Views of the Caribbean
There are considerable differences between the views of Antoinette and Rochester. During their honeymoon time at Antoinette's family estate, Antoinette and Rochester show a large contrast in the way they react to the Creole world around them. While we might judge them by the way they react in Jamaica, as the roles they play in the Caribbean might be one way, it can be argued that their roles would be reversed if the story was taking place in Rochester's home of England.
Antoinette is clearly very comfortable in the home they are staying in for their honeymoon. She has been there often and enjoys being at this estate. She knows everything about the nature and world around them, as she suggests things for Rochester to do during the day, like going to the pools. Antoinette also feels very safe in her environment here. She appreciates the rains at night and the nature around her. Antoinette is also clearly comfortable with the local people around them. She is very close with Christophine, who Antoinette feels very sad about leaving. Antoinette hugs her and also feels comfortable around the rest of the servants to openly disagree with them, for example when she slaps and then physically fights with Amélie. Antoinette clearly loves and is contented in her home of the Caribbean.
Rochester, on the other hand, feels discontented in the Caribbean. He has never really been away from England before, and this new place is very different to what he knows. He doesn't like the bright colors of nature, the spicy flavors of the cooking, and the general vibe of the Caribbean. Rochester obviously feels very uncomfortable in this place that Antoinette feels exactly the opposite about. Everything that exists around Rochester, however pretty and idyllic it may seem to us, seems horrible to him. Rochester is also very uncomfortable around the servants they have at their honeymoon estate. It is clear he knows about the background of slavery in the Caribbean, but he has no clue about any of the current relations. He feels grossed out by Antoinette being so close to Christophine and isn't a fan of the locals: freed slave or Creole. Everything Rochester experiences in the Caribbean, he always compares to England, even when it is something that can't be compared because they are such extremely different places. This comparing greatly influences his view of the Caribbean.
Both Antoinette and Rochester are very different people with very different views on their current environment. This difference is clearly based on the different upbringings that Antoinette and Rochester had. Antoinette being very connected and involved in nature as a child, where Rochester grew up in "cold, dark, gray" England. Because Antoinette was the narrator for the first part of the novel, we can connect with her view of her home, the Caribbean. This makes the second part of the book, with Rochester narrating, seem ungrateful and incorrect as everything we know about the environment the novel is set in, we learned from someone who loved it.
Would the situation be similar (only reversed) if Antoinette came to England instead of Rochester to the Caribbean? Or would Antoinette be more open to liking her new environment? Feel free to share your thoughts!
Antoinette is clearly very comfortable in the home they are staying in for their honeymoon. She has been there often and enjoys being at this estate. She knows everything about the nature and world around them, as she suggests things for Rochester to do during the day, like going to the pools. Antoinette also feels very safe in her environment here. She appreciates the rains at night and the nature around her. Antoinette is also clearly comfortable with the local people around them. She is very close with Christophine, who Antoinette feels very sad about leaving. Antoinette hugs her and also feels comfortable around the rest of the servants to openly disagree with them, for example when she slaps and then physically fights with Amélie. Antoinette clearly loves and is contented in her home of the Caribbean.
Rochester, on the other hand, feels discontented in the Caribbean. He has never really been away from England before, and this new place is very different to what he knows. He doesn't like the bright colors of nature, the spicy flavors of the cooking, and the general vibe of the Caribbean. Rochester obviously feels very uncomfortable in this place that Antoinette feels exactly the opposite about. Everything that exists around Rochester, however pretty and idyllic it may seem to us, seems horrible to him. Rochester is also very uncomfortable around the servants they have at their honeymoon estate. It is clear he knows about the background of slavery in the Caribbean, but he has no clue about any of the current relations. He feels grossed out by Antoinette being so close to Christophine and isn't a fan of the locals: freed slave or Creole. Everything Rochester experiences in the Caribbean, he always compares to England, even when it is something that can't be compared because they are such extremely different places. This comparing greatly influences his view of the Caribbean.
Both Antoinette and Rochester are very different people with very different views on their current environment. This difference is clearly based on the different upbringings that Antoinette and Rochester had. Antoinette being very connected and involved in nature as a child, where Rochester grew up in "cold, dark, gray" England. Because Antoinette was the narrator for the first part of the novel, we can connect with her view of her home, the Caribbean. This makes the second part of the book, with Rochester narrating, seem ungrateful and incorrect as everything we know about the environment the novel is set in, we learned from someone who loved it.
Would the situation be similar (only reversed) if Antoinette came to England instead of Rochester to the Caribbean? Or would Antoinette be more open to liking her new environment? Feel free to share your thoughts!
I think that Antoinette would be a little more open to England, since she wouldn't have to deal with the huge historical baggage that comes on her in the Caribbean. England would be more welcoming of her than the Caribbean of Rochester. However she would probably miss the extra wildness in the Caribbean with its beautiful scenery and spicy food, and wouldn't be as satisfied fitting in the "gray"er life of England. I think her social skills need a little more work though, since she's only had scarring experiences with the one friend she had (Tia). She would have to get adjusted to the more busy English lifestyle with crowded places and a lot more people.
ReplyDeleteI think both Rochester and Antoinette’s views of the landscape are based on the circumstances under which they are there. I think Rochester dislikes the landscape because he feels like he has lost control over his life and other people and then associates that loss of control with the landscape. You hint at the idea that Antoinette associates the landscape at the honeymoon estate with the feelings of safety and being at home that she has experienced while staying there. Since associated feelings affect her view of the landscape in that case, I think it’s likely that Antoinette’s view of England would depend on the circumstances under which she came to England.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think that it would be quite different if Antoinette had come to England. As Annemily pointed out, I think a lot of Rochester's dissatisfaction stems from his lack of control, and therefore pride in his lack of effort to try to understand and acclimate to the environment around him. On the other hand, although I think that Antoinette would definitely be homesick, she would not have the same kind of reactions that Rochester did.
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