Villette

Analyze the role Victorian social constraints play in the novel. In what ways does the author attempt to hold up or subvert these rules?

How do social rank and privilege register thematically in the narrative arc or specific characters’ roles? Does her social standing, or lack thereof, bother Lucy? Why or why not?

For what reasons might the author have chosen to incorporate (apparently) supernatural events in the novel?

In literature, a foil is a character that contrasts with another to highlight specific traits. Which characters are foils of each other in Villette? What does the comparison of the two reveal?

Large portions of the novel’s dialogue are written in French. How does this contribute to the work’s setting?

Throughout the novel, many objects and, in some cases, humans are enclosed, locked away, encased, or buried. Analyze the theme of concealment through the lens of these instances.

Many of Lucy’s secrets remain mysterious; only the priest knows the truth about her past. What does the author accomplish in leaving parts of the protagonist’s story untold?

How does the author develop a strong sense of place in both England and Labassecour? How are the two places distinctively different, particularly for Lucy? In what ways is Labassecour a better setting for her coming-of-age journey?