In the start of the novel we are introduced to Antoinettes mother who through out the first section grows more and more unstable through a variety of things that happen to her. Antoinette and her family a like outcasts of their community because of where they are originally from. We are also introduced to Christophine who is somewhat of a helper for Anette, Antoinettes mother, and is also an outcast but because it is rumored that she has magic. Because Antoinettes family are outcasts she doesn’t have any friends. The closest she gets to having a friend is when Christophine’s friend brings her daughter Tia around. This doesn’t last long when Tia tells Antoinette to do a flip in the water and when she claims she doesn’t do it correct she takes her pennies. When she takes her pennies Antoinette rightfully gets angry and they proceeds to get angry so Tia decides to take Antoinettes clothes. When she makes it home there are people there who are later introduced as the families new neighbors. Embarrassed because she had to wear Tia’s clothes home she doesn’t meet the neighbors. Anette then buys cloth for her and Antoinette to get new dresses. Anette gets remarried and she continues to tell her husband Mr. Mason that she does not trust the servants. The servants start to revolt and there is a riot where Tia throws a rock at Antoinette.
Antoinette is in a six week fever where she found out that her brother died because of the fire. Her entire life changes after the fire and Christophine leaves. Antoinette is sent to a convent however later she is taken out of the convent to go and live with Mr. Mason to be married eventually. Antoinette is eventually married off to her husband Rochester. Rochester does not really understand Antoinette. He is not emotionally attracted to her only physically and sexually. Throughout the section there is a lot of nature imagery, I would like to better understand what it represents.
The more Antoinette and Rochesters marriage progresses the more Antoinette starts to become her mother. The health of both Anette and Antoinette declined within their marriage. There is a lot of actions that are mirrored between them. The horses, the marriages, and even the fire.
Gender and Lit Blog 