Mrs Van Hopper Orders To The Narrator example essay topic

Tom Wagner English 100 Instructor Hansen " Rebecca" By Daphne Du Maurer " Rebecca" is a novel that can be interpreted in many different ways and can be criticized from many different viewpoints. It is a complex novel that brings together both romance and a murder mystery. The characters change throughout the book as you learn more about each of them and the mannerly estate. Rebecca herself is quite a mystery as well.

We learn that she has different motives than first thought and is a different character completely as you read through the novel. The character that makes the most dramatic change is the unnamed narrator. She holds a postcard of the Manderley estate, but little does she know what big a part the stunning estate will play in her future. At first glance the narrator seems very plain and uneventful as she is the companion of the very snobby and stuck up Mrs. Van Hopper. Due to her father's death, she must take in this demeaning and demoralizing job of ailing to the needs of Mrs. Van Hopper. Her willingness to follow every order that her companion gives her without any word back or without sticking up for herself at all gives her character the image of weakness and boring ness.

This job, however, is the reason why her whole life changes and changes her character into an outspoken woman. Rebecca then meets Mr. Dewinter while attending to her companion's needs. Mr. Dewinter shows great interest in her right away and makes it clear that he is interested in her. "Rebecca" (16)", I'm afraid I must contradict you, he said to her, you are both having coffee with me". He is responding to Mrs. Van Hopper orders to the narrator to go and fetch a waiter for a cup of tea. He is clearly showing interest in her for the first time and they both then start an embarkment of love and mystery.

When the narrator first arrives at Manderley she is very tentative and passive. She notices all of the Rebecca memoirs and feels as if she is out of place. When she meets Ms. Danvers she is very nervous and feels as if she is not being welcome into the estate very well. This is because Ms. Danvers loved Mrs. De Winter very much and had a great passion for taking care of her. She does not welcome her in very well and makes the narrator very quiet and nervous.

Rebecca does not stay quiet, however, and does not keep her innocence forever. She learns that Mr. De Winter had killed Rebecca because she told him that she was pregnant, but of course she really wasn't. The narrator supports Maxim in his murder and in turn seems to support murder as well. As Maxim goes through all of his interrogating she is right there to support him through all of it. She also is very accustomed to the house now, but there still is an eerie feeling that Rebecca still haunts Manderley. This novel is a very mysterious and complex story of deceit and romance.

Even though Maxim murdered Rebecca, she was committing suicide at the same time. She was incapable of having children yet she told Maxim that she was pregnant. She also had cancer, so instead of wilting away to nothing to the cancer she drives Maxim to kill her. It's a demented twist on the character Rebecca because she is made out to be a sweet and beautiful person. The novel is very good and is a great mix of romance and mystery.