What is the main conflict in Rebecca?

Yep, Rebecca is the conflict. When Mrs. de Winter gets to Maxim’s famous home, Manderley, she’s petrified that she won’t fit in. To make matters worse, she feels like everybody (especially Maxim) is comparing her unfavorably to Maxim’s recently deceased first wife, Rebecca.

What is the storyline of Rebecca?

Rebecca is a 1938 Gothic novel written by English author, Daphne du Maurier. The novel depicts an unnamed young woman who impetuously marries a wealthy widower, before discovering that both he and his household are haunted by the memory of his late first wife, the title character.

What does Manderley represent in Rebecca?

Manderley is a centuries-old estate, ruled by the de Winter family for generations. At the most basic symbolic level, Manderley is an embodiment of the past: a huge, sprawling place where tradition and remembrance are all-important.

How does Rebecca haunt Maxim?

But a dark cloud hangs over their marriage: Maxim’s first wife, Rebecca, drowned in a cove near Manderley the previous year, and her ghost haunts the newlyweds’ home. Upon seeing the heroine, Maxim is horrified, and the heroine becomes convinced that he will never love her, that he is still devoted to Rebecca.

What is the climax of the story Rebecca?

Suicide? Mrs. Danvers tries to convince the Narrator to jump out the window and commit suicide.

What makes Rebecca Gothic?

Rebecca is a classic of modern gothic literature. Gothic fiction is characterized by picturesque settings, an atmosphere of mystery and terror, and a hint of violence and the supernatural; Rebecca exemplifies the genre.

What does the ending of Rebecca mean?

Mrs Danvers sets fire to Manderley at the end of the film as an act of revenge for the death of Rebecca. While this is an unhappy ending for Mrs Danvers and Rebecca – who has been murdered – it’s a happy ending for Maxim and his wife. He has ‘gotten away with murder’ and the ghost of Rebecca is gone for good.

Why is the first line of Rebecca so famous?

– Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier (1938) As the opening line suggests, the entire tale is told retrospectively, from a time and place far away from the dramatic and distressing events the second Mrs. de Winter has lived through.

What do rhododendrons symbolize in Rebecca?

The rhododendrons symbolise Rebecca. They represent her dominant personality, her vividness, her love of life and her beauty. Their unnatural aspect also symbolises her cruelty and depravity, and their lurid blood-red colour hints at her violent end.

Does Rebecca have a happy ending?

Mrs Danvers sets fire to Manderley at the end of the film as an act of revenge for the death of Rebecca. We see her plummet into the sea to join Rebecca, a final act of love. While this is an unhappy ending for Mrs Danvers and Rebecca – who has been murdered – it’s a happy ending for Maxim and his wife.

What does the end of Rebecca mean?

Was Mrs. Danvers Rebecca’s mom?

Her role in the novel Nicknamed “Danny” by Rebecca, (but never given a first name), Mrs. Danvers was Rebecca’s maid as a child and following the death of her previous mistress, persecutes the new Mrs. de Winter.

What is the theme of the novel Rebecca?

As the novel goes on, however, we realize that life at Manderley is dominated by the memory of Maxim’s first wife, Rebecca. In essence, the novel Rebecca is about the memory of a memory. In light of memory’s obvious importance to the novel, it’s worth examining this theme a little more closely.

What is the conflict between the narrator and the memory of Rebecca?

The narrator’s preoccupation with Rebecca develops to the point that she concludes that Maxim is still in love with her. With this revelation, the conflict between the narrator and the memory of Rebecca becomes a competition for Maxim’s love.

How do I Track themes in Rebecca?

LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Rebecca, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. From the first sentence, it’s apparent that Rebecca is constructed as a memory.

How does the narrator feel about Maxim’s relationship with Rebecca?

From his first entrance in the novel, Maxim is tormented by the memory of his marriage to Rebecca and his eventual murder of her. Even though the narrator never knew Rebecca, she is equally haunted by her presence at Manderley through her physical representative, Mrs. Danvers.