Women’s Reading Club members include (back row, left to right) Deborah Chadwick, Mary Lynn Tinkle, Stephanie Elswick, Sue Russell, and Billie Sue Payne; (front row, left to right) Jane Morrison, Fannie Watson, Montie Wagnon, Bonnie Lucas, and Dottie West. (Photo by Ginia Hooper)
March 15, 2021 - Stephanie Elswick presented this month’s book review at the Women’s Reading Club meeting. Her review was on “Rebecca” by Daphne Du Maurier. Portions of her review and quotes from the book included:
“Rebecca” was written by Daphne Du Maurier in 1938. It is a classic tale of romantic suspense. The novel was adapted into a movie which was directed by Alfred Hitchcock. This famous director also directed a movie from another one of Ms. Du Maurier’s books called “The Birds.”
“She has been called one of the great shapers of popular culture and the modern imagination. In 1969 she became Dame Daphne Du Maurier.
“Last night I dreamt I went to Manderly again. I no longer live in my beautiful Manderly. The world of Manderly. The world of beauty. The world of mystery.
“I am not the beautiful, elegant Rebecca De Winter. I don’t even have a first name in this novel. It’s not necessary. As I am but a shadow behind Rebecca.
“I am the storyteller. I am the second Mrs. Maxim De Winter. Rebecca was the first.
“I married Maxim De Winter in a rather hasty manner while visiting Monte Carlo. I did not have any kind of idea of who I was or what I wanted to become. At that time, I was serving as an assistant to a very old, very rich woman. I was flattered by Maxim’s intense attention. I never really received attention from anyone. I had no family. I was always the quiet one in the corner. Until, one day, I was thrust into Maxim’s world. Rebecca’s world. I was black and white. People that knew Rebecca painted her as a vivid rainbow. I was nothing but a frump.
“I feel so much older now. Although I haven’t aged another year since marrying Maxim. The drama that has unfolded within the first year of our marriage has made me grow up. Rebecca’s murder turned me into a much older woman.
“Manderly was our home. But it was Rebecca’s home first. Our housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, made sure that Rebecca was everywhere in our house. She loved Rebecca. She hated me. The feeling is mutual. Mrs. Danvers made my life in Manderly so miserable. She unsuccessfully tried to get me to commit suicide. She also unsuccessfully tried to split Maxim and I up on several occasions.
“Mrs. Danvers held the power of Rebecca over me until, one day, Rebecca’s body was dredged up from the sea. She was in her boat. Supposedly, Rebecca was an excellent sailor. So how and why did she drown? We were in shock.
“My husband originally told me that Rebecca drowned one year ago. He had identified the body.
“But now, things are different. Maxim made a mistake. A life changing mistake.
“Suddenly we were surrounded by the press, as well as detectives and judges. The obvious questions were asked. Why did Maxim identify the first body as Rebecca? Didn’t he know his own wife’s body? Again, how on earth could Rebecca drown? She was a well-respected sailor. She would never leave the helm of her boat during a storm.
“Among all of this cloud of confusion an odd feeling came over me. I was no longer afraid of Rebecca. I no longer felt obliged to Rebecca. Suddenly, SHE was the shadow. I became the lady of Manderly. I gave Mrs. Manderly orders with confidence. I changed my wardrobe to reflect the money that I had married into. I no longer minded entertaining visitors in Manderly. My house.
“Along with this new and glorious feeling of release, my relationship with Maxim literally changed overnight. He no longer treated me like a child that is 25 years his junior. I was his equal now. His partner. His lover.
“We navigated through this dramatic experience together. We protected one another from her.
“The true story of how Rebecca drowned was unraveled. The unraveling did lead to intense changes in several lives.
“Especially in the memory of a past life. Rebecca’s life.”
Article by Stephanie Elswick
