Antoinette Character Blog Post

Jean Rhys presents the first part of the novel from the protagonist Antoinette's perspective, this is done so in order for us ( as the readers) to establish a clearer state of mind. Meaning that through reading the beginning of the novel from Antoinette's point of view, we should be capable of understanding where she is coming from and why she says and does what she does. Furthermore, we are presented with a first hand opportunity to observe how the whites felt in terms of their treatment by the blacks. Although not pleasant we are able to comprehend why the blacks had such a strong hatred towards the whites (after all they were enslaved by them).

Antoinette is presented to the reader as a young Creole girl who is both solitary and reactive. Within the first part of the novel, Antoinette is one who is not capable of maintaining not only her own mother's love but also her companionship with her friends and family. This was established in the very beginning of the novel, Antoinette knew from a young age that she did not “fit in”. Herself and her family were alienated from their community simply due to their skin color. Antoinette was the white daughter of an ex-slaver owner who now lived in Coulibri Estate with her mother, brother and their servants after her fathers death. No one welcomed the Cosway's with open arms upon their arrival to Coulibri Estate, on page 20 Antoinette states “ I never looked at any strange negro. They hated us. They called us white cockroaches. Let sleeping dogs lie. One day a little girl followed me singing, "Go away white cockroach, go away, go away." ”. Hence displaying the latent hostility Antoinette and her family were subjected towards, alongside dealing with the black community's mistreatment. Whilst further emphasising on the racial conflicts that were present during that time and how the whites were viewed by the opposing race.

Bringing everything back to the simple concept of racial conflict. It was due to not being willing to accept one another as equals that such vulgar insults were projected onto the whites and the blacks. Calling an individual a “white cockroach” or a “nigger” is not the way to go about resolving conflicts, rather it just makes matters worse.