This book reminded me a lot of the ghazals that we studied in the beginning of the semester. We learned how mirrors were used in ghazals to symbolize self-reflection and self-understanding. Did anyone else notice the use of the looking-glasses in Wide Sargasso Sea? Antoinette mention them several times. One of the first uses is when she is at the convent. "We have no looking-glass in the dormitory, once I saw the young nun from Ireland looking at herself in a cask of water, smiling to see if her dimples were still there" (30). Even though these women are in a convent and they are all supposed to look similar and plain, this women still wanted to make sure she had her dimples, which were a unique physical characteristic that set her apart from others. The mirror is used as a source of individualism.
At the end of the book when Antoinette is in England, she describes her room and complains that "there is no looking-glass here and I don't know what I am like now" (116). I think the wording here is important. Antoinette does not say that she can't see what she looks like, but rather she can't see what she is like. It seems like she needs the mirror to reflect what her personality is like.
I wonder if this has any correlation to the topic of insanity we discussed in class, and how a person is only insane if others declare it. Maybe Antoinette wanted to see her own reflection so that she would understand how other people were viewing her. Any thoughts?
Here is an article on the history of mirrors and how they shaped individualism. It goes into detail about the importance of mirrors throughout history, and how they were used for other purposes other than satisfying vanity. http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/500284.html
I wonder if this has any correlation to the topic of insanity we discussed in class, and how a person is only insane if others declare it. Maybe Antoinette wanted to see her own reflection so that she would understand how other people were viewing her. Any thoughts?
Here is an article on the history of mirrors and how they shaped individualism. It goes into detail about the importance of mirrors throughout history, and how they were used for other purposes other than satisfying vanity. http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/500284.html
That's a really interesting link that you posted! I always thought that mirrors are really interesting symbolically because they are very flexible from story to story as to what they stand for. I unfortunately haven't gotten as far as this part yet, but what you say here seems to make sense, it all comes back to the idea that others define you and can also judge you like they judge Antoinette to be insane. I also agree that the way the quote you mentioned is worded is also very important: in a literary sense, through mirrors people are able to see into themselves rather than simply seeing themselves. Tying it back to Wide Sargasso Sea, it does make sense that Antoinette would want a mirror so she can understand how she is. In mirrors we are able to find themselves, and I see Antoinette as wanting a source of both knowledge and comfort by means of a mirror in this scene.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a really interesting post, and I love the picture! In answer to your question, I think insanity is something claimed by others. There is a saying that says something about 'the truly insane people don't realize they're insane'. Antoinette knows people see her differently, but she doesn't understand it, doesn't think she is insane, yet her actions are not normal. It definitely isn't a black or white issue, but that's kind of what I think.
ReplyDeleteProfessor Dasgupta also reminded me of the significance of mirrors in Home and the World. It's a re-occurring symbol in the books we've been reading. I never really thought about the significance of mirrors before, but I am beginning to understand how important it is for us to see ourselves as other people are seeing us. (Important in a personal way, not in a necessary way). I think a really cool experiment would be to avoid mirrors for a few days, and write about how it affected your thoughts and behavior.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was very interesting that you brought this up and how you worded it. Antoinette really lost sight of herself throughout the novel. I really think that was a driving factor in her insanity.
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