Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Wide Sargasso Sea, by Jean Rhys

Characters
Part I
Coulibri Estate, Jamaica
Part II
Massacre, cottage
Part III
Thornfield, England
Antoinette Cosway Mason
Annette – mother
Pierre – younger brother
Mr. Mason – stepfather
Aunt Cora

Christophine – servant from Martinique, obeah
“Sass” Disastrous Thomas

Sandi – Alexander Cosway’s son

Mailotte – Christophine’s friend
Tia - daughter
Antoinette
Mr. Rochester

Christophine

Mr. Richard Mason

Daniel Cosway – letter writer

Servants:
Amelie
Baptiste
Hilda

Antoinette – Bertha
Mr. Rochester

Grace Poole
Leah
Mrs. Eff


For discussion:

  1. Discuss the character of Antoinette.  What was the effect of her environment on her personality?  What was the effect of heredity?
  1. Considering Annette, Antoinette’s mother, how much of her fate was decided by the political atmosphere of the times?
    3.   What do you think happened between Antoinette and Sandi?

  1. Do you think Mr. Rochester should have made a different decision about marrying Antoinette?  Could he have made a different decision?
  1. In the novel, who was your favorite character?  The most sympathetic character?
  1. How well did the author develop the characters? 
Considering Wide Sargasso Sea along with Jane Eyre:

  1. Both Jane Eyre and Antoinette spent years in a boarding school.  Discuss the similarities and differences in their experiences? 
  1. How did Jane and Antoinette’s childhoods differ?  How did these differences affect their adult lives?
  1. How much influence did your background knowledge of Jane Eyre affect your reading of Wide Sargasso Sea?
  1. Do you think Wide Sargasso Sea could stand on its own without the connection to Jane Eyre?  Why or why not?

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