the ultimate sacrifice to be with Maxim. She declares, I don't want you to love me, I won't ask impossible things. I'll be your friend and your companion.' She is willing to sacrifice her entire life to be with a man who apparently does not love her because her love for him surpasses all else.

There are other aspects of the book that support the conventions of the romance genre, but the author has approached these with subtlety. For instance, the novel is related through a female perspective and she is one we can relate to. She is shy, awkward - a misfit who is searching for her identity, not wishing to conform, but unable to stand out.

How Rebecca Challenges the Romance Genre

No Focus on the Relationship:

Owing to the Gothic and suspense elements woven into this particular romance, the author has not focused on the relationship between Maxim and the girl. For the first half of the novel, the girl is unsure of herself and Rebecca remains the real mistress of Manderley and the climax revolves around her murder and the final solution of the case. The reader is positioned to believe that the romance is between Maxim and Rebecca and that Maxim is more of a fatherly figure for the girl, than a husband.

The Proposal:

Marriage proposals are conventionally romantic speeches binding a couple together in the first stage of the rest of their lives. The proposal Maxim makes to the girl is business-like and completely unexpected, having known each other for a matter of days. His infamous statement, ' I'm asking you to marry me, you little fool' is an outright challenge to the romance genre, and the affair is settled quickly over breakfast.

The Ending:

And they lived happily ever after,' seems to graciously conclude all fairy tales. However, in this case, the ending both supports and challenges the conventions of the romance genre. Manderley, Maxim's beautiful legacy, burns down and Maxim and the girl escape to other parts of Europe, seeking refuge in hotels. There is obviously great sadness and longing for their home with the famous opening: 'last night, I dreamt I went to Manderley again', but they are free at last. Free from Rebecca.

This is far from a traditional, fairy-tale ending, but in their own way, they have found happiness with each other, even in this exile they have brought upon themselves.

Learn more about this author, Mimi Lu.
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