Antoinette's Loss Of Identity Essay

Antoinette's lack of identity results in her mental instability at the end of the novel. Ever since she is a child, the people around Antoinette deprive her of the basic support any person needs while developing, which leads her to develop insanity. For instance, while Antoinette suffers alone in the attic Rochester locks her in, she talks with Grace,
Grace said, "I suppose you're going to tell me that you don't remember anything about last night."
"When was last night?" I said.
"Yesterday,"
"I don't remember yesterday." (Rhys 163)
Antoinette suffers from a lose of the concept of time due to the lack of human contact and support of those around her. Even Grace, the woman who watches after Antoinette, fears her and makes little effort
She ends up not understanding the dramatic changes in her life that Rochester makes for her and others perceive that loss of comprehension as insanity. Lastly, the final result of the lack of identity Antoinette faces is the loss of recognition of herself. This is evident when she says,
There is no looking-glass here and I don't know what I am like now. I remember watching myself brush my hair and how my eyes looked back at me. The girl I saw was myself yet not quite myself. Long ago when I was a child and very lonely I tried to kiss her. But the glass was between us -- hard, cold and misted over with my breath. Now they have taken everything away. What am I doing in this place and who am I? (Rhys 162)
Antoinette finally concedes that she has lost the rest of her identity and Rochester forces her to lose all meaning of who she is as a person. At this point, he takes away anything that matters to Antoinette, her pride, independence, and loved ones such as Christophine, which completely destroys Antoinette's mental state. Rochester finishes the destruction of Antoinette's life that begins when her mother rejects her for the first