Wilkie Collins The Moonstone Essay -- Wilkie Collins Moonstone Essays

Wilkie Collins The MoonstoneNear the beginning of Wilkie Collinss novel, The Moonstone, John Herncastles cousin explains, The graven image commanded that the Moonstone should be watched, from that time forth, by three priests in turn, night and day, to the closing of the generations of men One age followed anotherand still, generation after generation, the successors of the three Brahmins watched their invaluable Moonstone, night and day (2). As a result of remembering the past, and specifically their deitys command, the Indian priests are bound by a circular, crying chain of events. In contrast, Rosanna Spearman and Franklin Blake, two non-Indian characters in the novel, are able to use their memory of the past to break the cycle of repetitive, unwanted events in their lives and effect craved changes. Each Indian priests self-concept never changes he is simply an embodiment of his office or his societal role, and he lives solely to watch the Moonstone. The self-concepts of Ro sanna and Franklin, however, do change over time. Through battling haunting effects of the past and fighting against negative self-concepts, Rosanna and Franklin additionally align themselves with a progressive notion of history as they battle against the circular notion that binds the Indian priests. The past has the power to corrupt or infect the lives of characters like Rosanna and Franklin, but when these characters confront and remember the past, they are freed from its cogency to perpetuate a cyclical series of unlucky events. For example, Rosannas past as a thief causes Franklin to suspect her of having stolen the Moonstone as well. He says, Rosanna Spearman came to my aunt let out of a reformatory? Rosanna Spearman had once b... ..., generation after generation, the successors of the three Brahmins watched their priceless Moonstone, night and day (2). Even the end of the novel isnt really an end to the repetition of events in India Mr. Murthwaite writes, So th e years pass, and repeat each other so the same events revolve in the cycles of time. What will be the next adventures of the Moonstone? Who shadow tell? (466). In contrast, Rosanna Spearman and Franklin Blake, two non-Indian characters in the novel, are able to use their memory of the past to break the cycle of repetitive, unwanted events in their lives and effect want changes. Through battling haunting effects of the past and fighting against negative self-concepts, Rosanna and Franklin additionally align themselves with a progressive notion of history as they battle against the cyclical notion that binds the Indian priests.