Feelings of Power

     There are various groups of people in the first part of the book that hold different amounts of power.  That power is based off of beliefs and the background of the people.    Annette, Mr. Mason, Christophine and the workers on the estate all have their own forms of power over themselves and others.  At first Antoinette’s childhood is simple and she feels at home even though she is the only white child in the area.  She feels equal until her encounter with the black girl on page 6. “One day a little girl followed me singing, ‘Go away white cockroach, go away, go away‘ I walked fast but she walked faster, ‘White cockroach go away, go away, go away’.”  After this Antoinette runs home and hides until Chistophine finds her.  The other girl feels a sense of power over Antoinette, even though she is part of the “elite” she knows the strength of her people and how their numbers are greater.  Mr. Mason feels that he has power over the workers due to his status and how he views the workers.  “They are curious. It’s natural enough.  You have lived alone far too long, Annette. You imagine enmity which doesn’t exist.  Always one extreme or the other.” - “They’re too damn lazy to be dangerous”.  Mr. Mason underestimates the workers and that gives him a sense of power, thinking they could not be a danger to him.  The workers also feel a sense of power as they gather to burn the house.  They have the numbers advantage and the they have been insulted by Mr. Mason so they are spurred into action.  The power remains with them until the parrot dies and Christophine comes out, then the power has shifted to the Obeah and superstition.  “I heard someone say something about bad luck and remembered that it was very unlucky t o kill a parrot, or even to see a parrot die. They began to go then, quickly, silently, and those  that were left drew aside and watched us as we trailed across the grass. They were not laughing any more.”  The various characters in the book move in and out of power positions due to their actions and how they view themselves at the time.  When a character feels like they hold power, like Mr. Mason, they act on it and whether or not they do hold power is irrelevant, as they spur another group into response.  That group or person may or may not affect the balance of power but since they are affected by it, it alters their view and changes how the power is viewed.  I found a link to a website that looks at some of the themes of power in The Wide Sargasso Sea as well, http://www.shmoop.com/wide-sargasso-sea/power-theme.html.