Characters
within the novel are not inherently mad but instead, they are driven to madness
through a range of traumatic events and the propagation of hegemonic and
patriarchal attitudes. Annette's descent into madness was driven by situational
factors instead of a result of her disposition. The traumatic experiences
Annette faces such as the fire at Coulibri which causes the death of her son
placed her in a vulnerable state. From this state she was driven to madness as
Christophine explains, "They drive her to it. When she lose her son she
lose herself for a while and they shut her away. They tell her she is mad, they
act like she is mad. " Antoinette experiences a journey into madness
similar to that of her mother's. In the beginning of the novel, Antoinette's
childhood shows the reader that while she may have had a troubled upbringing,
she was in no was "mad". However, after her marriage to Edward
Rochester Antoinette is driven insane by a period of long term exposure to her
husband's patriarchal and hegemonic influence. As a result of Rochester's
oppressive behaviour, Antoinette is stripped of her identity and driven to her
eventual breaking point. In Part Three of the novel, the compromised nature of
Antoinette's mental state becomes revealed to the reader as Rochester's
treatment and abuse has finally driven her to true madness.
Sunday 20 March 2016
Thursday 17 March 2016
Insanity in Wide Sargasso Sea
Posted on 00:37 by Unknown
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Discuss the portrayal of insanity in Wide Sargasso
Sea.
Thesis:
Within the context of the novel, Jean Rhys presents insanity or madness as a social phenomenon defined by a defiance of cultural and
social norms rather than perhaps a true illness of the mind. Annette and
Antoinette are both driven to madness by an inherently patriarchal society and
racial tensions as a result of colonial attitudes and values.
Topic Sentence 1:
At the centre of the
story lies a patriarchal society that promotes the oppression of women which
ultimately served as a contributing factor
to Annette's and Antoinette's madness.
Evidence:
- Women are oppressed through the legal system that is designed to benefit men
- Seen through Antoinette's marriage to Rochester
- “You want her money but you don’t want her. It is in your mind to pretend she is mad. I know it.The doctors say what you tell them to say. The man Richard he say what you want him to say -- glad and willing too, I know. She will be like her mother” - Christophine, page 145
- Annette was forced to marry Mr. Mason because she needs economic protection
- Her marriage is was ultimately drove her to madness as Mr. Mason did not listen to her and left her to dwell in her sorrow and mental breakdown
- “My mother whom you all talk about, what justice did she have? My mother sitting in the rocking chair speaking about dead horses and dead grooms and a black devil kissing her sad mouth.” - Antoinette, page 133
- “They drive her to it. When she lose her son she lose herself for a while and they shut her away. They tell her she is mad, they act like she is mad. Question, question. But no kind word, no friends, and her husband’ he go off, he leave her…” - Christophine
Topic Sentence 2:
Edward Rochester's
role as a colonizer drives Antoinette to madness as her culture is deemed
subaltern and she is forced to endure the hegemonic values of her husband.
Evidence:
- Rochester is unable to understand Antoinette's culture and therefore resents it and beliefs that it is subaltern
- He grows to resent her "alien" nature and looks
- Antoinette's actions, looks, and beliefs differ from the traditional English expectations and values that Rochester is accustomed to
- Rochester attempts to conform Antoinette to what he considers a more proper way of life
- Starts calling her Bertha
- This resentment leads him to deem here as "mad"
- It is in your mind to pretend she is mad. I know it. The doctors say what you tell them to say. The man Richard he say what you want him to say -- glad and willing too, I know. She will be like her mother” - Christophine, page 145
Topic Sentence 3:
The racial tension
in the West Indies post-emancipation created an environment of hostility which also
prompted Annette and Antoinette's identity crisis and eventual mental
breakdowns.
Evidence:
- Racial tension caused the fire at Coulibri which resulted in the death of Pierre
- Annette is driven to madness after this
- Antoinette faces an identity crisis as she is descended from slave-owners
- Creole
- Not rich English and not a poor black
- Hybridity
Topic Sentence 4/Conclusion (?):
Characters within
the novel are not inherently mad but instead, they are driven to madness
through a range of traumatic events and the propagation of hegemonic and
patriarchal attitudes.
Evidence:
- “They drive her to it. When she lose her son she lose herself for a while and they shut her away. They tell her she is mad, they act like she is mad. "
- Antoinette goes insane and experiences an eventual mental breakdown after long term exposure to her husband's values
- Stripped of her identity
- Antoinette locked in the attic
- Annette is driven mad after be constantly called mad
- Often, the characters have completely understandable reasons for being upset yet they are deemed "hysterical" as typical in Victorian era
Monday 14 March 2016
Gender in Wide Sargasso Sea Essay
Posted on 22:01 by Unknown
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Thesis:
Within the novel, Jean
Rhys examines the societal constructs of nineteenth century masculinity and
femininity in order to highlight the imbalance of power that exists in the relationship
between men and women and the resulting consequences.
Topic Sentence 1:
The character of
Edward Rochester is representative of the main aspects of masculinity as seen
in his dominant attitude, rational thinking, and the active role he plays in
the plot.
Evidence:
- “These people are very vulnerable. How old was I when I learned to hide how I felt? A very small boy.” – Rochester
- Rochester displays a great deal of arrogance as he asserts his will on others – mainly Antoinette – which portrays his dominance
- Begins calling Antoinette Bertha, exerting his power over her
Topic Sentence 2:
Antoinette Cosway is
constructed as an embodiment of stereotypical femininity; her strong emotions,
seemingly irrational thoughts, and submissive nature dictate her role in the
story.
Evidence:
- “Vain, silly creature.” – Rochester describing Antoinette
- Antoinette is desperate to keep her marriage intact, despite Rochester’s clear lack of love
- Constantly valued only for her beauty by Rochester
- “Don’t put anymore scent on my hair. He doesn’t like it.” –Antoinette attempts to alter her identity to conform to Rochester’s standards
- “This was Antoinette. She spoke hesitatingly as if she expected me to refuse, so it was easy to do so.”
Topic Sentence 3:
Through the marriage
of Antoinette and Rochester, Rhys highlights the imbalance of power that exists
in the relationship between men and women.
Evidence:
- “But I cannot go. He is my husband after all.”-Antoinette
- “You are handing over everything the child owns to a perfect stranger.” – Aunt Cora
- Antoinette is stripped of all power in her marriage with Rochester
- She has no protection in her marriage agreement and therefore all her money is given to Rochester
- Rochester locks Antoinette in the attic, showing that he is capable of stripping her of freedom and free will
Sunday 6 March 2016
Antoinette
Posted on 19:08 by Unknown
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In what ways does Jean Rhys characterize Antoinette as an
outsider in Part One of the novel and to what effect?
Consider the significance of theme and context.
Consider the significance of theme and context.
Alienation and the idea of otherness is one of the main
themes of novel Wide Sargasso Sea. This theme can be seen as the driving force
behind many of the destructive actions of the main characters within the story.
Antoinette’s position as an outsider begins in Part One of the novel and
progresses and evolves until she eventually becomes alienated from her family
and even herself.
Antoinette’s characterization as an outsider in Part One is
mainly composed around the complex racial dynamics and resulting tension that
was developing in Jamaica in the 1830’s. Between the whites born in England and
the black ex-slaves, Antoinette’s creole background leaves her stranded in an
ambiguous middle-ground. Antoinette narrates that “They say when trouble comes
close ranks, and the white people did. But we were not in their ranks.” Despite
being white, Antoinette and her family are not accepted by the upper-class
white Jamaicans and are therefore treated as outsiders. This is as a result of
the family’s economic status and Annette’s behaviour and appearance. This line
is key in characterizing Antoinette’s struggle to find her place in the racial
hierarchy as she identifies the “white people” but does not actually identify
as one. Furthermore, Antoinette’s family stems from a line of former slave
owners which creates animosity between her family and the recently emancipated
slaves on the island. Through this distinction, Rhys is able to portray the
true complexity of the racial and class turmoil of this time period.
In addition to this, Antoinette is characterized as an
outsider through the portrayal of her relationships with her members of her
family and her friend Tia. During Antoinette’s narration she describes the way
in which she used to seek comfort in the arms of her mother however, this
description is clearly in the past tense emphasizing that this is no longer the
case. Regarding her friendship with Tia, Antoinette considers her the closest
friend she has however after the fire at Coulibri Tia succumbs to external
pressure and betrays their friendship by throwing a stone at her.
Through the establishment of this particular aspect of
Antoinette’s character, Rhys emphasizes the depth of a character that had
previously been reduced to a simple caricature of a cultural group. In Part One
of the novel the author is laying the groundwork for the core theme of the
story which will eventually results in the demise of the protagonist.
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