in the face of the plague the character's beliefs disintegrate. Discuss

disintegrate

beliefs

what are their beliefs?

in social class + heirarchy

religion

male dominated

fall apart

crumble

how do they fall apart?

loss of faith

loss of hope

which characters?

abandonment of values - attacking other villagers

lose values

hold onto

anna

anys

elinor

mompellion

jane martin

towns people as a whole

3 paragraphs:

dependance on institutionalised values such as social hierarchy and religious dogma results in the disintegration of values

By holding onto moments of hope and questioning the foundations of society, the women hold onto their core vales and beliefs.

loses faith and religion

loses faith

lose hope and faith and turn on each other

superstition

John Gordon

loses hope therefore self flagellates

questions faith, holds onto moments of hope

independance, questions

bradfords

although has some religious dependance is able to look further and focus on compassion and fixing problem

Brooks asserts that the response of the townspeople when confronted by the crisis that the plague ensues comes as a direct result of their lives before hand.

dependance on institutionalised values such as social hierarchy and religious dogma results in the disintegration of values

By holding onto moments of hope and questioning the foundations of society, the women hold onto their core vales and beliefs.

Brooks asserts that the response of the townspeople when confronted by the crisis that the plague ensues comes as a direct result of their lives before hand.

Mompellion

Jane Martin

Anna

Bradfords (in particular liz)

Anna

John Gordon

Elinor

Anys

Anys

dependant on puritan religion

when religion becomes in question she completely abandons it and her values/beliefs

'within a month she had shrugged off her sadd colours and tight lipped ways'

'she took the vessel of her body and filled it with corruption'

his entire life based on religion as rector

decision to quarantine the town made based on faith in God therefore when religion questioned feels burden for peoples death even more

'grief has undone him'

'take up our crosses'

biblical reference, foreshadows death (crucifixion) of townspeople as a result of dependance on religion - ironic

abandons love for wife in attempt to appease God

self-flaggelation

'looked around wildly for his wife... [and] brought her down with a single blow'

'he stripped me and burnt my clothes'

similarly to Anna, questions the social heirarchy which raises men up on a pedestal whilst ostracising women like Anys for their knowledge and Independence.

holds onto moments of hope and joy of her children

brings life into the world - midwifery despite her fear that comes from death of mother

understanding of her class 'servant has no right to stay once she's dismissed' but remains 'in order to offer [mompellion] a little comfort' - respectful rebellion against class system

teaches anna 'her letters so well' gives her the power of an education which challenges the foundations of the male dominant society

'saw the evening through anys' eyes; the women shackled to their menfolk'

'any man's chattle'

'embrace my state and even exalt in it as she seemed to'

mothers the children who are not mothered enough in their own crowded crofts

'returned every stare and never flinched at the pointed fingers'

'takes a certain kind of courage to care so little for what people say in a town as small as this'

'common opinion of her in the village'

her courage and strength during the plague, manifest when she is attacked by the villagers comes as a result of her independence which developed over a hard childhood ostracised by the village.

'best physic against the plague is to run far form it' - follow religiously, again this is ironic

their response to the plague is to flee as they have the 'means to do so' - claim they are merely 'safeguarding what is [theirs]'

anna admires for 'following her heart rather than having her life ruled by other's conventions'

when the Bradfords return, Elizabeth yet again exploits the class system, calling on Anna to help deliver her mother's baby who does so despite the insolence Elizabeth has forced her to suffer.

tries to drown the baby because her father 'will not suffer it near him' as it is a 'bastard born of adultery'

father 'loved a pot more than his children' the lack of compassion and hardship she faced during her childhood helps to shape the independent woman that she becomes and help her to make compassionate choices

before the plague George viccars tells her about london and the 'far off places' to which he had sojourned.

knowledge of greater world = challenge for anna which is emphasised by Brooks via return to same locations; miners tavern, cucklet delf and the rectory. This knowledge makes the constraints of the 'wide green prison' press in on her all the more.

the loss of her husband sam before the plague results in the imagery of the rotten apple utilised by brooks throughout the novel. This past experience helps to shape her response to the death of loved ones.