Good Morning, Midnight: Analysis of Major Characters
"Good Morning, Midnight" is a poignant exploration of the inner turmoil of Sasha Jansen, the protagonist and narrator whose life is marked by loneliness, isolation, and a profound sense of loss. The novel delves into Sasha's deteriorating self-worth as she navigates her existence in Paris following a chance encounter with an old friend who encourages her to escape. Through her solitary adventures in clothing shops and bars, Sasha encounters various men, yet struggles to connect with them, often sabotaging potential relationships due to her feelings of unworthiness.
The narrative is enriched by flashbacks revealing Sasha's painful past, including her marriage to Enno, a drifting writer, and the grief from the death of their child. Enno's abandonment leaves Sasha grappling with her identity and her understanding of love. Other male figures, like René, a gigolo with whom she shares a fleeting connection, and Nicholas Delmar, a young Russian who offers her friendship, further illustrate the impact of patriarchy and emotional detachment in her life. The presence of the Man Next Door symbolizes her emotional emptiness, while Sidonie, an acquaintance offering financial assistance, represents the fleeting nature of support in her tumultuous journey. Overall, the characters in "Good Morning, Midnight" serve to highlight Sasha's struggle for meaning and connection amid her pervasive sense of despair.
Good Morning, Midnight: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Jean Rhys
First published: 1939
Genre: Novel
Locale: Paris, France
Plot: Psychological realism
Time: The 1930's
Sasha Jansen, the narrator and protagonist, a woman whose fading good looks are synonymous in her mind with her fading chances for happiness. Very few details of her childhood are provided. Even her real name is missing: Sasha, she says, is an affectation. Her story begins shortly after she has a chance meeting with an old friend who, shocked by Sasha's appearance, sends her to Paris for a much-needed change of scene. Her routine in Paris becomes a series of solitary outings to clothing shops and bars. She encounters strangers, mostly men, in the bars and cafés, but instead of getting to know these people, she concentrates on her own lack of self-worth, thus effectively ruining these relationships before they begin. What is known of her earlier life is revealed in cinematic flashbacks about an earlier time, five years ago, when she is married to the vagabond Enno, with whom she has a child who dies soon after birth. Her husband drifts in and out of her life, telling her that she does not know how to love, and finally leaves her to endure the agony of the child's death alone. Five years later, she still suffers from these experiences, attributing her sadness not to one thing but to a slow process that took years to produce. Men, even the insignificant men in her life, determine the few decisions made in the novel—the patriarchy pervades her life. Her profound sense of loneliness, isolation, and lack of direction all converge in Sasha's poignant question, “What's happening to me? Oh, my life, oh, my youth.”
Enno, the man whom Sasha marries in Amsterdam, a would-be writer. Although he is something of a drifter who is always looking for money, Sasha loves him and trusts him to provide the stability for which she longs. He leaves the pregnant Sasha, presumably to look for work, but ultimately concedes that he has grown tired of her. Their bohemian existence soon loses its glamour for Sasha as well. Enno is the type of person who takes the good times but not the bad.
René (reh-NAY), the gigolo who befriends Sasha during her last trip to Paris. Both he and Sasha project a wounded aura, and this easily recognized sense of vulnerability sparks their initial attraction. He intuits that she is someone with whom he could be at rest—hardly a romantic sentiment. She responds to his youth and finds comfort in his poignantly naïve optimism. She cannot bring herself to trust him, thinking that he is using her for her money. After Sasha has driven René away, she discovers that her suspicion is unfounded. His departure and the emptiness that follow echo Enno's desertion five years earlier.
Nicholas Delmar, a young Russian who befriends Sasha in a bar. He offers to introduce her to his many friends, including Rubin the painter.
The Man Next Door, whose anonymous presence provides one of the few unifying threads throughout the story. Sasha considers him a nuisance who is unworthy of her, yet she accepts his advances after she realizes that she has misjudged René. Their liaison symbolizes the emptiness of Sasha's life and her inability to care about anything. He is the last in a series of men to whom Sasha turns for comfort and fulfillment.
Sidonie, Sasha's acquaintance, who offers her money to provide her with a change of scene after the two old friends meet by chance in London.