A Great Distorted Wall

"I wonder how many people there were in the world who suffered,
and continued to suffer, because they could not break out
from their own web of shyness and reserve" (280).
Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca (1938)

Points for Reflection

Rebecca, chps. 17-21

1. why is the narrator’s attention drawn to the woman in the salmon-colored dress?
2. does the narrator have a “petty hatred” (235) of gossip?
3. does the novel implicitly reinforce, or question, the primacy given to physical beauty in western culture?
4. the narrator cuts back dramatically on her eating.  What does her disinterest in food suggest about her emotional state?
5. should we believe Maxim when he finally tells Mrs. de Winter that he loves her?
6. do new revelations about Rebecca’s character and actions alter our attitude towards her?
7. does the narrator have a clear, linear view of time?
8. does the narrator want to die?
9. in what ways has the new Mrs. de Winter matured thus far, and what facets of her being remain unchanged?
10. does Mrs. Danver’s ploy strengthen or weaken the narrator’s relationship with Maxim?
11. what of Maxim’s revelation?  Does the narrator love him the more for the secrets he shares with her, or less?
12. what Maxim’s drastic action, a year prior, justified?
13. at what point does Maxim first say “I love you,” and why?
    

On the edge of Shere Heath
George Marks

Dr. Paul Marchbanks
pmarchba@calpoly.edu