It is not enough to just analyse a passage or chapter in isolation; you must also consider why that particular passage or chapter is important to the text as a whole. What key themes or ideas does it represent? Does it foreshadow upcoming events? Does it reveal more about a character’s motivations, thoughts or feelings, given what has happened and/or what is to come? The following section includes some key moments from the novel and how they are relevant to the rest of the text, but this list is not exhaustive, and you are encouraged to consider other moments and how these also relate to the novel as a whole.
Key moment
Chapter 16
“Maxim had not moved. He stared up at me, his glass in his hand. There was no colour in his face. It was ashen white. I saw Frank go to him as though he would speak, but Maxim shook him off.”
Summary of key moment:
- In this chapter, Maxim and the second Mrs de Winter host a costume ball
- The narrator follows Mrs Danvers’s advice and unwittingly wears a dress similar to Rebecca’s
- Maxim becomes incensed when he sees her
Why this is important in relation to the novel as a whole:
- The ball serves as a microcosm of the societal pressures and expectations that the protagonist faces:
- The ball exposes the protagonist’s insecurities and illustrates the contrast between her and Rebecca
- Her decision to follow Mrs Danvers’s advice and dress similarly to the lady in the painting illustrates Mrs Danvers’s sinister behaviour
- This moment is important as Maxim’s failure to return to the narrator that night is seen to depict the ending of their marriage at this point in the novel
Key moment
Chapter 16
“He grinned again, and wiped his nose with the back of his hand. 'She'll break up bit by bit,' he said, 'she'll not sink like a stone like the little 'un.' He chuckled to himself, picking his nose. I did not say anything. 'The fishes have eaten her up by now, haven't they?' he said. 'Who?' I said.”
Summary of key moment:
- In this chapter, Ben speaks about Rebecca’s body and hints at the truth about Rebecca’s death
Why this is important in relation to the novel as a whole:
- This incident in the chapter is the moment when the true circumstances surrounding Rebecca's death are revealed:
- This revelation marks a shift in the focus of the narrative as, until this point, the narrative had been characterised by secrets and mystery
- The revelation serves as a catalyst for the climax of the novel:
- It forces the narrator and Maxim to confront uncomfortable truths, which leads to a transformation of both of their characters
- The sunken boat is symbolic of the hidden truths and secrecy within Manderley
Key moment
Chapter 20
“She used to have this fellow Favell down to the cottage,” said Maxim, “she would tell the servants she was going to sail, and would not be back before the morning. Then she would spend the night down there with him.”
Summary of key moment:
- Maxim tells the second Mrs de Winter about the true nature of Rebecca and her affair with Jack Flavell
Why this is important in relation to the novel as a whole:
- Throughout most of the narrative, Rebecca has been idealised. However, these revelations disrupt the romanticised image of her:
- It serves as a narrative climax and resolves the mystery which has surrounded Manderley
- This moment aligns with central themes of the novel such as identity, deception and the haunting influence of the past on the present:
- It enables the narrator to challenge her preconceived notions about Rebecca and to question the image of Rebecca and her own self