Stephanie Storczer
Mrs Molyneaux
Blog Post 4
Topic D
5/8/15
Among many of the themes in Rebecca, marriage and failure seem to stand out. Constantly does the main character mention her discomfort in the stability of the marriage, and this is especially shown after the ball. Throughout the marriage, MC had feelings of doubt when Maxim would treat her as a child or snap at her, but after dressing in the same outfit as Rebecca and being accused of mockery, she knew the marriage was going downhill once and for all. She "no longer made any effort to pretend" that the marriage was going well (232). After the mistake, "last night had shown [her] too well. [Her] marriage was a failure" (232). MC feels that there is nothing to be done about the marriage and thoroughly feels that Maxim feels the same way. Making the mistake of bringing back Rebecca and her memories was the last straw. The motif of a failing marriage surfaced in the very beginning of the book and continued to grow until just the right thing could make it snap.
I agree that the main character's and Maxim's marriage was failing ever since they said "I do"; however, it gained back its structure when Maxim finally opened up to the main character and let out his darkest secrets about the truth of his marriage to Rebecca. His distance to the main character was really only there because he could not find a way to tell her what really happened. He clearly loves her, and is worried that she does not love him after finding out about the murder. Failure, in its own separate category, is however very present in the novel. The main character is constantly failing in trying to live up to Rebecca. Eventually, the main character realizes she dos not have to, and she becomes the woman she was trying so hard to be; strong and independent of Rebecca’s influence.
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