Rebecca Story Outline Essay, Research Paper

Chapter 1-The first chapter describes how people remember the small details of every day life just as much as the larger happening.

- In the first chapter the main character has a disturbing dream of Manderley.

- In her dream she becomes upset at the way Manderley has become run-down and fallen apart.

- She also remembers the little details of every day life at Manderley and how she seems to miss them.

Chapter 2-Chapter describes how people seem to grasp on to familiar things when away from home.

- In chapter two the main character compares life at the hotel to life at Manderley.

- Both the main character and Maxim, though they are far from England both cling to their British ways.

- Lastly she remembers back to when she first met Maxim while working for Mrs. Van Hopper.

Chapter 3-The third chapter shows that little things can have a big influence on the future.

- In the third chapter the main character remembers her first formal meeting where Mrs. Van Hopper forcefully mingled with Maxim.

- From the beginning of their conversation Maxim clearly wants nothing to do with Mrs. Van Hopper.

- After talking with Mrs. Van Hopper for a while, Maxim leaves but sends a note up to the main character’s room apologizing for the way he behaved.

Chapter 4-The fourth chapter tells of how looks can be deceiving.

- In the fourth chapter Mrs. Van Hopper becomes ill, leaving the main character on her own to do as she pleases.

- While at lunch by herself Maxim invites her to eat together and he invites her to go with him in his car on a drive.

- After driving with him, Maxim gives the main character a book of Poems with an inscription to Max from Rebecca.

Chapter 5-The fifth chapter describes how the littlest things can affect people greatly.

- In Chapter five the main character takes another ride with Maxim in his car.

- In the car the main character mentions both Manderley and Maxim’s wife Rebecca, which upsets Maxim.

- On the way back to the hotel Maxim forgives her for talking about Manderley and Rebecca and kisses her.

Chapter 6-Chapter six tells of how conceited people can become to see another person celebrating.

- In chapter six Mrs. Van Hopper regains her health and decides it’s time to leave for New York.

- In a panic the main character hurries around the hotel in search of Maxim to say good-bye.

- When she does find Maxim and tells him of her departure he asks her to marry him.

Chapter 7-Chapter seven tells of how important first impressions are to people.

- In chapter seven the main character and Maxim arrive at Manderley after their seven week honeymoon.

- Upon arriving the main character is worried that she will be taken the wrong way by the servants.

- From the moment she arrives Mrs. Danvers makes it clear that she believes that the main character is trying to take the place of Rebecca.

Chapter 8-Chapter eight describes how hard it is to fit in at a new environment.

- In chapter eight the main character becomes accustomed to everyone’s routines around Manderley.

- Mrs. Danvers very subtly makes the main character uncomfortable in Manderley.

- Maxim tells the main character that his sister will be stopping by.

Chapter 9-Chapter nine tells how one seemingly unimportant person can affect someone of more importance.

- In chapter nine Beatrice, Giles, and Frank arrive at Manderley.

- Mrs. Danvers degrades the main character for getting lost in the house.

- Beatrice tells the main character that she is very different from Rebecca.

Chapter 10-Chapter ten gives the first piece of information to how Rebecca really was.

- In chapter ten the main character and Maxim take a walk down to the ocean.

- The main character meats Ben by the cottage and he tells her that she is nicer than Rebecca.

- Maxim gets into an argument with the main character over how she should not have chased Jasper.

Chapter 11-Chapter eleven is about how people perceive each other.

- In chapter eleven the main character worries how the other days visit went with Beatrice and Giles.

- The bishop’s wife asks if Maxim will have another fancy ball, like when Rebecca was alive.

- Frank tells the main character about Rebecca and how she died.

Chapter 12-Chapter twelve give reason to why Mrs. Danvers is the way she is.

- In Chapter twelve Beatrice tells the main character that Mrs. Danvers adored Rebecca.

- The main character accidentally breaks the china cupid and hid it in a drawer.

- Robert then gets blamed for stealing the cupid so the main character admits to breaking it.

Chapter 13-Chapter thirteen is about how some people will always crave what someone else has.

- In chapter thirteen Maxim leaves for two days to go to London.

- Ben tells the main character that she has angel eyes.

- Jack Favell talks to the main character but makes her promise not to tell Maxim that he was there.

Chapter 14-Chapter fourteen tells of how some people have trouble moving on after a tragedy.

- In chapter fourteen the main character comes across Rebecca’s room while wondering Manderley and finds that the bed and linens have not changed since Rebecca died.

- Mrs. Danvers walks in on the main character as she is looking at all of Rebecca clothing.

- Mrs. Danvers then takes out all of Rebecca’s clothes to show them to the main character.

Chapter 15-Chapter fifteen shows a bit more what Rebecca was like.

- In chapter fifteen Beatrice and the main character go out to lunch together.

- The main character asks Beatrice about Jack Favell.

- The main character meets Maxim and Beatrice’s grandmother, who loved Rebecca.

Chapter 16-Chapter sixteen describes how something can be perceived two totally different ways by two different people.

-In chapter sixteen Lady Crowan convinces Maxim to have another costume ball, like when Rebecca was alive.

- The main character comes up with an idea for a costume from a picture she saw in the library, but won’t tell anyone what her costume is to be.

-When the main character reveals her costume Maxim gets very upset and forces her to go back and change her clothing.

Chapter 17-Chapter seventeen is about how people over-react to small things.

-In chapter seventeen Beatrice tells the main character that her costume was the same one that Rebecca had worn to the last costume party.

-She changes her clothing and the party is a success.

-Maxim disappears and the main character cannot find him, and she fears that she has done something wrong to make him angry with her.

Chapter 18-Chapter eighteen is about how people can be persuaded easily by other people when they are distressed.

-After Maxim still does not return in the morning the main character looks for him.

-She believes that Maxim could never love her because he is still in love with Rebecca.

-Mrs. Danvers tries to get the main character to jump out of a window, but rockets from a run aground ship break the main character out of her trance.

Chapter 19-Chapter nineteen describes how life can change drastically in a small amount of time.

-In chapter nineteen Maxim comes running in to the house to tell them that the ship has run onto the reef and to get the sailors some drinks and food.

-A diver is sent down under water to examine the ships hull, where the diver finds Rebecca’s ship.

-Maxim tells the main character that he killed Rebecca.

Chapter 20-Chapter twenty is about how people can only be pushed so far.

-In chapter twenty Maxim tells the main character how and why he killed Rebecca.

-Maxim asks the main character if she still loves him or if it’s too late.

- The main character and Maxim begin to make a plan on how to cover up Maxim killing Rebecca.

Chapter 21-Chapter twenty-one is about how things from the past can come back to haunt you.

-In chapter twenty one Rebecca’s boat is successfully raised from the water, with Rebecca still in it.

-The body in the boat is found to be Rebecca’s and so Maxim has to take an inquest on Rebecca’s death.

-Maxim tells the main character that he is still glad that he killed Rebecca, and does not regret it.

Chapter 22-Chapter twenty two is about how there are many victims in every crime.

-In chapter twenty-two the servants become distressed at the news of Rebecca’s body being found.

-Maxim goes to court for his inquest in the death of Rebecca.

-After Maxim finishes giving his evidence, Tabb the builder of Rebecca’s boat gives his statement that someone had punctured hole in the bottom of the boat.

Chapter 23-Chapter twenty-three is about how people will take advantage of people when they are down.

-In chapter twenty-three the inquest ends with the theory that Rebecca committed suicide for unknown reasons.

-After the inquest Jack Favell comes to Manderley with an attempt to black mail Maxim for murdering Rebecca.

-After Maxim refuses to accept the black mail Jack Favell tells both Colonel Julyan and Frank that Maxim killed Rebecca.

Chapter 24-Chapter twenty-four describes that the best thing to have on your side in a battle is luck.

-In chapter twenty-four Jack tells Maxim that he does have a suspect, Ben that can testify that he saw Maxim kill Rebecca.

-Favell tries to get Ben and Mrs. Danvers to testify for him but both of the deny knowing about any relationship between him and Rebecca.

-While looking through a diary of Rebecca’s for clues to her death they come across a schedule of her last day and find the name of a Dr. Baker.

Chapter 25-Chapter twenty-five is about how nothing is as simple as it appears.

-In chapter twenty-five Colonel Julyan, Favell, Maxim and Alice all decide to go meet Dr. Baker to find out what Rebecca had gone to meet with him for on her last day.

-Favell insists that Maxim be locked in his room to make sure that he doesn’t try to escape.

-Beatrice calls to see how Maxim and the main character are doing with the verdict that Rebecca had committed suicide.

Chapter 26-Chapter twenty-six is about how things sometimes work out in the end.

-In Chapter twenty-six Jack Favell demands that he be taken with Maxim to see Dr. Baker.

-Colonel Julyan, Jack Favell, Maxim, and the main character all go to Dr. Baker’s house to find out what Rebecca had gone to him for.

-Dr. Baker tells the group that Rebecca was dying of cancer and would have been dead within two months.

Chapter 27-Chapter twenty-seven is about how far some people will go to get revenge.

-In chapter twenty-seven Favell is still not convinced that Rebecca committed suicide and tell Maxim that he will get revenge on him.

-Maxim calls Frank to tell him the outcome of the meeting with Dr. Baker and finds out that Mrs. Danvers has packed up her possessions and left Manderley.

-Maxim has a bad feeling and instead of stopping at a hotel drives straight home to find Manderley on fire.