At this point, Favell is more concerned for his life than getting Maxim convicted. He is fearful that cancer is contagious, as out of everyone, he had the most contact with Rebecca. Colonel Julyan tells Favell to get it together and to go home if he wants to have an alcoholic outburst. Colonel Julyan tells Maxim that there is nothing to worry about with him, that he won't harm them in anyway, he's just all talk!
Maxim is in a hurry to return home to his estate and denies Colonel Julyan's offer to stay the night at his sisters: "I think we had better be independent. I must ring up Frank, and one thing and another" (378). They part ways, and Maxim and Mrs. de Winter start their journey home. They stop at a restaurant to dine and make plans to find somewhere to stay the night. During dinner time, Max decides that he needs to get in touch with Frank and let him know what had happened that day. He comes back to report that Frank was relieved; however, something strange has happened at the estate: "He thinks Mrs. Danvers has cleared out. She's gone, disappeared" (381). The couple talks about it for a while, Mrs. de Winter arguing that it's a good thing that she's gone anyway, but Maxim just doesn't have a good feeling about it.
Maxim gets exceptionally impatient and anxious while at dinner. He cannot wait to depart. He decides that they should just skip the hotel and return to the mansion at once, that evening. He said that Mrs. de Winter can sleep in the back seat and he will drive the whole journey. They depart and the journey to the estate begins. Mrs. de Winter has some awful nightmares, and strange dreams the entire way home. She is thinking about things that happened throughout her life, from Mrs. Van Hopper to Jasper the dog.
At last they are somewhat close to their homestead and decide to stop for a drink per Mrs. de Winters wishes. They continue on their way, when Mrs. de Winter is awoken suddenly from a nightmare. She decides that she isn't going to try and go back to sleep because they are so close to home. She comes to the front seat and sits with Max.
When they are in sight of the mansion, Mrs. de Winter says, "It looks almost as though the dawn was breaking over there, beyond those hills" (386). However, she was looking in the wrong direction. Then, she asks Max if those are the northern lights, beyond the mountains. To which he replies with, "that's Manderley" (386). "The sky above our heads was inky black. But the sky on the horizon was not dark at all. It shot with crimson, like a splash of blood. And the ashes blew towards us with the salt winds from the sea" (386).
Mrs. Danvers burnt down Manderley! I can't believe that this is the end of the novel. It's comparable to a TV show that gets canceled and one never finds out the ending. The beautiful Manderley estate is no longer. That makes complete sense from the beginning of the novel when she says that they are in a hotel, no wonder! They no longer have a home to live in! Just pure imagination, but maybe Mrs. Danvers couldn't take the pain of knowing what her precious Rebecca had gone through and she burnt the home down with herself in it. Or, then there's the idea of if Rebecca can't have it, than no one can. Wow, complete shock!
Vocabulary:
crimson (386)- a rich deep red color
Monday, May 19, 2014
"And in his eyes, I read a message of farewell."
Maxim knows that Dr. Baker could reveal the secrets that Favell is looking for, exposing him as a murder. Mrs. de Winter and Maxim exchange looks, knowing that the end of their time together could be coming to an end. Favell, the de Winters, and Colonel Juylan work out their arrangements to go and see Dr. Baker in the morning. They decide that they will leave at 9 AM. Per Favell's request, Mrs. Danvers is to lock the two in their bed room and bedtime, and promptly unlock the room in the morning. At nine, they will meet and make the trip to go seek information from Dr. Baker. Favell insists on coming, but he shall only come if he is sober and if he follows behind. The rest of Chapter 25 is devoted to what, at the time, the couple thinks is there last moments together. They enjoy dinner together and then love each other like love-struck teens.
---
The day of the visit to Dr. Baker, the de Winters get up as usual. Mrs. Danvers comes on time to unlock the door, and the couple gets ready. Mrs. de Winter really soaks up the beauty of the Manderley estate. She notices things that she hadn't quite noticed before, and absorbs everything Manderley has to offer. Promptly at nine AM, Maxim and Mrs. de Winter get in the car and head to the estate's gates where they meet Coronal Juylan. They make the long travel to London, and finally arrive at Dr. Baker's house. They inform Dr. Baker of their intentions and ask if he knows anything about Rebecca de Winter. He says that he doesn't recognize her name at all, but he will check with his books for the day and time that she supposedly was there. When he returns with his book, he realizes that he did see someone on that day, at that time, a Mrs. Danvers had an appointment.
The group was shocked to find out that Rebecca had used a fake name to go see the doctor under. Dr. Baker revealed that she was there once before and this appointment was a follow up. According to the doctor, he had examined her for a terminal illness. He had taken x-rays on her, and she was coming back to get the hard truth about her illness. Dr. Baker reveals that Rebecca was dying of cancer. He informed her on that day that there was no cure, and her pain would get progressively worse as time went on. He told her that the only treatment for her was morphia.
The doctor also reveals that there was something else wrong with Rebecca, something that they had discovered as a result of the x-rays: "The x-rays showed a certain malformation of the uterus, I remember, which meant she could never have a child..." (373). It seems as though this information could have destroyed Rebecca, and her death could, indeed have been planned if she wanted to. Her perfect pitched plan about having a heir for the Manderely estate was destroyed by this information given by Dr. Baker.
Maxim will escape! The information Dr. Baker gave is pertinent to the entire investigation, and completely disproves anything Favell says without proof. It gives her a motive. If it were to be pressed, the jury could rule that Rebecca was deathly depressed at the news that she could not have a child, or the fact that she was dying anyway. One could say that she ended her misery before it begun.
Vocabulary:
morphia (373)- old fashion term for morphine
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The day of the visit to Dr. Baker, the de Winters get up as usual. Mrs. Danvers comes on time to unlock the door, and the couple gets ready. Mrs. de Winter really soaks up the beauty of the Manderley estate. She notices things that she hadn't quite noticed before, and absorbs everything Manderley has to offer. Promptly at nine AM, Maxim and Mrs. de Winter get in the car and head to the estate's gates where they meet Coronal Juylan. They make the long travel to London, and finally arrive at Dr. Baker's house. They inform Dr. Baker of their intentions and ask if he knows anything about Rebecca de Winter. He says that he doesn't recognize her name at all, but he will check with his books for the day and time that she supposedly was there. When he returns with his book, he realizes that he did see someone on that day, at that time, a Mrs. Danvers had an appointment.
The group was shocked to find out that Rebecca had used a fake name to go see the doctor under. Dr. Baker revealed that she was there once before and this appointment was a follow up. According to the doctor, he had examined her for a terminal illness. He had taken x-rays on her, and she was coming back to get the hard truth about her illness. Dr. Baker reveals that Rebecca was dying of cancer. He informed her on that day that there was no cure, and her pain would get progressively worse as time went on. He told her that the only treatment for her was morphia.
The doctor also reveals that there was something else wrong with Rebecca, something that they had discovered as a result of the x-rays: "The x-rays showed a certain malformation of the uterus, I remember, which meant she could never have a child..." (373). It seems as though this information could have destroyed Rebecca, and her death could, indeed have been planned if she wanted to. Her perfect pitched plan about having a heir for the Manderely estate was destroyed by this information given by Dr. Baker.
Maxim will escape! The information Dr. Baker gave is pertinent to the entire investigation, and completely disproves anything Favell says without proof. It gives her a motive. If it were to be pressed, the jury could rule that Rebecca was deathly depressed at the news that she could not have a child, or the fact that she was dying anyway. One could say that she ended her misery before it begun.
Vocabulary:
morphia (373)- old fashion term for morphine
"The fury was spent."
This chapter is a continuation with the interaction between Favell, Colonel Julyan, Frank, Maxim, and others. Favell is insisting that his accusations against Mr. de Winter are true, and he is willing to do anything to prove it. He is exceptionally intoxicated, which Colonel Julyan notes. Favell admits that he wants to just blackmail Maxim for a monthly stipend, which Colonel doesn't approve of. Instead, he asks Favell to produce a witness or some type of proof that indicates that Mr. de Winter is in fact a cold-blooded killer. Jack says that can do just that: Ben.
Robert goes to find Ben, while Mrs. de Winter and the others wait fearfully for their return. Mrs. de Winter suddenly realizes that Ben knew all along what had happened, and was alluding to her through what he was saying:
The group does not know who Baker is, nor does Mrs. Danvers. They decide that they are going to call everyone with the last digits 0488, even if it takes all night. Finally, after a little searching, they find Baker had given up practice, but "The night porter gave me his address. I wrote it down on this piece of paper" (352). This piece of paper, Mrs. de Winter knew, could destroy her husband.
It seems as though in this chapter, Mrs. Danvers wasn't the opposing side of Mr. and Mrs. de Winter. Almost as if she didn't believe that Maxim had killed her Rebecca (maybe she didn't know) and was trying to find the true criminal. It could be denial, as well. In addition, I'm shocked at Ben's response. Had Robert bribed him on the car ride to the estate, or did Ben say what he had said because he despised Favell and Rebecca for what they had threatened him with? (the institution)
Vocabulary:
shrouded (348)- to wrap, or dress
Robert goes to find Ben, while Mrs. de Winter and the others wait fearfully for their return. Mrs. de Winter suddenly realizes that Ben knew all along what had happened, and was alluding to her through what he was saying:
""'She's down there, isn't she? She won't come back again. They'll find her there; won't they? The fishes have eaten her, haven't they? She'll not come back no more'" (339).Frank returns with Ben, who is then questioned. Ben produces no answers that reveal Mr. de Winter is a murder. In fact, they take away from Favell's credibility because Ben says that he has never seen before. Next, Mrs. Danvers is called to the carpet. Favell asks Mrs. Danvers about his relationship with Rebecca, which she denies existed. She says that Rebecca loved no man, rather just played them. Mrs. Danvers is questioned in part about the day Rebecca died. She produces evidence, Rebecca's appointment book, which they look through to try and find evidence of where she was. They find that she had a hair appointment in the morning, and then went to see some "Baker."
The group does not know who Baker is, nor does Mrs. Danvers. They decide that they are going to call everyone with the last digits 0488, even if it takes all night. Finally, after a little searching, they find Baker had given up practice, but "The night porter gave me his address. I wrote it down on this piece of paper" (352). This piece of paper, Mrs. de Winter knew, could destroy her husband.
It seems as though in this chapter, Mrs. Danvers wasn't the opposing side of Mr. and Mrs. de Winter. Almost as if she didn't believe that Maxim had killed her Rebecca (maybe she didn't know) and was trying to find the true criminal. It could be denial, as well. In addition, I'm shocked at Ben's response. Had Robert bribed him on the car ride to the estate, or did Ben say what he had said because he despised Favell and Rebecca for what they had threatened him with? (the institution)
Vocabulary:
shrouded (348)- to wrap, or dress
"She was deliberately scuttled"
Suspicion arrises from the workers at the Manderely estate. Favell tells Mrs. de Winter about how he just cannot believe what has happened because she was so keen on the water. Mrs. Danvers has cut herself off from society and is locked in her room. The estate is in shock and is being bombarded with phone calls, which Mrs. de Winter has forwarded to the office. It was time for the inquest.
At the inquest, Mrs. de Winter decides that she is not going to go in the courthouse with Maxim and the others, but rather wait in the car. After a short while, she decides that she is going to get out and wait for them outside. A policeman asked who she is, and took her inside to a small waiting room. From there, Mrs. de Winter decides she wants to go inside and hear the trial. She goes in and Tabb is on the stand, telling his side of the story. He cannot stress enough that the boat was in perfect condition when she had it inspected and that he did not believe that anything was wrong with it.
From there, Tabb asks if he can explain something deeper. He says that the day of the recovery, he examined the boat and found that there were no rocks anywhere near where the boat was found. He saw that the three holes in the bottom of the boat were dilberately put there, and that the sea-cocks had been turned. The heat begins to rise in the room. Questions start to be fired at Mr. de Winter, when the connection is made that Rebecca was deliberately drowned in her cabin. All the while, Mrs. de Winter, Mrs. Danvers, Mr. Favell, and others are sitting through the questioning. Finally, the hardest question of all, "'Were relations between you and the late Mrs. de Winter perfectly happy?'" (316) is brought to the table. At this moment, Mrs. de Winter goes black, and she can hear Maxim yelling for someone to take her out, as she was going to faint.
It seems as though Tabb has sore feelings toward the whole situation because he believes that people think it's his fault for what happened. He says in this chapter, that he did indeed loose business because of it. I'm so, so curious to see what happens! Will the truth be revealed? Frank, Favell (technically), Mrs. de Winter, and Colonel Julyan know. Will Maxim go to jail? No. What about Mrs. Danvers, how will she play a role in the rest of the novel? She plays with fire.
Vocabulary:
moored (315)- make fast
At the inquest, Mrs. de Winter decides that she is not going to go in the courthouse with Maxim and the others, but rather wait in the car. After a short while, she decides that she is going to get out and wait for them outside. A policeman asked who she is, and took her inside to a small waiting room. From there, Mrs. de Winter decides she wants to go inside and hear the trial. She goes in and Tabb is on the stand, telling his side of the story. He cannot stress enough that the boat was in perfect condition when she had it inspected and that he did not believe that anything was wrong with it.
From there, Tabb asks if he can explain something deeper. He says that the day of the recovery, he examined the boat and found that there were no rocks anywhere near where the boat was found. He saw that the three holes in the bottom of the boat were dilberately put there, and that the sea-cocks had been turned. The heat begins to rise in the room. Questions start to be fired at Mr. de Winter, when the connection is made that Rebecca was deliberately drowned in her cabin. All the while, Mrs. de Winter, Mrs. Danvers, Mr. Favell, and others are sitting through the questioning. Finally, the hardest question of all, "'Were relations between you and the late Mrs. de Winter perfectly happy?'" (316) is brought to the table. At this moment, Mrs. de Winter goes black, and she can hear Maxim yelling for someone to take her out, as she was going to faint.
It seems as though Tabb has sore feelings toward the whole situation because he believes that people think it's his fault for what happened. He says in this chapter, that he did indeed loose business because of it. I'm so, so curious to see what happens! Will the truth be revealed? Frank, Favell (technically), Mrs. de Winter, and Colonel Julyan know. Will Maxim go to jail? No. What about Mrs. Danvers, how will she play a role in the rest of the novel? She plays with fire.
Vocabulary:
moored (315)- make fast
"She has lost her power with Rebecca."
Mrs. de Winter is empowered by thought that Maxim never loved Rebecca. She feels as though she is freed from the weight on her shoulders of trying to be like Rebecca. She knows now that she can be who she wants to be and not have to worry about Maxim not loving her because she isn't a reproduction of what Rebecca once was: "My heart, for all its anxiety and doubt was light and free" (289). It's the little things that she can do with ease now, such as sit at her desk in the morning room, touch her pen, go to her room in the West Wing, and so forth; all without having that haunting feeling of Rebecca's spirit weighing down on her: "I was free now to be with Maim, to touch him, and hold him, and love him" (290).
The phone keeps ringing off the hook at the Manderley estate. First, Colonel Julyan has called to ask Maxim questions about the body, seeking answers as to who might have been on that boat, and if Mr. de Winter may have made an error in identifying the body. Then, as Mr. de Winter had feared, "it's begun" (291). A reporter from the Country Chronicles called to talk to Maxim about the dead body. As the de Winter family had feared, the press was getting word of what had happened.
--- time passes ---
The next morning, Maxim gets up extremely early and heads down to the beach for the boat to be exhumed from the water. Mrs. de Winters gets up as usual and starts her morning routine; however, she has a change in attitude. She tells Mrs. Danvers what she wants, as opposed to what Mrs. Danvers offers. When Mrs. Danvers detests, Mrs. de Winter says that she is now the new Mrs. de Winter and Rebecca is no longer alive! (You go, girl!) Mrs. Danvers is emotionally distraught and asks Mrs. de Winter about the body, the boat, and everything regarding the situation. Mrs. de Winter acts as if she has no idea what she's talking about and continues about her day.
Frank, Colonel Julyan, and Maxim return for lunch at around one. They talk at the table about fruits, and jams, and so forth. Then, finally, they get on the subject at the mystery at hand. It seems as though Colonel Julyan has no suspicions towards Mr. de Winter; however, Frank certainly does. Colonel Julyan informs Mr. de Winter that he is just going to have to deal with the media overturn of the story: "...what bothres me is the wretched publicity of the affair. So sad and unpleasant for you and your wife" (301). After lunch, they chat in the rose garden before Frank and Colonel Julyan depart.
Mr. and Mrs. de Winter chat in the rose garden about the day, in which Maxim says: "'I don't regret anything else. If it had to come all over again I should not do anything different'" (304). It seems as though Maxim has no regret towards what he did to Rebecca. Rebecca's murder reveals two crucial personality explications. Either Rebecca must have been a cold-hearted, brutal human being, or Maxim is just the same. I can't believe how Mrs. de Winter is handling this whole situation. She is acting as if nothing is wrong, rather, just the opposite, she is relieved! How would any down-to-earth human being be able to be relieved after they just found out that their spouse is a cold-blooded killer!!
Vocabulary:
blaspheme- speak about God or other sacred things.
The phone keeps ringing off the hook at the Manderley estate. First, Colonel Julyan has called to ask Maxim questions about the body, seeking answers as to who might have been on that boat, and if Mr. de Winter may have made an error in identifying the body. Then, as Mr. de Winter had feared, "it's begun" (291). A reporter from the Country Chronicles called to talk to Maxim about the dead body. As the de Winter family had feared, the press was getting word of what had happened.
--- time passes ---
The next morning, Maxim gets up extremely early and heads down to the beach for the boat to be exhumed from the water. Mrs. de Winters gets up as usual and starts her morning routine; however, she has a change in attitude. She tells Mrs. Danvers what she wants, as opposed to what Mrs. Danvers offers. When Mrs. Danvers detests, Mrs. de Winter says that she is now the new Mrs. de Winter and Rebecca is no longer alive! (You go, girl!) Mrs. Danvers is emotionally distraught and asks Mrs. de Winter about the body, the boat, and everything regarding the situation. Mrs. de Winter acts as if she has no idea what she's talking about and continues about her day.
Frank, Colonel Julyan, and Maxim return for lunch at around one. They talk at the table about fruits, and jams, and so forth. Then, finally, they get on the subject at the mystery at hand. It seems as though Colonel Julyan has no suspicions towards Mr. de Winter; however, Frank certainly does. Colonel Julyan informs Mr. de Winter that he is just going to have to deal with the media overturn of the story: "...what bothres me is the wretched publicity of the affair. So sad and unpleasant for you and your wife" (301). After lunch, they chat in the rose garden before Frank and Colonel Julyan depart.
Mr. and Mrs. de Winter chat in the rose garden about the day, in which Maxim says: "'I don't regret anything else. If it had to come all over again I should not do anything different'" (304). It seems as though Maxim has no regret towards what he did to Rebecca. Rebecca's murder reveals two crucial personality explications. Either Rebecca must have been a cold-hearted, brutal human being, or Maxim is just the same. I can't believe how Mrs. de Winter is handling this whole situation. She is acting as if nothing is wrong, rather, just the opposite, she is relieved! How would any down-to-earth human being be able to be relieved after they just found out that their spouse is a cold-blooded killer!!
Vocabulary:
blaspheme- speak about God or other sacred things.
"The lie we lived, she and I"
The truth. It is revealed. Maxim expresses what really happened between him and Rebecca. At first, he feels as though Mrs. de Winter will never forgive him for what he has done. He passionately kisses her and tells her that he loves her, something that she has yearned for all along. Then he describes he had killed her. He says that Rebecca was not the person that she had made herself out to be, rather quite the opposite. She was more of a villainous, even human-being who only told you what you wanted to hear. He said that if she had met Mrs. de Winter, she would walk hand in hand with her through the rose garden, but wouldn't truly mean all that she was saying.
Rebecca and Maxim had an agreement. Rebecca used Maxim for the title of being married. She promised him that she would "take care of his precious Mandelery" if he agreed to make it seem as though they had the perfect, fairy-tale marriage, which they didn't. Max repeatedly says that he never loved Rebecca, and actually quite hated her for what she did and who she was. This anger and rage left him with no other choice but to kill her. Rebecca was even so cruel that she tried to go after Frank, and get him to come to the cottage with her.
It is made very apparent that Rebecca was quite the Marilyn Monroe. She got together with Giles one afternoon while him and Beatrice were visiting. Beatrice knew of the affair and couldn't bare to stand Rebecca. She hated her.
Max de Winter reveals the truth behind the death, or murder, of Rebecca de Winter:
Rebecca and Maxim had an agreement. Rebecca used Maxim for the title of being married. She promised him that she would "take care of his precious Mandelery" if he agreed to make it seem as though they had the perfect, fairy-tale marriage, which they didn't. Max repeatedly says that he never loved Rebecca, and actually quite hated her for what she did and who she was. This anger and rage left him with no other choice but to kill her. Rebecca was even so cruel that she tried to go after Frank, and get him to come to the cottage with her.
It is made very apparent that Rebecca was quite the Marilyn Monroe. She got together with Giles one afternoon while him and Beatrice were visiting. Beatrice knew of the affair and couldn't bare to stand Rebecca. She hated her.
Max de Winter reveals the truth behind the death, or murder, of Rebecca de Winter:
- 10:30 PM: Max returns and sees her belongings at the estate. He believes that she is with a man at the cottage. He sees this as the perfect opportunity to go and straighten her out.
- Maxim entered the cottage and to his surprise, she was alone. He starts to confront her, but she threatens her and says that he will never be able to build a case against her, since everyone thought that they had 'the perfect marriage.'
- Rebecca threatens Maxim with a child. She says that he will need a heir to take over the estate.
- Rebecca cannot stop smiling at Maxim, because she has thought that she won.
- Maxim pulls the trigger, all while Rebecca is still smiling, and kills her. A shot right through the heart, which creates a messy, bloody death.
- Maxim cleans the blood up with salt water from the sea, drags her body out to the boat, and takes her out to the sea. Maxim sung the boat, and through the life preserver and other objects from the boat overboard to make it seem like it had been an accident.
- At approximately 11:30 PM, Maxim returns to the Mandelerly estate.
Rebecca was also having an affair with her cousin... Frank Favell.. Gag!
I'm blown away that Maxim murdered her. I knew that they couldn't have had the perfect marriage as everyone had thought, because any human being, no matter the circumstances wouldn't be able to get it over it that quickly. In addition, it seemed odd the secrets that were kept between the two, such as the cottage, the West Wing, and the cliff. They didn't have a perfect relationship, but in fact it was, "the lie we lived, she and I."
Vocabulary:
jib (285)- a triangular staysail set forward of the forwardmost mast.
"Rebecca has won."
Chapter nineteen starts off rather slow.. The fog has lifted, Mrs. de Winter is playing chase tag trying to find Mr. de Winter and so forth! Mrs. de Winter is suddenly overcome with sickness; however, which foreshadows the sickening events to follow in this chapter... THEN, the coast guard sends a diver down to investigate the ship. He dives down and checks the boat for a hole. Mrs. de Winter then decides that she needs to go home and have lunch.
When she arrives home, she is greeted by one of the servants and asked him to prepare her tea. He does just as she asks and then lets her to relax. Robert returns to Mrs. de Winter and says that the Captain was on the line and needed to talk to Mr. de Winter urgently. She says that she doesn't know how long until he will return home. The Captain asks if he can come to see Mrs. de Winter and talk to her. He does just that and reveals such riveting news about something they found: "'It was the little boat belonging to the late Mrs. de Winter" (266). W..w...what! Then, "'There was a body in there, lying on the cabin floor...'" (267). So, the reader, along with Mrs. de Winter just suspect that Rebecca had someone along with her when she drown. Maybe she was having an affair that Maxim didn't know about?
Maxim returns home and is informed by the Captain. After his briefing, he enters the morning room with Mrs. de Winter. She cozies up to him and appologies for everything that she had done to him. He acts as usually, as if nothing were amiss, and forgives here. However, strangely, he keeps saying that he can no longer love her. He says it as if he is foreshadowing a divorce. He strongly repeats that, "Rebecca has won" (268). What?
How has she won you ask? Well:
"The women buried in the crypt is not Rebecca. It's the body of some unknown women, unclaimed, belonging no where. There never was an accident. Rebecca was not drowned at all. I killed her" (270). Stop the madness!!!! He did what?!.... "I shot Rebecca in the cottage in the cove. I carried her body to the cabin, and took the boat out that night and sunk it there, where they found it to-day. It's Rebecca who's lying dead there on the cabin floor. Will you look into my eyes that tell me that you love me now?" (270). Wait, what!!!!! I knew there was some kind of murderous activity going on, but I would have never guessed he killed her! Precious Rebecca! Maybe she was using her beauty for no good and running around with other men? Even better! Her cousin!
Vocabulary:
derogatory (265)- showing a disrespectful attitude
When she arrives home, she is greeted by one of the servants and asked him to prepare her tea. He does just as she asks and then lets her to relax. Robert returns to Mrs. de Winter and says that the Captain was on the line and needed to talk to Mr. de Winter urgently. She says that she doesn't know how long until he will return home. The Captain asks if he can come to see Mrs. de Winter and talk to her. He does just that and reveals such riveting news about something they found: "'It was the little boat belonging to the late Mrs. de Winter" (266). W..w...what! Then, "'There was a body in there, lying on the cabin floor...'" (267). So, the reader, along with Mrs. de Winter just suspect that Rebecca had someone along with her when she drown. Maybe she was having an affair that Maxim didn't know about?
Maxim returns home and is informed by the Captain. After his briefing, he enters the morning room with Mrs. de Winter. She cozies up to him and appologies for everything that she had done to him. He acts as usually, as if nothing were amiss, and forgives here. However, strangely, he keeps saying that he can no longer love her. He says it as if he is foreshadowing a divorce. He strongly repeats that, "Rebecca has won" (268). What?
How has she won you ask? Well:
"The women buried in the crypt is not Rebecca. It's the body of some unknown women, unclaimed, belonging no where. There never was an accident. Rebecca was not drowned at all. I killed her" (270). Stop the madness!!!! He did what?!.... "I shot Rebecca in the cottage in the cove. I carried her body to the cabin, and took the boat out that night and sunk it there, where they found it to-day. It's Rebecca who's lying dead there on the cabin floor. Will you look into my eyes that tell me that you love me now?" (270). Wait, what!!!!! I knew there was some kind of murderous activity going on, but I would have never guessed he killed her! Precious Rebecca! Maybe she was using her beauty for no good and running around with other men? Even better! Her cousin!
Vocabulary:
derogatory (265)- showing a disrespectful attitude
"For I had no illusions left now, I no longer made any effort to pretend."
The chapter opens with Mrs. de Winter waking up late in the morning. She hadn't gone to bed until seven in the morning, as she was up late with the ball. She realizes that Maxim never came to bed the night before which destroys her. She recalls the night, and suffers agonizing mental pain from all that had happened the night before. She reflects on her relationship with Maxim, and starts to believe that all that everyone else was saying about her was true: Maxim didn't really love her. She realizes that she inevitably cannot ever replace what Rebecca once was, which destroys her. She finds a letter from Beatrice under the door, saying that they had left and to wish only the best to Maxim. She goes down to breakfast and finds that Maxim isn't home. She cannot find him, even after asking Robert. Thus, she makes a call to Frank, asking if Maxim is with him, or if he has saw him. Mrs. de Winter looses control and lets her emotions overturn the conversation with him, saying that Max has never really loved her, rather only Rebecca.
"She was not dead, like Rebecca. I could speak to her, but I could not speak to Rebecca" (244).
Mrs. de Winter goes outside an observes her surroundings. A thick fog (possibly foreshadowing something not so great) starts to overcome the property. Through the fog, she sees Mrs. Danvers in the West Wing watching her. She decides that she is going to go up and confront her and so she does. When she walks in, she sees that Mrs. Danvers has been crying, and asks her why. Mrs. Danvers explains how she is so angered that Mrs. de Winter thinks it's okay for her to come and take Rebecca place. Mrs. de Winter rebuts by saying that she has left everything the way it was when Rebecca was alive, and has done nothing to change. She also says that Rebecca comes back and haunts Mr. de Winter for finding someone ten short months after she had passed!
Mrs. Danvers and Mrs. de Winter continue to argue about Rebecca and their feelings toward her. Finally, Mrs. Davers grabs Mrs. de Winter and pushes her over to the window. She grabs her hand with a firm grip, and pushes her head out the window. She threatens Mrs. de Winter to the fullest extent and tells her "There's not much for you to live for, is there? Why don't you just jump and have it over with?" (250). In the emotional state that Mrs. de Winter is in, she it seems as though she considers jumping. Until, in the moment, a ship has come on shore and rockets go off, shaking the entire house, bring Mrs. Danvers and Mrs. de Winter back to their senses.
I'm shocked at the fact that Mrs. Danvers threatened her as she did. I can understand hating someone for replacing a significant person in their life; however, I can't see wanting them to kill themselves over it. Well, actually, suicide in all cases is wrong, no matter the case. It seems as though Mrs. Danvers has an abundance of anger and isn't afraid to use it at this point. Will she let her anger get the best of her and make an irrational move against someone else? She burns down the Manderley estate.
Vocabulary:
ominous (241)- giving the impression that something bad is going to happen
"She was not dead, like Rebecca. I could speak to her, but I could not speak to Rebecca" (244).
Mrs. de Winter goes outside an observes her surroundings. A thick fog (possibly foreshadowing something not so great) starts to overcome the property. Through the fog, she sees Mrs. Danvers in the West Wing watching her. She decides that she is going to go up and confront her and so she does. When she walks in, she sees that Mrs. Danvers has been crying, and asks her why. Mrs. Danvers explains how she is so angered that Mrs. de Winter thinks it's okay for her to come and take Rebecca place. Mrs. de Winter rebuts by saying that she has left everything the way it was when Rebecca was alive, and has done nothing to change. She also says that Rebecca comes back and haunts Mr. de Winter for finding someone ten short months after she had passed!
Mrs. Danvers and Mrs. de Winter continue to argue about Rebecca and their feelings toward her. Finally, Mrs. Davers grabs Mrs. de Winter and pushes her over to the window. She grabs her hand with a firm grip, and pushes her head out the window. She threatens Mrs. de Winter to the fullest extent and tells her "There's not much for you to live for, is there? Why don't you just jump and have it over with?" (250). In the emotional state that Mrs. de Winter is in, she it seems as though she considers jumping. Until, in the moment, a ship has come on shore and rockets go off, shaking the entire house, bring Mrs. Danvers and Mrs. de Winter back to their senses.
I'm shocked at the fact that Mrs. Danvers threatened her as she did. I can understand hating someone for replacing a significant person in their life; however, I can't see wanting them to kill themselves over it. Well, actually, suicide in all cases is wrong, no matter the case. It seems as though Mrs. Danvers has an abundance of anger and isn't afraid to use it at this point. Will she let her anger get the best of her and make an irrational move against someone else? She burns down the Manderley estate.
Vocabulary:
ominous (241)- giving the impression that something bad is going to happen
Sunday, May 18, 2014
"I ought to have known."
Mrs. de Winter returns to her room in complete disgust. Clarice is waiting for her, more of an emotional train wreck than Mrs. de Winter is. Mrs. de Winter rips the dress from her body and sits there in shame. Beatrice comes to the room and tries to rationalize the situation. She gives insight as to why the reaction was so horrid: "'It was what Rebecca did at the last fancy dress ball at Manderely Identical...You stood there on the stairs and for one ghastly moment I thought...'" (220). Mrs. de Winter is so distraught over the entire affair that she feels she cannot possibly go back down to the ball. She tells Beatrice to make up an excuse for her, to say that she has a sudden headache and will be down later.
Mrs. de Winters goes over to the window to look out on the rose garden. She overhears some of the guests talking...about her. Most of them were saying some incredibly insulting things, "Why that there's nothing wrong with her at all, they've had a colossal row, and she won't appear'" (224). "'What I mean is, people don't suddenly for no reason have violent headaches. I call the whole thing jolly fish!" (224). Mrs. de Winter was upset, but decided that she needed to get in her gown and go down to the event.
After Mrs. de Winter arrives at the party, it is as if she is not welcome. She compares her relationship with Maxim like two actresses: "We were like two performers in a play, but we were dived, we were not acting with one another" (229) Mrs. de Winter stood around all night as if she was in a coma. She hardly interacted with anyone, and looked like death all night long. Finally, the party concluded and Beatrice sent Mrs. de Winter up to bed to get some rest. Mrs. de Winter lied there, waiting for Maxim to come to bed, though he never came.
It seems as though the party was a success for everyone but Mrs. de Winter, who was the most excited for the party of all. This chapter shows the power of betrayal and the affects it can have on someone. Making a personal connection to this chapter, this past week the power of betrayal affected myself as well as my friends. It destroys one inside, and I can relate to how Mrs. de Winter felt when she was described as "looking like death." One feels as though there is no one else to blame but oneself, and in some cases that may be true, but in other cases it may be the fault of the person who created the atmosphere of trust, who created the atmosphere of friendship (like Mrs. Danvers), when in reality, all they wanted to do was look for out to get one in trouble and to destruct strong relationships that one has built. </end rant>
Vocabulary:
draught (226)- British spelling of draft.
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Mrs. de Winters goes over to the window to look out on the rose garden. She overhears some of the guests talking...about her. Most of them were saying some incredibly insulting things, "Why that there's nothing wrong with her at all, they've had a colossal row, and she won't appear'" (224). "'What I mean is, people don't suddenly for no reason have violent headaches. I call the whole thing jolly fish!" (224). Mrs. de Winter was upset, but decided that she needed to get in her gown and go down to the event.
After Mrs. de Winter arrives at the party, it is as if she is not welcome. She compares her relationship with Maxim like two actresses: "We were like two performers in a play, but we were dived, we were not acting with one another" (229) Mrs. de Winter stood around all night as if she was in a coma. She hardly interacted with anyone, and looked like death all night long. Finally, the party concluded and Beatrice sent Mrs. de Winter up to bed to get some rest. Mrs. de Winter lied there, waiting for Maxim to come to bed, though he never came.
It seems as though the party was a success for everyone but Mrs. de Winter, who was the most excited for the party of all. This chapter shows the power of betrayal and the affects it can have on someone. Making a personal connection to this chapter, this past week the power of betrayal affected myself as well as my friends. It destroys one inside, and I can relate to how Mrs. de Winter felt when she was described as "looking like death." One feels as though there is no one else to blame but oneself, and in some cases that may be true, but in other cases it may be the fault of the person who created the atmosphere of trust, who created the atmosphere of friendship (like Mrs. Danvers), when in reality, all they wanted to do was look for out to get one in trouble and to destruct strong relationships that one has built. </end rant>
Vocabulary:
draught (226)- British spelling of draft.
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
"After all, Mrs. de Winter, you are a bride."
It's a Sunday afternoon and Mrs. de Winter, her husband, and Frank are out in the lawn when all of a sudden their afternoon is overtaken by visitors. The visitors, Lady Crowan being one of them, sat for tea time with the de Winters and Frank. Lady Crowan pressed Maxim about having another fancy ball at the Manderely estate. Eventually, they all agreed with Lady Crowan that a ball at the Manderely estate to honor the newly wedded bride, Mrs. de Winter was a necessary gesture. Input: I'm not sure why the ball is such a big deal. It comes coming up in the book. There must be a big significance to it. Maybe something happens at the ball?
Party preparations began full force, and the question of what Mrs. de Winter came into play. Lady Crowan suggested that she would wear a Dresden shepherdess; however, she thinks that this suggestion is quite hysterical. She decides that she is going to blow Maxim and Frank out of the water with what she wears, but she will not show them her outfit until the day of. She decides that the only person she is going to tell is Clarice, who is absolutely thrilled at such a descion. Mrs. Danvers comes into Mrs. de Winter's bathroom to tell her that she found drawings in her garbage and was asking her for approval to dispose of them. They reconnect, somewhat, which makes Mrs. de Winter feel a little uneasy. She starts to think about Favell again. She can't figure out why Maxim doesn't like him and can only rationalize the feelings by thinking, "...he must be the skeleton in the family cupboard..." (203).
At dinner, Mrs. de Winter is still imaging that she is in Rebecca's body and is trying to interpret the relationship she had with Favell. Unknowingly, she acts out a conversation that might have occurred between Maxim and her when Favell called. Maxim breaks Mrs. de Winter from this trans and asks her what she was thinking about. They start interrogating each other, until finally Mr. de Winter says, ""'There is a certain type of knowledge I prefer you not to have. It's better kept under lock and key.'" (205). Such a powerful foreshadowing quote! What knowledge is Mr. de Winter referring to? The secret truth about how Rebecca died? Yes. Did she not drown? Did she have an affair? Yeah, with her cousin. Gag. How does Favell fit in the picture? He's her cousin. Who also had an affair with her. Gag. Gag. Gag.
The remainder of the chapter is dedicated to the preparation for the party. Beatrice and Giles arrive and are discussion their outfits: Giles is coming as an Arabian sheik. Mrs. de Winter is so excited about her dress. She finally feels like she can impress the people who mean the most to her. She finally feels comfortable and happy in her body. Mrs. de Winter prepares herself with Clarice and she makes a grand entrance to Maxim, Beatrice, and the others; however, she doesn't get the expression she's looking for. Maxim is absolutely furious, and Beatrice is covering her mouth. Mrs. Danvers has set her up. Maxim is so mad that he screams at her and sends her to change. She passes Mrs. Danvers and says, "I shall never forget the expression on her face, loathsome, triumphant. The face of an exulting devil. She stood there, smiling at me" (218).
Who is Caroline de Winter? Max's great-great grandmother. Obviously she affected the de Winter children enough for them to be both overcome with such emotions. It's such a shame that Mrs. de Winter keeps getting set up by Mrs. Danvers. She truly is a devil! She needs to let go of Rebecca, she's dead for God's sake!
Vocabulary:
unobtrusively (195)- in an unobtrusive manor
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Party preparations began full force, and the question of what Mrs. de Winter came into play. Lady Crowan suggested that she would wear a Dresden shepherdess; however, she thinks that this suggestion is quite hysterical. She decides that she is going to blow Maxim and Frank out of the water with what she wears, but she will not show them her outfit until the day of. She decides that the only person she is going to tell is Clarice, who is absolutely thrilled at such a descion. Mrs. Danvers comes into Mrs. de Winter's bathroom to tell her that she found drawings in her garbage and was asking her for approval to dispose of them. They reconnect, somewhat, which makes Mrs. de Winter feel a little uneasy. She starts to think about Favell again. She can't figure out why Maxim doesn't like him and can only rationalize the feelings by thinking, "...he must be the skeleton in the family cupboard..." (203).
At dinner, Mrs. de Winter is still imaging that she is in Rebecca's body and is trying to interpret the relationship she had with Favell. Unknowingly, she acts out a conversation that might have occurred between Maxim and her when Favell called. Maxim breaks Mrs. de Winter from this trans and asks her what she was thinking about. They start interrogating each other, until finally Mr. de Winter says, ""'There is a certain type of knowledge I prefer you not to have. It's better kept under lock and key.'" (205). Such a powerful foreshadowing quote! What knowledge is Mr. de Winter referring to? The secret truth about how Rebecca died? Yes. Did she not drown? Did she have an affair? Yeah, with her cousin. Gag. How does Favell fit in the picture? He's her cousin. Who also had an affair with her. Gag. Gag. Gag.
The remainder of the chapter is dedicated to the preparation for the party. Beatrice and Giles arrive and are discussion their outfits: Giles is coming as an Arabian sheik. Mrs. de Winter is so excited about her dress. She finally feels like she can impress the people who mean the most to her. She finally feels comfortable and happy in her body. Mrs. de Winter prepares herself with Clarice and she makes a grand entrance to Maxim, Beatrice, and the others; however, she doesn't get the expression she's looking for. Maxim is absolutely furious, and Beatrice is covering her mouth. Mrs. Danvers has set her up. Maxim is so mad that he screams at her and sends her to change. She passes Mrs. Danvers and says, "I shall never forget the expression on her face, loathsome, triumphant. The face of an exulting devil. She stood there, smiling at me" (218).
Who is Caroline de Winter? Max's great-great grandmother. Obviously she affected the de Winter children enough for them to be both overcome with such emotions. It's such a shame that Mrs. de Winter keeps getting set up by Mrs. Danvers. She truly is a devil! She needs to let go of Rebecca, she's dead for God's sake!
Vocabulary:
unobtrusively (195)- in an unobtrusive manor
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
"The sense of freedom had departed, and the childish desire to run across the lawns in sand-shoes."
The chapter starts with Mrs. de Winter getting word that Maxim will be returning that evening at seven. He doesn't want to talk to her, and has just left a message with Robert. This seems to hurt her. Beatrice calls her and asks if she wants to come along with her to go and meet the grandmother. Mrs de Winter is delighted that she has asked her and agrees. Until the time she comes to pick her up, Mrs. de Winter sits outside thinking about what had happened the day before with Mrs. Danvers. She feels as though she is in a childhood game called "Grandmother's Steps" with her.
Beatrice arrives and the two depart. She comments on her color, saying she doesn't look well. She is curious as to if Mrs. de Winter is expecting, and probes her with questions, ensuring she isn't doing anything to prevent having a child. I hope she has a child! That will just put a twist on everything! Mrs. de Winter tells Beatrice about Favell. Beatrice reveals that it was Rebecca's cousin. She also says that she didn't hang around much when Rebecca was there because, "her manner was abrupt" (182). Plot twist! Maybe Beatrice really didn't like Rebecca and sincerely actually likes the new Mrs. de Winter.
They meet Maxim's grandmother and talk to her for a long while. They talk about Beatrice's wedding gift, Mrs. de Winter's talent in art and so forth. Grandmother is quite a piece of work. She is very demanding and wants thing done her way, on her time. I love people like her. All of a sudden, Gran goes into a complete state of confusing and starts demanding answers: "'Why did Maxim not being Rebecca? I'm so found of Rebecca. Where is dear Rebecca?'" (188). The nurse urged the women to leave at once. They did so and began their drive back to the estate in silence.
Beatrice apologised over and over. When they arrived at the gate, she asked if Mrs. de Winter could walk the drive, as she wanted to leave to go meet Giles. Mrs. de Winter couldn't help but to think about Gran as a young girl her whole way walking home. She arrive home to see Maxim had arrived. She overheard a conversation on the phone with Mrs. Danvers, in which Maxim was not happy about her have Favell at the estate the day previous. She entered and caught up with Max. He did not mention anything about Favell or Mrs. Danvers to her.
Vocabulary:
Charades (181)- an absurd pretense intended to create a pleasant or respectable appearance.
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Saturday, May 17, 2014
"She lay buried in the crypt of the church with all the other dead de Winters"
Mrs. de Winter journeys to the West Wing of the Manderely estate. She is surprised to find that room in which Mr. de Winter and Rebecca use to stay was all in tact. There were no cloths covering the furniture anymore. Mrs. de Winter opens the shutter to let some day light in and starts to explore the room. She takes notice to the bed, as well as Rebecca's night gown and slippers, which were embroidered with "R de W."
All of a sudden, Mrs. Danvers enters the room. Mrs. de Winter tries to make the excuse that she came to close the shutter, but Mrs. Danvers rebuts and tells her that she knew she was there to see the room, but was just too shy to ask. Quite sporadically, she starts to drag Mrs. de Winter around the room showing her all that it has to offer. She shows her the blanket that she has on her bed, the clothing in the closet, and even her underwear.
Mrs. Danvers reveals that she feels as though she is responsible for Rebecca's death. She was away the night that Rebecca went out to sea. She feels as though if she were home, she would have told Rebecca that the waves were too rough and she wouldn't have gone.
The story of Rebecca's death:
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
All of a sudden, Mrs. Danvers enters the room. Mrs. de Winter tries to make the excuse that she came to close the shutter, but Mrs. Danvers rebuts and tells her that she knew she was there to see the room, but was just too shy to ask. Quite sporadically, she starts to drag Mrs. de Winter around the room showing her all that it has to offer. She shows her the blanket that she has on her bed, the clothing in the closet, and even her underwear.
Mrs. Danvers reveals that she feels as though she is responsible for Rebecca's death. She was away the night that Rebecca went out to sea. She feels as though if she were home, she would have told Rebecca that the waves were too rough and she wouldn't have gone.
The story of Rebecca's death:
- Rebecca returns from London around seven and then left again to head down to the beach.
- Mrs. Danvers felt worried around midnight that Rebecca had not come home yet so she went and found Mr. de Winters. He isn't concerned and says that she is probably staying down at the cottage.
- Mrs. Danvers can't sleep all night and finally at 5:30 am decides that she is going to the beach.
- She saw one of the life buoys floating up on the shore. The next day, another one floated up at Kerrith.
- Mr. de Winter, who was sick at the time, had to go identify Rebecca's body, two months later, in Edgecoombe.
The reader also discovers why Mr. de Winter prepared the East Wing for the couple to stay in: the sound of the waves haunt him. Mrs. Danvers tells Mrs. de Winter if she ever wants to see the West Wing again, she should just alert her. Mrs. de Winter is so upset and disturbed by her experience, she skips tea time and locks herself in her room to lye on her bed.
Vocabulary:
malevolent (176) - harmful or evil
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
"Any place seemed damp and sinister when it had been uninhabited for a certain time."
Mr. de Winter is traveling to London. Mrs. de Winter cannot help but think what would happen if he were to get in a serious car accident. In fact, she plays the whole situation, up until the funeral out in her head. This causes her to be physically ill until she gets word from Robert that the porter has called and informed him that Mr. de Winter has indeed arrived safely. So much death foreshadowing!
Mrs. de Winter decides that she is going to take Jasper for a walk. They go to Happy Valley, but it isn't quite as beautiful as it once was, as the flowers are beginning to wilt and die. Jasper scurries along the path to the beach where Rebecca's cabin is located, and Mrs. de Winter follows as if she is annoyed. When they arrive at the cabin, she notices that the door is slightly cracked. Jasper goes wild and starts barking at someone who is hiding in the back corner. It's Ben. Mrs. de Winter instructs him to leave and to not take things that are not his, as it is not honest!
Ben says to Mrs. de Winter that she is not like the other one. ...here we go again... But then! Then! He tells her that he once was peeking in the windows of the cottage and a women who he described as, "tall and dark" "She gave you the feeling of a snake" (157) told him that he shall not do that anymore, or she shall put him in the insane asylum. She made him promise to say that he never saw this women there!
When Mrs. de Winter returns to the estate, she notices a red sports car parked behind the flowers, as if it was there so no one would see it. She saw that the shutters had been open in a room on the West Wing, and a man stood in the window. When the man saw Mrs. de Winter, he quickly retracted and Mrs. Danvers shut the curtains. Mrs. de Winter scurried inside and was hiding in the morning room. She thought she was in the clear, only until the man, Favell, walks in and finds her. He is very flirtatious with her and very suspicious. He makes Mrs. de Winter feel extremely uncomfortable. He refers to Mr. de Winter as "Max," something Mrs. de Winter things is inordinate. Before he departs, he asks for Mrs. de Winter not to say anything to Maxim. Both Robert and Frith were out on business and the maids were working in their rooms. Mrs. de Winter suspects that Mrs. Danvers is up to something, possibly thievery, and decides she's going to investigate the West Wing on her own!
My interpretation of Farvell is a little different than Mrs. de Winters. I think her may have had some type of relationship with Rebecca, thus, causing tension between him and Mr. de Winter. However, I'm not quite sure how Rebecca fits into the whole picture? Rebecca and Favell were incest cousins. Since Mrs. Danvers loved Rebecca so much, maybe she was an accomplice in getting him into the house at the perfect time! Just speculation, of course!
Vocabulary:
barmaid (164)- a bartender
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Characterization
Mrs. de Winter decides that she is going to take Jasper for a walk. They go to Happy Valley, but it isn't quite as beautiful as it once was, as the flowers are beginning to wilt and die. Jasper scurries along the path to the beach where Rebecca's cabin is located, and Mrs. de Winter follows as if she is annoyed. When they arrive at the cabin, she notices that the door is slightly cracked. Jasper goes wild and starts barking at someone who is hiding in the back corner. It's Ben. Mrs. de Winter instructs him to leave and to not take things that are not his, as it is not honest!
Ben says to Mrs. de Winter that she is not like the other one. ...here we go again... But then! Then! He tells her that he once was peeking in the windows of the cottage and a women who he described as, "tall and dark" "She gave you the feeling of a snake" (157) told him that he shall not do that anymore, or she shall put him in the insane asylum. She made him promise to say that he never saw this women there!
When Mrs. de Winter returns to the estate, she notices a red sports car parked behind the flowers, as if it was there so no one would see it. She saw that the shutters had been open in a room on the West Wing, and a man stood in the window. When the man saw Mrs. de Winter, he quickly retracted and Mrs. Danvers shut the curtains. Mrs. de Winter scurried inside and was hiding in the morning room. She thought she was in the clear, only until the man, Favell, walks in and finds her. He is very flirtatious with her and very suspicious. He makes Mrs. de Winter feel extremely uncomfortable. He refers to Mr. de Winter as "Max," something Mrs. de Winter things is inordinate. Before he departs, he asks for Mrs. de Winter not to say anything to Maxim. Both Robert and Frith were out on business and the maids were working in their rooms. Mrs. de Winter suspects that Mrs. Danvers is up to something, possibly thievery, and decides she's going to investigate the West Wing on her own!
My interpretation of Farvell is a little different than Mrs. de Winters. I think her may have had some type of relationship with Rebecca, thus, causing tension between him and Mr. de Winter. However, I'm not quite sure how Rebecca fits into the whole picture? Rebecca and Favell were incest cousins. Since Mrs. Danvers loved Rebecca so much, maybe she was an accomplice in getting him into the house at the perfect time! Just speculation, of course!
Vocabulary:
barmaid (164)- a bartender
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Characterization
"I knew it was not just me personally she hated, but what I represented."
This chapter begins a little different than the rest.. We talk about Mrs. de Winter's...undergarments... and how the different maids treated them. She was assigned a new maid, Clarice, who she felt extremely comfortable around since she was level-headed with her. She accepted, and praised, her for who she was and anyone but. Alice, on the other hand, judged her clothing, the way she dressed, and so forth. Mrs. de Winter goes on a rant about how she feels bad for Mrs. Danvers because she took Rebecca's place and she knows how hard that must be for her...different.
Mrs. de Winter is trying her hardest to be her on person and to avoid doing the same things with things that Rebecca had once done, but it seems as though the house servants are always standing in the way. Every time she tries to do something, or put something somewhere, they inform her where Rebecca would put it.
Beatrice sent their wedding gift, which was a four volume set of A History of Painting. She liked the idea of the books and was appreciative that Beatrice went to London for them. Beatrice even signed the card, "Love from Beatrice" (141). She must really like Mrs. de Winter after all!
Janitor drama! (Hello, THS!) Frith informs Mrs. de Winter that Mrs. Danvers has accused Robert of breaking of the expensive china pieces in the morning room. It turned out that Mrs. de Winter had actually done the crime, had put the pieces into an envelope, and stuck it in the back of her desk drawer! Maxim didn't like the fact that she did this; thus, he made her confess in front of the maids. He also doesn't like that she is afraid of them, as he feels she should be above them. This part in the book shows the modest of Mrs. de Winter. She doesn't treat them as though they are her servants, because she knows what it's like to be a servant from her experience with Mrs. Van Hopper.
Mrs. de Winter says something that causes Maxim to become "dark and queer" (147). She said to him that the only reason he had married her was because "you know I was dull and quiet and inexperience, that there would be never any gossip on me" (147). This triggers a major uproar from Mr. de Winter. He questions her about what she has heard, what she was talking about, etc. It seems as though she has really hit a nerve! What could Mr. de Winter be hiding that he is afraid his wife has heard about? Really nothing too shocking.. Just that he shot her in the heart, cleaned up all the blood with water from ocean, drug her body to her boat, sunk the boat, and left her there as fish food for ten months. Or, is it just the idea that he's afraid someone has gossiped about Rebecca, who he is still so protective over? Not quite.
Vocabulary:
gauche (150)- lacking grace or tactics in social circumstances
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Characterization
Mrs. de Winter is trying her hardest to be her on person and to avoid doing the same things with things that Rebecca had once done, but it seems as though the house servants are always standing in the way. Every time she tries to do something, or put something somewhere, they inform her where Rebecca would put it.
Beatrice sent their wedding gift, which was a four volume set of A History of Painting. She liked the idea of the books and was appreciative that Beatrice went to London for them. Beatrice even signed the card, "Love from Beatrice" (141). She must really like Mrs. de Winter after all!
Janitor drama! (Hello, THS!) Frith informs Mrs. de Winter that Mrs. Danvers has accused Robert of breaking of the expensive china pieces in the morning room. It turned out that Mrs. de Winter had actually done the crime, had put the pieces into an envelope, and stuck it in the back of her desk drawer! Maxim didn't like the fact that she did this; thus, he made her confess in front of the maids. He also doesn't like that she is afraid of them, as he feels she should be above them. This part in the book shows the modest of Mrs. de Winter. She doesn't treat them as though they are her servants, because she knows what it's like to be a servant from her experience with Mrs. Van Hopper.
Mrs. de Winter says something that causes Maxim to become "dark and queer" (147). She said to him that the only reason he had married her was because "you know I was dull and quiet and inexperience, that there would be never any gossip on me" (147). This triggers a major uproar from Mr. de Winter. He questions her about what she has heard, what she was talking about, etc. It seems as though she has really hit a nerve! What could Mr. de Winter be hiding that he is afraid his wife has heard about? Really nothing too shocking.. Just that he shot her in the heart, cleaned up all the blood with water from ocean, drug her body to her boat, sunk the boat, and left her there as fish food for ten months. Or, is it just the idea that he's afraid someone has gossiped about Rebecca, who he is still so protective over? Not quite.
Vocabulary:
gauche (150)- lacking grace or tactics in social circumstances
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Characterization
"I had opened up a road into the past again."
Time has passed from the end of chapter 10 to the beginning of chapter 11. Mrs. de Winter expresses her mental pain and anguish that the episode on the beach and at the cottage has caused her. She gets exceptionally anxious whenever someone brings up anything regarding the beach, as she fears that it will resurrect memories for Maxim that are hard for him to deal with. It seems as though her biggest fear is getting into another feud with Maxim, and loosing him. The fact that he said they should have stayed in Italy is burning inside of her. At the same time, Mrs. de Winter is also curious as to why the cottage and the beach are so sacred to Maxim. ..So am I!
The critiques that people have been giving Mrs. de Winter are starting to play a role in her psychological well-being. When giving tours, she is starting to act as if she were Rebecca, talking as if she were walking in her shoes. Beatrice's comment, "'She's so different to Rebecca'" (124) has affected Mrs. de Winter the most. Mrs. de Winter was making calls and went to see the bishop; however, he was not home. A lady was. The lady, who we find out is the bishops wife, presses for information regarding the Manderely parties. Mrs. de Winter says that she doesn't know just yet if they will continue the royal parties.The bishop's wife recalls a party in the rose garden, as well which occurred last summer.
Then they get on to the subject of Rebecca. Up until this point, Mrs. de Winter has not said her name aloud. She has read it in many different stances; in the book of poems Maxim lent her, on the handkerchief, and on the desk in the morning room. Both women give props to Rebecca for her pure beauty, as well as her talents in arranging everything around the Manderely estate. (It seems as though Mrs. de Winter isn't being quite as sincere.) On the drive home, Mrs. de Winter thought about the Manderley ball. She thought about the extravagance within it, as well as Rebecca's crucial role.
Mrs. de Winter is starting to become annoyed and reluctant to meet people that are constantly going to critique her and compare her to a dead women [Rebecca]. Finally, she gets it! When Mrs. de Winter arrives home at the estate, she sees Frank Crawly and we learn a BOAT load of information (pun intended!)
Vocabulary:
gaucherie (123)- social awkardness
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Characterization
The critiques that people have been giving Mrs. de Winter are starting to play a role in her psychological well-being. When giving tours, she is starting to act as if she were Rebecca, talking as if she were walking in her shoes. Beatrice's comment, "'She's so different to Rebecca'" (124) has affected Mrs. de Winter the most. Mrs. de Winter was making calls and went to see the bishop; however, he was not home. A lady was. The lady, who we find out is the bishops wife, presses for information regarding the Manderely parties. Mrs. de Winter says that she doesn't know just yet if they will continue the royal parties.The bishop's wife recalls a party in the rose garden, as well which occurred last summer.
Then they get on to the subject of Rebecca. Up until this point, Mrs. de Winter has not said her name aloud. She has read it in many different stances; in the book of poems Maxim lent her, on the handkerchief, and on the desk in the morning room. Both women give props to Rebecca for her pure beauty, as well as her talents in arranging everything around the Manderely estate. (It seems as though Mrs. de Winter isn't being quite as sincere.) On the drive home, Mrs. de Winter thought about the Manderley ball. She thought about the extravagance within it, as well as Rebecca's crucial role.
Mrs. de Winter is starting to become annoyed and reluctant to meet people that are constantly going to critique her and compare her to a dead women [Rebecca]. Finally, she gets it! When Mrs. de Winter arrives home at the estate, she sees Frank Crawly and we learn a BOAT load of information (pun intended!)
- The cottage was full of Rebecca's belongings.
- Rebecca used the cottage very frequently; she used it for moonlight picnics.
- The buoy was in the harbor for her boat. The boat that she took out to sea that capsized and killed her.
- Rebecca died from the capsizing of her boat. She drowned trying to swim to shore. Her remains washed up on shore in Edgecoombe.
Frank and Mrs. de Winter continue their walk up the driveway. Mrs. de Winter realizes that she has made Frank feel uncomfortable and in an effort to express her questioning, she reveals her true feelings about her marriage between her and Maxim. Frank reassures her and convinces her that all will be well between the two, if she leaves the past in the past.
Mrs. de Winter ends the chapter by asking a simple question, a truthful one: "'tell me, was Rebecca very beautiful?'" (137). To which Frank replies, "'yes, I suppose she was the most beautiful creature I ever saw in my life.'" (137).
We've cleared up some thick air in terms of cabin. I still feel as though Rebecca's death is suspicious though, and it seems that Frank alluded to some suspicion. Yup! Mrs. Danvers and the other servants know where everyone is at any given moment, I suspect they all knew where Rebecca was when she died! They actually didn't. No one knew, and that's how Maxim got away with murder.
Vocabulary:
gaucherie (123)- social awkardness
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Characterization
"This at last was the core of Manderley, the Manderley I would know and learn to love."
After Beatrice and her husband depart, Maxim is eager to take Mrs. de Winter on a walk with him. The approaching rain storm doesn't stand in the way, as he instructs Robert to go and find her a raincoat. With Jasper, they scurry across the lawn into the woods. On their walk, Mrs. de Winter self-consciously asks Maxim about her hair, and other insults Beatrice made against her. Maxim replies earnestly with, "'Beatrice can sometimes be infernally unintelligent'"(109). The couple then arrives at what Max calls "Happy Valley." Happy Valley is a beautiful, nature filled valley that is covered with magnificent flowers.
Happy Valley opens Mrs. de Winter up. She finally feels welcome and in place: "There I was an interloper, wandering in rooms that did not know me, sitting at desk and in a chair that was not mine [at the estate]. Here [Happy Valley] it was different. The Happy Valley had no trespassers" (111). All while Mrs. de Winter is day dreaming, they continue walking until they reach the beach. As they arrive at the beach, Maxim notices that Jasper has run away. Mrs. de Winter hears him and goes after him, but Maxim screams for her not to go. Why does he not want her to continue on? Is there something he's hiding beyond the beach? Perhaps a body?
Mrs. de Winter finds Jasper with a man who had "the small slit eyes of an idiot, and the red wet mouth" (113). Jasper keeps running from her, so she asks the man for a piece of rope. He seems to be illiterate, so she rushes into cottage on the beach in hopes of finding a piece. She notes how particular the cottage is, how orderly, and how untouched it seems to be. She finds a piece of rope and exits the cottage to find the man watching her closely. He says, "'She's gone in the sea, ain't she?' 'she won't come back no more" (115). I wonder who she is? Rebecca?
After she meets back up with Maxim, they get in a heated discussion about the cottage. Maxim isn't happy that the door is open in the first place, or the fact that Mrs. de Winter entered the cottage. It must have something to do with memories from his past: Rebecca! In fact, he says, "I will never go near that bloody place [the second beach] or that God-damned cottage" (118). Is this possibly the place that Rebecca died? On their way back, they come out on a path that Jasper wanted to originally take, as it was routine to him. Maxim wanted to avoid it.
As they return to the house, Maxim demands tea time. Frith helps Mrs. de Winter take off her rain coat, when he notices that she has dropped her hanker chief. She picks it up and shoves it in her pocket. It is not until later when she is cleaning her fingers that she realizes it is Rebecca's. It has her lipstick stain on it, and has kept the last scent: "And then I knew that the vanished scent upon the handkerchief was the same as the crushed white petals of the azaleas in the Happy Valley" (121).
It's apparent that Happy Valley played a huge role in Rebecca's life. Perhaps she and Jasper would go on walks, daily, to the cottage and spend time there? Kind of, she was killed there. Well, sort of. Right outside of Happy Valley. Or, perhaps the cottage is somewhere that her and Maxim would escape the busy lifestyle of Manderely, and the memories he made there haunt him to return? No, he just shot her there, so I'm sure the cottage haunted him.
Vocabulary:
rivulet (111)- a small stream
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Characterization
Happy Valley opens Mrs. de Winter up. She finally feels welcome and in place: "There I was an interloper, wandering in rooms that did not know me, sitting at desk and in a chair that was not mine [at the estate]. Here [Happy Valley] it was different. The Happy Valley had no trespassers" (111). All while Mrs. de Winter is day dreaming, they continue walking until they reach the beach. As they arrive at the beach, Maxim notices that Jasper has run away. Mrs. de Winter hears him and goes after him, but Maxim screams for her not to go. Why does he not want her to continue on? Is there something he's hiding beyond the beach? Perhaps a body?
Mrs. de Winter finds Jasper with a man who had "the small slit eyes of an idiot, and the red wet mouth" (113). Jasper keeps running from her, so she asks the man for a piece of rope. He seems to be illiterate, so she rushes into cottage on the beach in hopes of finding a piece. She notes how particular the cottage is, how orderly, and how untouched it seems to be. She finds a piece of rope and exits the cottage to find the man watching her closely. He says, "'She's gone in the sea, ain't she?' 'she won't come back no more" (115). I wonder who she is? Rebecca?
After she meets back up with Maxim, they get in a heated discussion about the cottage. Maxim isn't happy that the door is open in the first place, or the fact that Mrs. de Winter entered the cottage. It must have something to do with memories from his past: Rebecca! In fact, he says, "I will never go near that bloody place [the second beach] or that God-damned cottage" (118). Is this possibly the place that Rebecca died? On their way back, they come out on a path that Jasper wanted to originally take, as it was routine to him. Maxim wanted to avoid it.
As they return to the house, Maxim demands tea time. Frith helps Mrs. de Winter take off her rain coat, when he notices that she has dropped her hanker chief. She picks it up and shoves it in her pocket. It is not until later when she is cleaning her fingers that she realizes it is Rebecca's. It has her lipstick stain on it, and has kept the last scent: "And then I knew that the vanished scent upon the handkerchief was the same as the crushed white petals of the azaleas in the Happy Valley" (121).
It's apparent that Happy Valley played a huge role in Rebecca's life. Perhaps she and Jasper would go on walks, daily, to the cottage and spend time there? Kind of, she was killed there. Well, sort of. Right outside of Happy Valley. Or, perhaps the cottage is somewhere that her and Maxim would escape the busy lifestyle of Manderely, and the memories he made there haunt him to return? No, he just shot her there, so I'm sure the cottage haunted him.
Vocabulary:
rivulet (111)- a small stream
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Characterization
Thursday, May 15, 2014
"Tell me, are you very much in love with him?"
The chapter begins with a car pulling into the driveway while Mrs. de Winter is exploring the morning room. She knows that Beatrice and her husband have arrived; however, she was not prepared mentally or physically to meet them. Thus, she devises a plan of escape. She ends up at a stone tunnel, which leads her to the West Wing of the Mandereley estate. She investigates a room whose furniture is covered in a protective covers, and whose drapes are shut tight. As she pokes around the room, she opens the curtains and realizes that she can hear and see the ocean from her position in the mansion.
This room must be the old bedroom room of Mr. de Winter and Rebecca. It seems as though the the room was covered and sealed shut to preserve what it once was. It seems as though the feelings Maxim had for Rebecca lived in this room, and by bringing the new Mrs. de Winter in, the memories would haunt him. Mrs. Danvers catches Mrs. de Winter in the room and asks her if she would like her to prepare the west wing for her to tour. Mrs. de Winter hesitates to give her a definitive answer and says that she will let her know. Mrs. Danvers informs her that she should go and meet with Beatrice and her husband.
Mrs. de Winter meets three people: Beatrice, Crawley, and Giles. Beatrice and Giles are married; Beatrice is Mr. de Winter's sister who once lived at Manderley. Frank Crawley is Maxim's agent. Beatrice examines Mrs. de Winter and says, "'Quite different from what I had expected. Doesn't fit your description at all' " (94). Mrs. de Winter doesn't catch a break. Every time she turns around, someone is judging or ridiculing her. Beatrice and Maxim don't get along well, to say the least. Beatrice critiques everything she possibly can, including the fitness level of Maxim's dogs. Did the money and power of the Manderely estate affect Beatrice's overall demeanor? Beatrice turns out to be the good guy in the situation. She hated Rebecca and acted like a sister-figure to Mrs. de Winter.
The group decides that they need to go to the kitchen and find lunch. On their walk to the kitchen, Beatrice and Mrs. de Winter talk. Beatrice pops the question, " 'Tell me, are you very much in love with?'" (97). Mrs. de Winter doesn't know how to react, and remains silent. Beatrice quickly realizes that she has made her uncomfortable and tells her not to answer (not that she actually cares!). Lunch goes a lot better than their initial conversation in the morning room. Stories are told, and all is well until Maxim gives Mrs. de Winter a motion to meet him in the hall. As she stands up, she knocks over Gile's glass and creates a mess. Maxim tells Beatrice to take Mrs. de Winter out to the rose garden since, "'she's scarcely seen the place yet'"(99).
Out in the garden, Beatrice explains how Maxim was righting to her all while dating Mrs. de Winter and saying how great she was. Beatrice says that she didn't expect what she saw when she met Mrs. de Winter in the morning, and that she could have been "knocked over by a feather" (100). Then, Beatrice tells Mrs. de Winter that, "'...you ought to do something to your hair.' 'It's so very lanky...' 'Must look awful under a hat'"(101). HOW INSULTING! Poor Mrs. de Winter! After the insulting of her hair, Mrs. de Winter and Beatrice talk about life at Manderley. Beatrice reveals that Mrs. Danvers, "...simply adored Rebecca" (102). She rationalized her ignorance toward Mrs. de Winters in this way.
The men came out to the rose garden, and Mrs. de Winter remained quite. She absorbed her surroundings and wished she could just stay there forever, avoiding interaction with the others. Crawley leaves, and shortly after Beatrice and Giles say that they must go, as well. Mrs. de Winter invites them up to the new east wing to see the reconstruction. Beatrice absorbs everything in the room. She uses her brushes, powders her nose, etc. By the end of the chapter, it seems as though Beatrice likes Mrs. de Winter. She says once more, however, that she is different, "you are so different from Rebecca" (107).
I'm waiting for a description of Rebecca! I want to compare the differences between the descriptions of Rebecca and Mrs. de Winter. It seems as though there was a huge difference between the two, however, as of yet we do not know in what ways they differ; whether it be beauty, intellect, etc.
Vocabulary:
enquiringly (90)- in an inquiring manor
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Characterization
This room must be the old bedroom room of Mr. de Winter and Rebecca. It seems as though the the room was covered and sealed shut to preserve what it once was. It seems as though the feelings Maxim had for Rebecca lived in this room, and by bringing the new Mrs. de Winter in, the memories would haunt him. Mrs. Danvers catches Mrs. de Winter in the room and asks her if she would like her to prepare the west wing for her to tour. Mrs. de Winter hesitates to give her a definitive answer and says that she will let her know. Mrs. Danvers informs her that she should go and meet with Beatrice and her husband.
Mrs. de Winter meets three people: Beatrice, Crawley, and Giles. Beatrice and Giles are married; Beatrice is Mr. de Winter's sister who once lived at Manderley. Frank Crawley is Maxim's agent. Beatrice examines Mrs. de Winter and says, "'Quite different from what I had expected. Doesn't fit your description at all' " (94). Mrs. de Winter doesn't catch a break. Every time she turns around, someone is judging or ridiculing her. Beatrice and Maxim don't get along well, to say the least. Beatrice critiques everything she possibly can, including the fitness level of Maxim's dogs. Did the money and power of the Manderely estate affect Beatrice's overall demeanor? Beatrice turns out to be the good guy in the situation. She hated Rebecca and acted like a sister-figure to Mrs. de Winter.
The group decides that they need to go to the kitchen and find lunch. On their walk to the kitchen, Beatrice and Mrs. de Winter talk. Beatrice pops the question, " 'Tell me, are you very much in love with?'" (97). Mrs. de Winter doesn't know how to react, and remains silent. Beatrice quickly realizes that she has made her uncomfortable and tells her not to answer (not that she actually cares!). Lunch goes a lot better than their initial conversation in the morning room. Stories are told, and all is well until Maxim gives Mrs. de Winter a motion to meet him in the hall. As she stands up, she knocks over Gile's glass and creates a mess. Maxim tells Beatrice to take Mrs. de Winter out to the rose garden since, "'she's scarcely seen the place yet'"(99).
Out in the garden, Beatrice explains how Maxim was righting to her all while dating Mrs. de Winter and saying how great she was. Beatrice says that she didn't expect what she saw when she met Mrs. de Winter in the morning, and that she could have been "knocked over by a feather" (100). Then, Beatrice tells Mrs. de Winter that, "'...you ought to do something to your hair.' 'It's so very lanky...' 'Must look awful under a hat'"(101). HOW INSULTING! Poor Mrs. de Winter! After the insulting of her hair, Mrs. de Winter and Beatrice talk about life at Manderley. Beatrice reveals that Mrs. Danvers, "...simply adored Rebecca" (102). She rationalized her ignorance toward Mrs. de Winters in this way.
The men came out to the rose garden, and Mrs. de Winter remained quite. She absorbed her surroundings and wished she could just stay there forever, avoiding interaction with the others. Crawley leaves, and shortly after Beatrice and Giles say that they must go, as well. Mrs. de Winter invites them up to the new east wing to see the reconstruction. Beatrice absorbs everything in the room. She uses her brushes, powders her nose, etc. By the end of the chapter, it seems as though Beatrice likes Mrs. de Winter. She says once more, however, that she is different, "you are so different from Rebecca" (107).
I'm waiting for a description of Rebecca! I want to compare the differences between the descriptions of Rebecca and Mrs. de Winter. It seems as though there was a huge difference between the two, however, as of yet we do not know in what ways they differ; whether it be beauty, intellect, etc.
Vocabulary:
enquiringly (90)- in an inquiring manor
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Characterization
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
"My faux-pas was so palpably obvious..."
Mrs. de Winter feels out of place! She awakes and joins Maxim in the kitchen for breakfast. She finds a wide array of foods spread out for them to eat. She realizes that she was sitting there for far too long, as the clock struck ten. She apologies to one of the butlers for sitting there for such a long time, and excused herself from the table.
During breakfast, Maxim told her that he has a very busy day arranged for him and she must amuse herself. He also says that Beatrice, a curt, to the point women, has invited herself to lunch with Mrs. de Winter. Mrs. de Winter goes to the library after she leaves the kitchen only to find that it is intolerably cold. When she goes to light a fire, Frith informs her that the old Mrs. de Winter never lit a fire in the library until the afternoon, and she should find the morning room as a more suitable place to relax.
The new Mrs. de Winter cannot find the morning room on her own, and is too embarrassed to ask her way. Frith ultimately ends up telling her the way, but it seems as though Mrs. de Winter feels exceptionally out of place. In the morning room she says that the dog, "...sniffed the air for a moment, and found I was not the one she sought, she turned her head away with a grunt..."(84). Poor Mrs. de Winters is so neglected! Even the blind dog doesn't want any part of her. Will this neglect and cold-feelings toward the new Mrs. de Winter change her attitude and/or her relationship with Maxim? Not really. It affects her psychologically but not to the point where it affects her relationship directly. It causes her to be self-conscious, but Maxim always reassures her whenever she asks him something about her.
She takes notice to the extreme details of the room. She assumes that a women must have designed it because of it's sheer perfection, in her eyes. She notices a desk that letters were to be written at. She starts going through it's content and sees how incredibly organized it was, which all relates back to the first line of this chapter, "I had never realized, of course, that life at Manderely would be so orderly and planned" (80). There were certain pigeon holes docketed unanswered letters, letters to keep, household, estate, menus, and miscellaneous.
Mrs. de Winter is startled when the phone rings and Mrs. Danvers asks her what she would like for dinner that night. She tells Mrs. Danvers whatever she chose would be find; however, Mrs. Danvers detests. Finally, after agreeing on a meal, Mrs. de Winter has to choose a sauce, in which she tells Mrs. Danvers to prepare her whatever Rebecca would have chosen.
It seems as though Mrs. de Winters feels like an outcast in the Manderely estate; the new girl in school. She's trying exceptionally hard to fit in and find her place, but she keeps failing. Although she is the second most important person on the estate, Maxim being the first, those who keep the house in running order seem to abhor the idea that she is there, replacing someone who they obviously admired greatly, Rebecca. I'm exceptionally curious to see the outcome of this rapport between the servants and the new Mrs. de Winter, and to see if they plot against her in anyway.
Vocabulary:
nib (89)- the pointed end of a pen
During breakfast, Maxim told her that he has a very busy day arranged for him and she must amuse herself. He also says that Beatrice, a curt, to the point women, has invited herself to lunch with Mrs. de Winter. Mrs. de Winter goes to the library after she leaves the kitchen only to find that it is intolerably cold. When she goes to light a fire, Frith informs her that the old Mrs. de Winter never lit a fire in the library until the afternoon, and she should find the morning room as a more suitable place to relax.
The new Mrs. de Winter cannot find the morning room on her own, and is too embarrassed to ask her way. Frith ultimately ends up telling her the way, but it seems as though Mrs. de Winter feels exceptionally out of place. In the morning room she says that the dog, "...sniffed the air for a moment, and found I was not the one she sought, she turned her head away with a grunt..."(84). Poor Mrs. de Winters is so neglected! Even the blind dog doesn't want any part of her. Will this neglect and cold-feelings toward the new Mrs. de Winter change her attitude and/or her relationship with Maxim? Not really. It affects her psychologically but not to the point where it affects her relationship directly. It causes her to be self-conscious, but Maxim always reassures her whenever she asks him something about her.
She takes notice to the extreme details of the room. She assumes that a women must have designed it because of it's sheer perfection, in her eyes. She notices a desk that letters were to be written at. She starts going through it's content and sees how incredibly organized it was, which all relates back to the first line of this chapter, "I had never realized, of course, that life at Manderely would be so orderly and planned" (80). There were certain pigeon holes docketed unanswered letters, letters to keep, household, estate, menus, and miscellaneous.
Mrs. de Winter is startled when the phone rings and Mrs. Danvers asks her what she would like for dinner that night. She tells Mrs. Danvers whatever she chose would be find; however, Mrs. Danvers detests. Finally, after agreeing on a meal, Mrs. de Winter has to choose a sauce, in which she tells Mrs. Danvers to prepare her whatever Rebecca would have chosen.
It seems as though Mrs. de Winters feels like an outcast in the Manderely estate; the new girl in school. She's trying exceptionally hard to fit in and find her place, but she keeps failing. Although she is the second most important person on the estate, Maxim being the first, those who keep the house in running order seem to abhor the idea that she is there, replacing someone who they obviously admired greatly, Rebecca. I'm exceptionally curious to see the outcome of this rapport between the servants and the new Mrs. de Winter, and to see if they plot against her in anyway.
Vocabulary:
nib (89)- the pointed end of a pen
Sunday, May 11, 2014
"...I looked upon rain as an omen of ill-will..." (63).
Chapter seven is the transition from Mrs. de Winter's old life into her new one at the Manderely estate. The beginning of the chapter is the drive to Manderely; the transition from the rainy, ugly-weathered London, to the sun stricken, beautiful Manderley. The car ride to Manderely is a stomach jerking, nervous filled ride for Mrs. de Winter. She's afraid of the unknown, and scared of what is to come. She worries that Manderely won't be like the picture-perfect postcard that she had once seen. Foreshadowing, for sure!
They arrive at the gates of Manderely and drive the long curvy, gravel road to the Manderely estate. Once arrived, the couple is greeted by a group of people who want to meet the new Mrs. de Winter. Mrs. Danvers is to blame for the gathering, and from the description Mrs. de Winter gives of her, she seems as though she is going to cause many problems throughout: "prominent cheek bones, hollow eyes gave her a skull's face, parchment-white, set on a skeleton's frame" (67). Could this deathly description of Mrs. Danvers signify a deathly out come in terms of their new relationship? Well, perhaps, it could signify the death of the Manderley estate that Mrs. Danvers caused.
The newly weds go to the library to enjoy some tea, while Mr. de Winter catches up with the mail that he had missed while he was away. Frith enters and tells Mr. de Winter than Mrs. Danvers would like for Mrs. de Winter to view her new room, which has just recently been reconstructed in the east wing of the Manderley estate. Mr. de Winter sends her along.
She meets Mrs. Danvers, who shows her new room. From this room, you cannot hear nor see the ocean, which Mrs. de Winter does not like. Mrs. Danvers expresses anger through her dialogue, emphasizing that you cannot hear or see the ocean. She also reveals that the rooms on the side of the wing that Mrs. de Winter will be staying have never been used for rooms before until just recently when Mr. de Winter wrote home for them to be remodeled.
They arrive at the gates of Manderely and drive the long curvy, gravel road to the Manderely estate. Once arrived, the couple is greeted by a group of people who want to meet the new Mrs. de Winter. Mrs. Danvers is to blame for the gathering, and from the description Mrs. de Winter gives of her, she seems as though she is going to cause many problems throughout: "prominent cheek bones, hollow eyes gave her a skull's face, parchment-white, set on a skeleton's frame" (67). Could this deathly description of Mrs. Danvers signify a deathly out come in terms of their new relationship? Well, perhaps, it could signify the death of the Manderley estate that Mrs. Danvers caused.
The newly weds go to the library to enjoy some tea, while Mr. de Winter catches up with the mail that he had missed while he was away. Frith enters and tells Mr. de Winter than Mrs. Danvers would like for Mrs. de Winter to view her new room, which has just recently been reconstructed in the east wing of the Manderley estate. Mr. de Winter sends her along.
She meets Mrs. Danvers, who shows her new room. From this room, you cannot hear nor see the ocean, which Mrs. de Winter does not like. Mrs. Danvers expresses anger through her dialogue, emphasizing that you cannot hear or see the ocean. She also reveals that the rooms on the side of the wing that Mrs. de Winter will be staying have never been used for rooms before until just recently when Mr. de Winter wrote home for them to be remodeled.
Rebecca can feel the cold hearted emotions that Mrs. Danvers is conveying to her and she tries to make amends with her. She says to her that she will not stand in the way of the way that she ran the Manderley estate in the past, as she is just there to make Mr. de Winter happy. She then reveals any interesting point about the west wing, as a dig toward the new Mrs. de Winter. She says the room in which Mr. de Winter had stayed in on the west side of the estate was much older, however, twice the size, one could hear and see the ocean, and was filled with old, beautiful furniture. Mrs. de Winter tries to rationalize it by saying he probably wanted to preserve it for the public, but Mrs. Danvers rebuts by saying the public never sees the bedrooms. I wonder why he had his bedroom quarters changed? Would the memories of the time he spent with Rebecca haunt him? Not that I've ever killed someone before, but assuming that I did, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't want to sleep in the same bed that the person who I killed used to sleep in. Just saying!
Mr. de Winter and his wife chat later on about Mrs. Danvers, in which Mr. de Winter says that she should just ignore her, as he doesn't like her that much anyway. The chapter ends with the two have a divine dinner and relaxing in the library. The new Mrs. de Winter realizes that she's sitting in the chair that Rebecca once sat in, which erily haunts her.
It seems as though Mrs. Danvers had a very strong relationship with Rebecca and is completely closed minded to anyone wishing to take her place. Mrs. Danvers makes the new Mrs. de Winter feel incredible out of place. The sound of her foot steps echoing makes her uncomfortable and provokes the feeling of being out of place. I think that Mrs. Danvers will play a crucial role in the rest of the novel, and even in Maxim's relationship with his new wife. Yes, she does. Just the descriptions of Mrs. Danvers is enough to instill fear in anyone, "A black figure stood waiting for me at the head of the stairs, the hollow eyes watching me intently from the white skull's face" (71).
Vocabulary:
Friday, May 9, 2014
"You can't afford to dream this morning."
Mrs. Van Hopper has decided that her and the narrator must move from Monte Carlo to New York because, "Little Nancy has a threatened appendix and they've cabled her to go home" (46). Mrs. Van Hopper tells the narrator about them moving, only to receive a not so happy response from the narrator. Upon getting orders to go down to the clerk, the narrator decides that the moment is too much for her to handle and she locks herself in the bathroom.
Once in the bathroom, she is mentally going through what's going to happen with her relationship with Mr. de Winter. She plays through their last in person communication and envisions them exchanging addresses to write to one another. While she's sitting on the floor, Mrs. Van Hopper comes a knocking and tells her that there is absolutely no time to waste, she must get moving!
The two women went to the restaurant for lunch, where the narrator was absolutely horrified that their waiter was going to mention something about Mr. de Winter. After lunch, the packing continued. The narrator continually kept going down to the lobby to check if Mr. de Winter had returned from Cannes, only to be disappointed when the clerk told her that he shall not return until past midnight. Oh no, will she not get to say goodbye? Plenty of time to say goodbye - She marries him!
The next day, upon departing, the narrator decides that she can't bare the pain of leaving without saying goodbye. She runs up to room 148, Mr. de Winters and has a conversation with him. She tells him that she is leaving and he doesn't react well. He's upset that she didn't tell him sooner. Foreshadowing: "...and I don't want to go. I shall hate it; I shall be miserable" (51). "Why in heaven's name go with her then?" (51). She responds by saying that she can't afford to live on her own with out Mrs. Vane Hopper. Mr. de Winter asks her to live with him, and asks if, "Do you mean you want a secretary or something?" (52). THEN, "No, I'm asking you to marry me you little fool!" (52). ...I totally saw this coming! What happens next (other than moving into Manderely together, I'm not sure! I'm still on the whole she's-going-to-kill-him train of thought.
"I was to be Mrs. de Winter" (57).
The narrator, Mrs. de Winter, sends Mr. de Winter to go talk to Mrs. Van Hopper about their relationship. Mrs. Van Hopper doesn't take it well and is in shock when Mrs. de Winter goes to talk to her. She's very arrogant, and snobbish, bringing up the point that she lied and said she was playing tennis when Mrs. Van Hopper had the influenza. While Mrs. Van Hopper was getting briefed on their relationship, Mrs. de Winter was burning the dedication page in the book of poems that said it was from Rebecca to Max. "The flame had a lovely light, straining the paper, curling the edges, making the slanting writing impossible to distinguish" (58). Mrs. de Winter seems to fear Rebecca, or at least the memory of Rebecca. Will this affect their relationship in the long term? Will Rebecca, although deceased, create strong tension between the two at some point?
At the conclusion of this chapter, Mrs. Van Hopper says, "You know why he is marrying you, don't you? You haven't flattered yourself he's in love with you? The fact is that the empty house got on his nerves to such an extent that he nearly went off his head. He admitted as much before you came into the room. he just can't go on living there alone..." (61). Reiterating my previous questions, I wonder if Rebecca is going to stand in the way of their relationship? I wonder if after the new Mrs. de Winter gets moved in and settled Mr. de Winter realizes that she isn't Rebecca. ...and in turn she kills him when she tries to divorce her...Okay, maybe not, but I think something significant is going to happen after the new Mrs. de Winter's arrival in Manderely.
Vocabulary:
infinitesimal: extremely small
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Characterization
Once in the bathroom, she is mentally going through what's going to happen with her relationship with Mr. de Winter. She plays through their last in person communication and envisions them exchanging addresses to write to one another. While she's sitting on the floor, Mrs. Van Hopper comes a knocking and tells her that there is absolutely no time to waste, she must get moving!
The two women went to the restaurant for lunch, where the narrator was absolutely horrified that their waiter was going to mention something about Mr. de Winter. After lunch, the packing continued. The narrator continually kept going down to the lobby to check if Mr. de Winter had returned from Cannes, only to be disappointed when the clerk told her that he shall not return until past midnight. Oh no, will she not get to say goodbye? Plenty of time to say goodbye - She marries him!
The next day, upon departing, the narrator decides that she can't bare the pain of leaving without saying goodbye. She runs up to room 148, Mr. de Winters and has a conversation with him. She tells him that she is leaving and he doesn't react well. He's upset that she didn't tell him sooner. Foreshadowing: "...and I don't want to go. I shall hate it; I shall be miserable" (51). "Why in heaven's name go with her then?" (51). She responds by saying that she can't afford to live on her own with out Mrs. Vane Hopper. Mr. de Winter asks her to live with him, and asks if, "Do you mean you want a secretary or something?" (52). THEN, "No, I'm asking you to marry me you little fool!" (52). ...I totally saw this coming! What happens next (other than moving into Manderely together, I'm not sure! I'm still on the whole she's-going-to-kill-him train of thought.
"I was to be Mrs. de Winter" (57).
The narrator, Mrs. de Winter, sends Mr. de Winter to go talk to Mrs. Van Hopper about their relationship. Mrs. Van Hopper doesn't take it well and is in shock when Mrs. de Winter goes to talk to her. She's very arrogant, and snobbish, bringing up the point that she lied and said she was playing tennis when Mrs. Van Hopper had the influenza. While Mrs. Van Hopper was getting briefed on their relationship, Mrs. de Winter was burning the dedication page in the book of poems that said it was from Rebecca to Max. "The flame had a lovely light, straining the paper, curling the edges, making the slanting writing impossible to distinguish" (58). Mrs. de Winter seems to fear Rebecca, or at least the memory of Rebecca. Will this affect their relationship in the long term? Will Rebecca, although deceased, create strong tension between the two at some point?
At the conclusion of this chapter, Mrs. Van Hopper says, "You know why he is marrying you, don't you? You haven't flattered yourself he's in love with you? The fact is that the empty house got on his nerves to such an extent that he nearly went off his head. He admitted as much before you came into the room. he just can't go on living there alone..." (61). Reiterating my previous questions, I wonder if Rebecca is going to stand in the way of their relationship? I wonder if after the new Mrs. de Winter gets moved in and settled Mr. de Winter realizes that she isn't Rebecca. ...and in turn she kills him when she tries to divorce her...Okay, maybe not, but I think something significant is going to happen after the new Mrs. de Winter's arrival in Manderely.
Vocabulary:
infinitesimal: extremely small
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Characterization
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
"I'm glad it cannot happen twice, the fever of first love."
Chapter five begins with the narrator talking about her feelings of love. She then goes to check in on the ill Mrs. Van Hopper, who questions her about her whereabouts that morning. The narrator lies and says that she has been practicing her tennis with the professional, as Mrs. Van Hopper wishes she does. Mrs. Van Hopper says that due to her illness, the narrator isn't keeping busy, and complains that when Mrs. Van Hopper asks her to get her something at the market, or complete a similar task, it takes her an ungodly amount of time or she just doesn't do it.
After their meeting ends, Mr. de Winter is waiting for her outside the hotel. The narrator captures the moment and wishes that it could last forever. In fact, she says to Mr. de Winter that she wishes that there was an invention, "that bottled up a memory, like a scent" (37). Mr. de Winter asks her what memory she would capture, in which she replies that it would be the moment they were sharing then and there. [Aw, true love!]
The narrator finally proposes the question as to why Mr. de Winter has interest in her, asking why he has chosen her as a charity case. Mr. de Winter replies simply that it is because she was not dressed in black satin, she doesn't wear pearls, and she isn't thiry-six. This part to me is confusing to me. Is Mr. de Winter just throwing out these traits because he is looking for a more simplistic wife; one who is not in the same sociological class as he, like the narrator? Or, are these traits describing his ex-wife? The narrator also probes more into the life of Mr. de Winter, saying that she has opened herself up to him, but she he isn't doing the same for her. Mr. de Winter asks her what she knows about him, and the most pressing thing she says is, "Why, that you lived at Manderley and - and that you had lost your wife" (39).
There is a good amount of silence, until Mr. de Winter starts to speak to the narrator again. During this time, the narrator feels exceptionally guilty for bringing up his wife and feels like she just ended their entire relationship. Mr. de Winter clears up a few points in a huge speech he gives to the narrator. A huge foreshadowing moment, "Something happened a year ago that altered my whole life, and I want to forget them" (40). What possibly could have happened? It HAS to do with Mrs. de Winter! ..right? Yes, Rebecca de Winter went out to sea on a night that the waves were too rough and her boat capsized. She drowned swimming to shore. Her body was found months later. No, actually, he killed her. He then says that he was indeed at the cliff once before, with his wife. He's exceptionally offended that the narrator just thinks that he is interested in her as a charity case, and gives her the choice to believe what he's telling her, or get out of the car!
The ride back to the hotel is long and awkward, as the tension is so high it can be felt. However, like a typical man, he gets over the fight and pulls her back to his side. He even goes as far as telling her that she can call him Maxim now, as that's what his family calls him. Once she arrives back at the hotel, she goes to visit Mrs. Van Hopper who questions if Max de Winter is still in the building, which makes the narrator believe that she knows about their relationship.
>>We're definitely making significant progress in terms of the relationship between Maxim and the narrator (who really needs a name!). The connections between the characters are being made; however, I question Mrs. Van Hoppers role in the whole ordeal. I wonder if she will soon be out of the picture? She moves to New York to be with family in need. The narrator marries Maxim de Winter and moves to Manderely with him. Perhaps the narrator goes to live in Manderely and the connection between Mrs. Van Hopper is lost there! Nailed it! I hope that it's lost soon - the narrator deserves a reprieve from the enslavement of such a witch!
After their meeting ends, Mr. de Winter is waiting for her outside the hotel. The narrator captures the moment and wishes that it could last forever. In fact, she says to Mr. de Winter that she wishes that there was an invention, "that bottled up a memory, like a scent" (37). Mr. de Winter asks her what memory she would capture, in which she replies that it would be the moment they were sharing then and there. [Aw, true love!]
The narrator finally proposes the question as to why Mr. de Winter has interest in her, asking why he has chosen her as a charity case. Mr. de Winter replies simply that it is because she was not dressed in black satin, she doesn't wear pearls, and she isn't thiry-six. This part to me is confusing to me. Is Mr. de Winter just throwing out these traits because he is looking for a more simplistic wife; one who is not in the same sociological class as he, like the narrator? Or, are these traits describing his ex-wife? The narrator also probes more into the life of Mr. de Winter, saying that she has opened herself up to him, but she he isn't doing the same for her. Mr. de Winter asks her what she knows about him, and the most pressing thing she says is, "Why, that you lived at Manderley and - and that you had lost your wife" (39).
There is a good amount of silence, until Mr. de Winter starts to speak to the narrator again. During this time, the narrator feels exceptionally guilty for bringing up his wife and feels like she just ended their entire relationship. Mr. de Winter clears up a few points in a huge speech he gives to the narrator. A huge foreshadowing moment, "Something happened a year ago that altered my whole life, and I want to forget them" (40). What possibly could have happened? It HAS to do with Mrs. de Winter! ..right? Yes, Rebecca de Winter went out to sea on a night that the waves were too rough and her boat capsized. She drowned swimming to shore. Her body was found months later. No, actually, he killed her. He then says that he was indeed at the cliff once before, with his wife. He's exceptionally offended that the narrator just thinks that he is interested in her as a charity case, and gives her the choice to believe what he's telling her, or get out of the car!
The ride back to the hotel is long and awkward, as the tension is so high it can be felt. However, like a typical man, he gets over the fight and pulls her back to his side. He even goes as far as telling her that she can call him Maxim now, as that's what his family calls him. Once she arrives back at the hotel, she goes to visit Mrs. Van Hopper who questions if Max de Winter is still in the building, which makes the narrator believe that she knows about their relationship.
>>We're definitely making significant progress in terms of the relationship between Maxim and the narrator (who really needs a name!). The connections between the characters are being made; however, I question Mrs. Van Hoppers role in the whole ordeal. I wonder if she will soon be out of the picture? She moves to New York to be with family in need. The narrator marries Maxim de Winter and moves to Manderely with him. Perhaps the narrator goes to live in Manderely and the connection between Mrs. Van Hopper is lost there! Nailed it! I hope that it's lost soon - the narrator deserves a reprieve from the enslavement of such a witch!
Vocabulary:
infinitesimal- extremely small
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Characterization
Friday, May 2, 2014
"An empty house can be as lonely as a full hotel."
The chapter starts off with Mrs. Van Hopper getting ill, making it impossible for her to leave her room. This opens the opportunity for the narrator to leave and have some freedom that she is so seldom accustom to experiencing. The narrator goes to the restaurant in the hotel where she sits alone to have her meal. She nocks over the vase of flowers on the table and makes a mess in front of the man sitting at the table next to her, Mr. de Winter. He insistently invites her to sit with him, where they awkwardly work their way into a conversation. Foreshadowing!
She tells him all about her life, from her childhood to her current employment. Both of her parents had passed on, her father from a bad case of pneumonia. When asked, she reveals that she is not a friend of Mrs. Van Hopper, rather an employee. Mrs. Van Hopper pays her a yearly salary of ninety pounds to be her companion. Mr. de Winter then takes her on a wild night out. They travel the mountains to a cliff that oversees the ocean. When they arrive, Mr. de Winter goes into a dream like state, where the narrator says that he's unresponsive. I wonder if something significant happened here before? Did someone die there, or was there a happy occasion that occurred there (wedding, etc)? "I was there some years ago, with my wife" (40).
After leaving the cliff, Mr. de Winter talks to her about their day together and thanks her for such a great time. He talks little about Manderley, in fact, the only thing we find out is about the flowers around the premises. Why is it so secretive? It seems as though Manderley is such a sensitive topic to him. Through the narrator's observation, the point is brought up that we don't know why he's left for the time being. Did Mr. de Winter kill someone at Manderley and is escaping the crime scene? When the narrator returns to the hotel, she reads through the book of poems he let her borrow. She also discovers that someone drown in a bay by Manderley: Rebecca. Did Mr. de Winter kill Rebecca?! Nailed it!
Finally, the quotation, "An empty house can be as lonely as a full hotel" (25) is such a symbolic item in this chapter. From this quotation, it seems as though Mr. de Winter is exceptionally lonely and his famous home is only beautiful to the naked eye. It also may be the first clue that the narrator may be moving in and to fill the emptiness at the Manderely estate.
Vocabulary-
despondency (24)- low spirits caused by loss of hope or courage
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Characterization
She tells him all about her life, from her childhood to her current employment. Both of her parents had passed on, her father from a bad case of pneumonia. When asked, she reveals that she is not a friend of Mrs. Van Hopper, rather an employee. Mrs. Van Hopper pays her a yearly salary of ninety pounds to be her companion. Mr. de Winter then takes her on a wild night out. They travel the mountains to a cliff that oversees the ocean. When they arrive, Mr. de Winter goes into a dream like state, where the narrator says that he's unresponsive. I wonder if something significant happened here before? Did someone die there, or was there a happy occasion that occurred there (wedding, etc)? "I was there some years ago, with my wife" (40).
After leaving the cliff, Mr. de Winter talks to her about their day together and thanks her for such a great time. He talks little about Manderley, in fact, the only thing we find out is about the flowers around the premises. Why is it so secretive? It seems as though Manderley is such a sensitive topic to him. Through the narrator's observation, the point is brought up that we don't know why he's left for the time being. Did Mr. de Winter kill someone at Manderley and is escaping the crime scene? When the narrator returns to the hotel, she reads through the book of poems he let her borrow. She also discovers that someone drown in a bay by Manderley: Rebecca. Did Mr. de Winter kill Rebecca?! Nailed it!
Finally, the quotation, "An empty house can be as lonely as a full hotel" (25) is such a symbolic item in this chapter. From this quotation, it seems as though Mr. de Winter is exceptionally lonely and his famous home is only beautiful to the naked eye. It also may be the first clue that the narrator may be moving in and to fill the emptiness at the Manderely estate.
Vocabulary-
despondency (24)- low spirits caused by loss of hope or courage
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Characterization
Thursday, May 1, 2014
"Her curiosity was a disease, almost a mania."
The relationship between the narrator and Mrs. Vane Hopper is further revealed in this chapter. It seems as though the narrator isn't given a choice as to whether or not she can deal with her. It seems as though the narrator works for Mrs. Vane Hopper in some way. Yes, she worked as her 'slave' until she married Mr. de Winter.
Chapter three also gives insight into the beginning of the rest of the book. The narrator just meets Mr. de Winter in a tea time snack session with the arrogant Mrs. Vane Hopper. Mrs. Vane Hopper continually talks over the narrator whenever she tries to make a point, as if she is impressing Mr. de Winter. In reality, it seems as though Mrs. Vane Hopper has a huge crush on Mr. de Winter, and or his Manderley home. She seems like the type to use someone for their money or possessions.
By the end of the chapter, after the conversation is ended and Mrs. Vane Hopper is rejected by Mr. de Winter (such a liberating part!), the narrator receives an unmarked note from some mysterious person: "'Forgive me. I was very rude this afternoon'" (20). Obviously this note is from Mr. de Winter. Thus, I can only conclude that he felt the spark that the narrator was trying to encourage. She expressed her worriment about their age difference, I wonder if this will come into play at all in the rest of the story? In addition, I am curious to see if Mrs. Vane Hopper has anything to do with the reason as to why the narrator and I am assuming Mr. de Winter (?) had to leave Manderely to never return again? He was there in search of an escape from the Manderely estate, as well as looking for a new wife. What makes Mrs. Vane Hopper so exceptional (in her mind)? She was the boss of Mrs. de Winter. As a powerful women, who had a great deal of money, she assumed the power in her mind. And, assuming from her flirtation remarks with Mr. de Winter, she's not married? No.
On a personal note, I feel that, "...her unbelievable behaving making a bond between us..."(16) is such a powerful quote in this chapter. Personally, I know how true this statement is. In fact, some of my strongest friendships have spurred from a common rage of a particular individual. I feel as though my generation in particular build friendships and relationships off of the common liking or hating of other certain individuals or 'cliques'.
Vocabulary:
hitherto (16)- until now, or up until this point.
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Characterization
Chapter three also gives insight into the beginning of the rest of the book. The narrator just meets Mr. de Winter in a tea time snack session with the arrogant Mrs. Vane Hopper. Mrs. Vane Hopper continually talks over the narrator whenever she tries to make a point, as if she is impressing Mr. de Winter. In reality, it seems as though Mrs. Vane Hopper has a huge crush on Mr. de Winter, and or his Manderley home. She seems like the type to use someone for their money or possessions.
By the end of the chapter, after the conversation is ended and Mrs. Vane Hopper is rejected by Mr. de Winter (such a liberating part!), the narrator receives an unmarked note from some mysterious person: "'Forgive me. I was very rude this afternoon'" (20). Obviously this note is from Mr. de Winter. Thus, I can only conclude that he felt the spark that the narrator was trying to encourage. She expressed her worriment about their age difference, I wonder if this will come into play at all in the rest of the story? In addition, I am curious to see if Mrs. Vane Hopper has anything to do with the reason as to why the narrator and I am assuming Mr. de Winter (?) had to leave Manderely to never return again? He was there in search of an escape from the Manderely estate, as well as looking for a new wife. What makes Mrs. Vane Hopper so exceptional (in her mind)? She was the boss of Mrs. de Winter. As a powerful women, who had a great deal of money, she assumed the power in her mind. And, assuming from her flirtation remarks with Mr. de Winter, she's not married? No.
On a personal note, I feel that, "...her unbelievable behaving making a bond between us..."(16) is such a powerful quote in this chapter. Personally, I know how true this statement is. In fact, some of my strongest friendships have spurred from a common rage of a particular individual. I feel as though my generation in particular build friendships and relationships off of the common liking or hating of other certain individuals or 'cliques'.
Vocabulary:
hitherto (16)- until now, or up until this point.
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Characterization
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
"We can never go back again, that much is certain."
In the beginning of chapter two,
We find out that
Who is Jasper? Her dog who is a spaniel. -5/1/14
"We can never go back again, that much is certain" (5). Why can't they go back? Mrs. Danvers (assumed) burnt the mansion down.
Vocabulary:
furtive (5)- attempting to avoid notice or attention
panacea (5)- a remedy
premonition (5)- a strong feeling that something is going to happen
melodrama (5)- a sensational dramatic piece
ennui (6)- a feeling of listless or dissatisfaction
sorrel (6)- a European plant
ablutions (6)- the act of washing oneself (note to self: lavantanse)
deriding (7)- express for contempt
strodgier (8)- not a word
gaucherie (9)- awkward, embarrassing, unsophisticated
staccato (10)- with each sound or note, it is deeply detached from the others
lorgnette (11)- a pair of glasses, opera style
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Characterization
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
"Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again."
The beginning of the book goes into excruciating detail about Rebecca's home at Manderley. The reader can conclude through the details of abandonment that the home no longer is inhabited by anyone, as the landscape of the mansion has significantly declined from what she remembers it as. By the end of the chapter, Rebecca says that she is in a hotel room when she wakes up from the dream, and that she is no longer owns Manderley.
Thoughts:
Will we find out why Rebecca is no longer lives in Manderely? Well, Rebecca isn't who this question was referring to. This question was directed at the narrator; however, we do find out in chapter four that Rebecca drowned. -5/2/14 Was there a downfall in her relationship? Did she have a relationship in the first place? Why is Manderley no longer hers? Did something significant happen there? A murder? She says, "We would not talk of Manderley..."(4). Who is 'we'? Is it her husband?
Vocabulary:
encroached (1)- intrude on
tenacious (1)- tending to keep a firm hold on something
impediment (1)- a hinderance or obstruction in doing something
mullioned (2)- the middle part of a door, window, etc.
sentinels (3)- a soldier or guard whose job is to keep watch of something
hitherto (3)- until now, or until the point of the discussion
sepulchre (3)- a small room or monument
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
Thoughts:
Will we find out why Rebecca is no longer lives in Manderely? Well, Rebecca isn't who this question was referring to. This question was directed at the narrator; however, we do find out in chapter four that Rebecca drowned. -5/2/14 Was there a downfall in her relationship? Did she have a relationship in the first place? Why is Manderley no longer hers? Did something significant happen there? A murder? She says, "We would not talk of Manderley..."(4). Who is 'we'? Is it her husband?
Vocabulary:
encroached (1)- intrude on
tenacious (1)- tending to keep a firm hold on something
impediment (1)- a hinderance or obstruction in doing something
mullioned (2)- the middle part of a door, window, etc.
sentinels (3)- a soldier or guard whose job is to keep watch of something
hitherto (3)- until now, or until the point of the discussion
sepulchre (3)- a small room or monument
Literary Devices & Important Quotations
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