Hareton manages to overcome his brutal treatment and transforms from an illiterate field worker into a kind and compassionate friend (and eventually lover) of Cathy Heathcliff. In a way, Hareton redeems the Earnshaw family's reputation by breaking the pattern of abuse he was raised in, regaining the property, and simply being a polite young man. Cathy Heathcliff falls in love with him because she feels that, even though he is not the smartest nor the most handsome, Hareton sympathizes with him. Their love is very different from that of Catherine and Heathcliff. It is not characterized by drama and abuse, but by compassion and tranquility. Through the love of Cathy and Hareton, Heathcliff recognizes some of his love for Catherine and the meaninglessness of revenge and property. In doing so he is allowed to regain his compassion and achieve union with Catherine. With all the reasons in the world to hate each other, Cathy and Hareton fall in love again. “The intimacy thus begun grew rapidly; although it encountered temporary outages. Earnshaw was not to be civilized with a desire; and my young lady was no philosopher, nor a model of patience; but both their minds tending towards the same point - the one loving and desirous of esteem, and the other loving and desiring to be esteemed - succeeded in the end in reaching it. (Brontë 506) Their mutual sympathy changes the tone of the novel and allows for a happy