The Absence of Words

I just finished reading Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier, and I highly recommend it for anyone who loves reading for the beauty of the writing, rather than just the plot. Du Maurier's description of the grounds at the great house of Manderley is exquisite. You can see the flowers in bloom, smell the multitude of scents, and feel the rain dripping softly on your head. It always amazes me how great writers are able to string together collections of individual words to make beautiful sentences that perfectly convey images or emotions.

Another detail that impressed me about Rebecca was how the absence of words made a significant impact in one case. The main character of the novel is a shy and unrefined young woman who falls in love with and marries the older and wealthy Maximilian de Winter in 1930s England. She finds herself overwhelmed by her sudden ascent to her position as mistress of a great house and the wife of a well-known aristocrat. She also becomes increasingly intimidated by the memory of the late Mrs. de Winter, who was well-bred, beautiful, and hugely popular among her acquaintances.

While one might assume the novel is named for the young Mrs. de Winter, "Rebecca" is, in fact, the late Mrs. de Winter. While she is the narrator and the main character of the novel, the new Mrs. de Winter's name is never given. She is entirely nameless at the beginning of the novel, and is subsequently only referred to as "Mrs. de Winter" or "madam." I found the subtly of this omission very intriguing. The narrator has no identity outside of her position as mistress of Manderley, so she has no name other than that of "Mrs. de Winter." Meanwhile, the character who isn't even alive at any point during the novel is not only given a name, but is the book's namesake as well. I was so impressed by the way the author was able to portray her heroine's mental state through such a simple thing as leaving her nameless.

So even though I love how words can create wonderful images and spell out complex emotions, I was thoroughly intrigued by the message that came across so clearly through the omission of words in Rebecca.

I hope everyone else finds this interesting as well. If not, you should still read Rebecca; it's a wonderfully written suspense novel that I think most people will enjoy!