In what ways does Jean Rhys characterize Antoinette as an outsider in Part one of the novel and to what effect?

Before this prompt can be addressed some information regarding context must be understood. In what concerns context, we are located in the West Indies, after the Emancipation Act occurs, therefore this era is a period of time in which two distinct and confronted social classes are being mentioned, are being made part of the story. These two social classes are the white European rich slave owners, and the black community who is freed from forced labor.

At this point, relating this information to the prompt, Antoinette cannot be included in any of these social classes. Being from European descent, Antoinette lives with her mum and brother in the West Indies,Jamaica being specific, where her mother inherited the possession of land, and territory. Therefore, after the Emancipation act, it can be said that Antoinette as well as her mother are the legacy of white European slave owners who are now confronted to slaves that have finally being freed. In contrast with the white European rich land owners, Antoinette's family faces economic problems, which in some way excludes her from this social class, while in addition to this, the British culture does not have anything to do with her, since she is raised in the West Indies.

In part one, it is visible how seeing white foreign people is a strange thing for Antoinette, which is portrayed when visitors visit her mother at their house, when she decides to hide in her bedroom, being ashamed of her looks. In addition to this, the way that Antoinette views Mr Mason naivety regarding the attitude of the black community is another evidence that shows how she does not share the same opinion, and values that Mr Mason has due to culture difference.

On the other hand even though Antoinette is raised in the West Indies, the black community,does not see her as a person originally from there. Evidence from the text that portrays this is Antoinette's relationship with Tia. Tia is a young girl from the black community that becomes Antoinette's best friend. Regardless of their differences, Antoinette and Tia enjoy a good friendship, although at one point of the story social values and differences ingrained in the personalities of the girls start to arise, which end up complicating the friendship.

The overall message that Jean Rhys portrays through this evidence is Antoinette's hybridity. What this mean is that despite being raised in the West Indies, Antoinette is of European descent, which means that just because of the fact of being white she is not fully accepted by the black community. This is seen when Tia throws a rock to Antoinette while crying, which portrays the fact that for Tia it is hard to lose her friendship with Antoinette, while at the same time the cultural value of her community force her to throw the rock at Antoinette.

Antoinette's lack of origin, or identity is a major theme in the story, which is considered to be an internal conflict, this conflict must be solved before she can get involved into serious responsibilities such as marriage .