Discuss the narrative and symbolic uses of fire and light which Rhys makes in Wide Sargasso
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Antoinette's final and most significant dream in Wide Sargasso Sea is full of fiery images, seemingly confirming the importance of fire in the novel. "At last I was in the hall where a lamp was burning" relates Antoinette of her dream. This single burning lamp both adds to the dream-like imagery of the story, and, more importantly represents the single burning desire within Antoinette. As she says right at the end of the novel, "I know why I was brought here and what I have to do" she must burn down the house with herself inside it in order to destroy the patriachal house of oppression. This burning within Antoinette escalates as the dream goes on. She goes into "a large red room with a red carpet and red curtains. The Penguin Book of Symbols comments that fire, among other things, represents the colour red. Thus the red room which Antoinette enters in her dream could be seen to represent her passion and anger. It also writes how often "evil influences or ill omens were blamed on darkness and night", and so it is hugely important and reflective of the dual personality which Antoinette possesses that as "my own candle had burned downI was in Aunt Cora's room. I saw the sunlight coming through the windowI saw the wax candles too and I hated them...