Abstract
Jean Rhys’s Good Morning, Midnight enjoys a more mixed critical reception than perhaps any of her other works. Scholars have read Sasha Jansen as a modernist Ophelia (Gildersleeve), a sufferer of Kristevan depression (Czarnecki), a wry humorist (Savory, Jean Rhys), a rebellious drunk (Nardin), a giver of existential charity (Davidson), and a sufferer of posttraumatic stress disorder (Linett). These numerous interpretations stem from the way Rhys constructs the narrative: a claustrophobic intimacy with Sasha’s experiences and memories that nevertheless denies any absolute revelations of character. Rhys constructs Sasha through a series of negations, invoking identifiable personalities and character types only to complicate and challenge them. Sasha Jansen escapes categorization, a quality that makes her especially suited for critiquing definitions of the “good life” based on ethical order, patriarchal control, and psychological stability.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
