Villette

Lucy’s fortune takes a dramatic turn for the better. She has gone from dangerously depressed, severely ill, and utterly alone to attending a performance for royalty in the company of friends who care for her. The holiday spent with family that Lucy was denied the first weeks of the school break is returned to her twofold in the kindness of her godmother and John Graham. She often finds herself pleasantly surprised at how much she enjoys the company of these people, reluctant to admit she was desperately lonely. Free from the fetters of her employment and Madame Beck’s scrutiny, she can enjoy the city and community. The time at La Terrasse has changed her for the better, but her stern nature prevents her from fully accepting and enjoying herself at times.

The author explores Lucy’s character through the lens of her developing relationships with John Graham and M. Paul. Both men have a hold on Lucy that she cannot deny, but her feelings for each are vastly different. Lucy and John’s relationship has progressed since he ignored her at Rue Fossette. After Lucy speaks freely with him about Ginevra, their relationship deepens. Though Lucy’s words hurt John, her frankness draws him into a true friendship. He begins to show her a side of himself he rarely lets others see. Lucy is still enamored with his good looks, but she is also attracted to his benevolent care of his patients. In contrast, as Lucy’s relationship with Graham moves towards a healthy companionship, she finds antagonism and disapproval from M. Paul each time they are together. The scene in the art gallery illustrates M. Paul’s desire to dominate and control Lucy’s behavior. She is his professional equal, as they are both teachers at the same school, yet he casts himself as a guardian to Lucy. He takes it upon himself to censor her view of the Cleopatra painting, going as far as to make Lucy physically move her body. This is the second time M. Paul has forced Lucy to move, and though this episode is far less brutal than locking her in the attic, it is another brazen attempt to assert dominance over a woman whom he sees as weak and in need of discipline. M. Paul may try to control Lucy’s body, but she remains in firm control of her mind and sees his choice of art as boring and uninspiring.

These chapters provide a new view of Lucy’s internal life as she begins to flourish in the presence of friendship and community. Just as she did before the party, Lucy catches a glimpse of herself in a mirror and struggles to recognize the woman she sees. Lucy is confident in her mind, but looking at her outward appearance causes her to disassociate from herself. It appears she cannot reconcile the woman she knows on the interior with what she sees on the exterior. This schism is due to her repressed childhood trauma and ongoing mental health condition. Lucy can experience personal growth in the care of her godmother and the companionship of John, but she will never be able to fully separate from her painful past. True healing will come when she learns to accept this part of herself and set aside the guilt and shame of a past she could not control. In Lucy’s struggle, the author presents another view of the coming-of-age journey. Protagonists in a novel of formation typically struggle against external forces. However, Lucy’s primary antagonist is her past, which lives in her mind.