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The Role Of Manderly In Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca

Decent Essays

Often times one part of the book, for example a character, will have an effect on another part of the book, for example the plot. In Rebecca, Manderly plays and important role in the mood, action and conflict, and character, which make it the most significant setting in Rebecca. Daphne Du Maurier brings Manderly alive in a sense, giving it many roles that make the mansion and grounds seem more like a character than a setting. The mansion has much influence over many aspects of the story and characters, much like another character would. Like a main character, Manderly is used to develop characters, advance the plot, and set the mood.

Manderly is the compelling force in the character development of the narrator and Maxim. In the beginning of the story, Maxim is driven by his all consuming love of the and he acted in the name of his love for Manderly more than once. Maxim's actions that are motivated by his feelings for his estate …show more content…

For instance, Manderly sets the mood when Maxim and the narrator go to the Happy Valley. The estate is almost character like in its ability to affect the characters' moods. The description of the Happy Valley puts the characters in a content mood and sets the surroundings to the same: “The sky, now overcast and sullen, so changed from the early afternoon, and the steady, insistent rain could not disturb the soft quietude of the valley… This at last was the core of Manderly, the Manderly I would know and learn to love.” (109).The scenes that follow have a mysterious and tense mood, which is a stark contrast after the Happy Valley. Shortly after the Happy Valley, the narrator enters the cabin, which has a very mysterious mood. The setting at Manderly highlights the change, just as character suddenly going from happy to scared might. Moments later the narrator and Maxim get into an argument in the beautiful woods, another stark contrast highlighted by the setting at

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