'Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again....'
I have just started reading this book, called Rebecca. It was written in 1938, and tells the story from the point of view of the the heroine of the story, who remains nameless. She works as a lady's companion for the rude and boastful Mrs Van Hopper, and on a trip to South France, she meets a handsome and charming widower, named Max de Winter. From what I have read so far, she comes across as quite a feeble, timid person, who's position on the social heirachy deprives her of speaking for herself, and means that she must do things not out of will, but because she knows no other way. du Maurier creates sympathy and empathy for the protagonist, through the quotation, 'You don't understand. I'm not the sort of person that men marry.' She then goes on to say 'I don't think I know how to explain. I don't belong in your sort of world for one thing.' This shows that she feels very insecure, and has no self-confidence or self-esteem. The real story of the ominous Manderley, the home of Max de Winter, and it's secrets begins to be revealed a bit further on in the book, but I am informed that when the new Mrs de Winter arrives at the brooding Manderley, she soon finds that the memory of Max's dead wife Rebecca will be forever kept alive by the wicked housekeeper, Mrs Danvers....
