. Her practical nature and resilience in dealing with the dramatic events and extreme personalities.
6. The limitations of her perspective and how it contributes to the narrative’s complexity.
7. Brontë’s use of Nelly’s conversational, often moralizing, voice and her role in mediating the wildness of the moors with social conventions.