Character Analysis

Family Tree & Character Sketches

Family Tree WSS

Antoinette– The protagonist of the novel, Antoinette is a young Creole girl growing up without her mother’s care or lack of any sort of relationships from other friends or family. As she got older, she grew more isolated, suffering from emotional and physical trauma. Later in the story, her marriage was arranged with a cruel and controlling English gentleman, who only strengthens her violence. In the end of the novel, Antoinette ends up in her deranged husband’s attic in England, locked up. Ultimately, her insanity takes over her rationality as she wakes up with the dream of burning the house down, which ends the novel with an eerie a setting.

Annette– Antoinette’s mother, Annette was a beautiful woman who neglected her daughter at a young age which led to Antoinette’s emotional instability. She’s the second wife to Alexander Cosway, Antoinette’s drunken father who led their estates to ruin. Being a widow, she also had feelings of fear, abandonment, and harassment, similar to her daughter. To add on to her insecurity, Mr. Mason, her second husband left her. She passes away when Antoinette was in convent school.

Rochester– Despite Rochester not being mentioned in the novel, he actually narrates large chunk of the story. He comes from a wealthy family and travels across the West Indies for financial independence. He meets Antoinette, but is skeptical about their marriage. He has just met her and knew nothing about her or her family. After the pressure, the two get married, but Rochester realizes that it was a big mistake. The newlyweds travel back to England only for Antoinette to find out that she’s going to get locked up.

Christophine– Although not related to Antoinette’s family, it’s important to mention Christophine, a servant given as a gift to Annette by her deceased husband, Alexander Cosway. Christophine is part of Antoinette’s emotional development when she was growing up because she genuinely cared for Antoinette and her mother. Christophine also practices, obeah, a Caribbean black magic, which she attempts to help Antoinette with her first husband to protect their love and Antoinette’s saneness.

Mr. Mason– An Englishman that came to visit Annette on her Coulibri Estate. He’s a wealthy man, like Rochester, has personal motives in the West Indies. He marries Antoinette’s mother but was more interested in their estate, planning to restore it in hopes of being successful. He thinks he can control the servants, but they rebel and accidentally set the estate on fire. As a result, Mr. Mason leaves Annette and her daughter after the damage.

Tia-Tia is Antoinette’s childhood friend. She is introduced in the very beginning of the book. She is a person of color, and tends to use racial slurs to insult Antoinette. By the very end of the first part of the book, Tia throws a rock at Antoinette’s head with tears streaming down her face.
Aunt Cora-Aunt Cora is Antoinette’s aunt that lives in Spanish Town. She is Annette’s sister and she takes care of Antoinette for the most part. She eventually marries and moves to England for a year.
Amelie-Amelie is introduced to us in the second part of the book; when Antoinette first marries Rochester. Amelie is a maid at their house. Rochester finds Amelie and Antoinette to look extremely alike, with similar face structures and features. Amelie eventually sleeps with Rochester.
 
Pierre-Pierre is Antoinette’s younger and only sibling. He has an illness, which causes Annette to focus more on caring and loving him than Antoinette. He doesn’t talk or interact much with anyone throughout the book. He eventually dies, which kills Annette. She begins to go crazy shortly after his death.
Alexander Cosway-Alexander Cosway is Antoinette’s father. He was a slave owner in Jamaica and died right before the Emancipation Act was passed.
Daniel Cosway-Daniel Cosway is one of Alexander’s children. He writes letters to Rochester claiming that Antoinette and Annette are crazy. He ultimately tries to destroy their marriage.