Identity In Wide Sargasso Sea

The Importance of Identity
In Rhys' novel, Wide Sargasso Sea, society leads Antoinette to a path of insanity as a result of her lack of identity in her childhood and marriage.
Antoinette lacks identity even from her earliest memories of her childhood. In order to develop mentally as well as physically, a child needs a strong support system when growing up and so Antoinette's path to insanity starts at this point in her life. For example, Antoinette's mother, Annette, does not give her the vital attention she needs while growing up and Antoinette says, "But [Annette] pushed me away, not roughly but calmly, coldly, without a word, as if she had decided once and for all that I was useless to her" (Rhys 18). The actions of her mother deeply
For instance, Antoinette explains her financial situation to Christophine when she says, "And you must understand I am not rich now, I have no money of my own at all, everything I had belongs to him" (Rhys 100). Before the marriage, she is able to support herself, however once they marry, Antoinette depends on Rochester in more than one way—and he lets her down. This situation demonstrates the point in Antoinette's life when she is first trapped, this time financially and later physically, and most of her escape routes, such as leaving Rochester, are lost forever. The feeling of being trapped drives Antoinette further down the path of insanity. Furthermore, Rochester ignores Antoinette when she says, "'Then why do you never come near me?' she said. 'Or kiss me, or talk to me. Why do you think I can bear it, what reason have you for treating me like that? Have you any reason?'" (Rhys 115). The isolation in her marriage compounds with the solitude of her childhood and creates major doubts in Antoinette's mind. Her mind spins to make reasons why everyone ignores her and paranoia sets in, which builds up over time and ends with her mental instability. Lastly, Rochester rejects Antoinette again, this time physically and not vocally. For example, Rochester indifferently states after having relations with Amélie, "[Amélie] was so gay, so natural and something of this gaiety she must have given to me, for I had not one moment of remorse. Nor was I anxious to know what was happening behind the thin partition which divided us from my wife's bedroom" (Rhys 127). After this point in their marriage, Rochester—one of Antoinette's alleged supporters—rejects her mentally, physically, and emotionally, which eliminates any remaining shred of identity that Antoinette retains. Rochester picks the one person who directly targets and belittles Antoinette and sleeps with her and