Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Could the plot of Rebecca work in a contemporary (twenty-first century) setting? Why or why not? Think about it carefully: everyone would be texting each other and DNA testing would exist… how would it unfold?
- Several authors have created sequels to Rebecca. How would you envision a sequel if you were to write it? What questions do you have that you'd want answered? Would Jasper have puppies?
- Why do you think Mrs. de Winter never reveals her name? Ralph Ellison's classic Invisible Man is another novel with a nameless narrator. Do Rebecca and Invisible Man have anything else in common?
- Rebecca is often considered a retelling of Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre. What are some of the similarities and differences?
- Daphne du Maurier's son is quoted as saying that his mother "was keen on the idea of beaming down and of people re-inhabiting others" (source). Is Mrs. Danvers re-inhabited by Rebecca? In the scene where Mrs. de Winter pantomimes Rebecca talking to Favell on the phone, is she possessed by Rebecca?
- Do you think Rebecca was as evil as Maxim makes her out to be?
- Are Maxim and Mrs. de Winter good for each other? Do they complement each other? What evidence in the text supports your answer?
- How would the story be different if Mr. de Winter was not super rich? Does Mrs. de Winter only fall for Maxim because of his money? Do we have a golddigger on our hands?