Paper

One of the most misunderstood characters in Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea is Christophine. Christophine was a wedding present to Antoinette’s mother, and she was a slave in their family since then. The reason that she comes off as so misunderstood is because it is never revealed explicitly in the text whether she is “good” or “bad”. Her involvement in the practice of obeah adds to the mysterious air about her in the novel. Obeah is a practice that is not an official religion, but there is a community who are involved in the practice that has “a wide variety and range of beliefs and practices related to the control or channeling of supernatural/spiritual forces” (Bilby 153). The practices are done “by particular individuals or groups for their own needs, or on behalf of clients who come for help” (Bilby 154). The practice has gone from having an acceptable reputation to a negative one. As the years went on in times of slavery, and especially during post-emancipation times, obeah gained more of a reputation as witchcraft or sorcery and it was said that it was used to bring harm to people (Bilby 153). The positive aspects of obeah were soon paid minimal attention, and the negative aspects and disapproving stereotypes were on the rise. The negativity was so prevalent and contagious that some West Indians who were involved in the practice began to have a pessimistic view as well (Bilby 153). This negative view followed obeah into the novel Wide Sargasso Sea. The practice was shown in a very negative light in the novel, especially through Christophine. Christophine is a representation of obeah in the novel. Throughout many points in the story, the fact that Christophine is involved with obeah practices is portrayed as the m...

... middle of paper ...

... history books, obeah was also given a bad name in the novel Wide Sargasso Sea. The character Christophine acted as a representation of obeah in the novel. She was constantly shown in a negative light in the novel. The negative depictions ranged from her being extremely feared by people in town, to her being accused of poisoning Antoinette’s husband and her spending time in jail. Since Christophine is the representation of obeah in the novel, it gives the practice a bad name as well as the character. It is unfair that obeah was given such a bad reputation because of racism, and it is very unfortunate that the bad reputation has followed the practice all the way to the present time. Obeah is not something that should be feared, but it was given that reputation through stereotypes and social media, which is damage that may never be able to be undone in society.