Thursday, November 3, 2011

Wide Sargasso Sea: Tia

Antoinette is full of naivety due to her isolated upbringing. Even though she recognizes the harshness of the world, she is easily deceived by the slightest changes that are made to seem like miracles to her.

Tia, the daughter of Maillotte in Wide Sargasso Sea appears for short amounts of time in the novel. She is supposedly Antoinette's only remaining memory of her childhood. After having her first home burned down, Antoinette even said that "she [Tia] was all that was left of my life as it had been." (45) But Tia treats her so maliciously. Antoinette was isolated from others as a child because she was an alien within her community. Tia, the only person who would spend time with Antoinette, turned against Antoinette. Even though Antoinette recognized Tia as a "friend and I [Antoinette] met her nearly every morning at the turn of the road to the river." (23) Tia, one day, unfairly steals both Antoinette's dress and her money. She does this because she realizes how culturally different she and Antoinette are from each other and believes that they are in no position to be in each others' company due to their different statuses (Annette comes from a family of slave owners).

Later on, after Antoinette had all of her childhood burnt down, Tia, the last memory of Antionette's past, assaults her with a rock. Antoinette said that "When I was close I saw the jagged stone in her hand but I did not see her throw it. I did not feel it either, only something wet, running down my face. I looked at her and I saw her face crumple up as she began to cry. We stared at each other, blood on my face, tears on hers. It was as if i saw myself. Like in a looking-glass" (45). Antoinette states that she did not see Tia throw the rock that injured her. It very well might be possible that it was a 3rd person who hurt Antoinette, but knowing Tia as who she is, it is very likely that it was Tia who hit Antoinette. Antoinette, who desperately longed for a friend, responded very calmly to the situation. She even saw that she and Tia were very similar.

Antoinette led herself to believe that she and Tia would reunite the night of the house burning, but their history should have led Antoinette to realize that them two could not be friends because of their differing backgrounds. Antoinette definitely displays naivety as a character because she allows her wants to precede the reality. I am not saying that this is unbelievably true, but due to Antoinette's childlike ideals, Wide Sargasso Sea may turn out to be somewhat of a coming of age novel. Of course, this is just a speculation of what the following parts will be about. Who knows what will happen!

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