Rebecca Memory and the Past Quotes

This is a pretty famous first line. When we reach the end of Rebecca's last chapter, we realize that the first time she has the dream of going back to Manderley is actually on her way back to Manderley, right before she sees that it's on fire. We get the feeling she has this dream, or variations of it, over and over.

First, we are led to believe they can't go back to Manderley because it's been destroyed. This line suggests that it has even more to do with their strong memories of what happened there. Manderley can always be rebuilt, right? Notice that she says the can never go back in the first sentence; the second sentence suggests there might be a time in the future when the past is far enough away.

Mrs. de Winter's best moments, moments she feels truly united with Maxim, have an eternal quality; these moments transcend the constructs of time and presumably are stronger than her memories of the past.

Maxim and Mrs. de Winter's present life sounds monotonous and dull – a sharp contrast to the chaos of the past she goes on to describe. Which would you prefer?

Maxim tells the soon to be Mrs. de Winter this when he's courting her in Monte Carlo. It doesn't exactly sound like he has happy memories of life with Rebecca, but Mrs. de Winter doesn't have enough information, or experience, to entertain that possibility yet.

This is Mrs. de Winter speaking in the novel's present, years after the events at Manderley that make up the bulk of the tale. She's about to embark on her memories of Manderley. The line suggests that she's trapped in her memories of Manderley. It also suggests she knows that her existence during that time was cracked, fractured, broken in some way.

Oops! Of course, the bay's dangerous: its where Rebecca dies. Mrs. de Winter realizes the implications of her innocent slip-of-the-tongue and soon enough will become hyper-paranoid about any comment that might make Maxim recall Rebecca and her death.

Until Mrs. de Winter realizes that Beatrice's comment is meant as a compliment, she replays it over and over in her memory. She uses it as proof that she's being compared unfavorably to Rebecca by everyone.

Mrs. de Winter finds this easier said than done. She's surrounded by Rebecca's things, and Mrs. Danvers especially won't let Mrs. de Winter forget about her.

Mrs. de Winter is describing how she feels when she enters Rebecca's room looking for Mrs. Danvers. She finds the room cleaned, dusted, and fully prepared for Rebecca to come in and use it.