Rebecca
Disclaimer: Come for me and you will be blocked. Fair warning.
I m currently in the library where I should be writing my first assignment for the second year of my Masters in English Literature. I have most of it complete now, but instead I am of course pondering the shit show that has been this week.
A while back an inspired blogger on here @thethreeacttragedy wrote an excellent blog entitled 'Entry 13: The One Where the Ashes Blew Towards Us with the Salt Wind from the Sea' where she discussed in detail the novel Rebecca. I found this to be a gripping and informative blog with excellent comparisons to our characters and adjacents, and to the characters in Rebecca. I happen to be writing my English Literature dissertation on Jane Eyre and Rebecca, so it has been quite amusing for me to reread thethreeacttragedy blog.
On most points I agree with her. Luke is our tortured anti-hero Maxim de Winter who is in a farce of a marriage to someone he inwardly despises, but has to put on a show for the world. Jake is the sleazy cousin Jack Favell who resorts to blackmail after Rebecca's death and is sexually ambiguous.. On other characters I differ in my opinion, and in all fairness to the threeacttragedy, their blog was written sometime ago and we now have updated information (unfortunately).
The titular character Rebecca is in my mind Antonia. Of course she doesn't fit the character perfectly, and if she did it would be giving Antonia way too much credit. Rebecca was too smart, cunning and manipulative for Antonia to stand firmly in her shoes. Rebecca doesn't want Maxim de Winter's love. She wants sex with different men, money, clout, nice things. While some of that could apply to Antonia, I am still partly under the belief that she does in fact still want Luke, or at least being 'with' him can offer. The similarities I draw are from her goading of the fandom - Rebecca's ghost taunting the narrator. From Antonia making ridiculous matching posts to constantly insinuate that she is in Luke's immediate vicinity. Having Luke roped into this soulless endeavour on his own instagram. The fake relationship, that was never real. The PR mind games and publicity stunts. Antonia ruining every single event and opportunity that Luke has had in the last two years.
This is not normal relationship behaviour. I do not need to prove my husband and I are often in the same place with matching photographs or ambiguous body parts on social media. I will simply take a picture of him or us and post it. The snag though is, she's still not allowed, is she? Why is the question? It is the same one we ask repeatedly. There was enough witness testimony from Luke's play by people to get a real understanding of what was actually going on between Luke and Antonia, and if leaving her constantly stranded in the street, is anything to go by, it ain't good and that is just the tip of the iceberg. But little miss demanding threw a hissy fit and somehow got Luke to post a ridiculous photo dump where she was featured walking on a zebra crossing (a video that Sienna took and shared to her own stories. Haha, frenemies). There was no couple photo however still. You only laugh your ass off. Luke is a petty hero.
Let's move to Nicola in this scenario. thethreeacttragedy had her as Rebecca, but in an ironic way. I am dismayed though that a lot of people actually believe that she is the mastermind behind all of this since June 13th and is basically stirring everything behind a massive cauldron. This is a very misogynistic take of our little Irish Queen and I will not have it, especially from other women. I can understand Nicola wanting to be private. The blind items recently are not painting her in a good light and Jack (cough) I mean Jake is not looking great either. I do not believe Nicola to be this cunning leader mastermind who has Luke crying in the corner like some overgrown man baby. I think she is a somewhat frightened woman, overwhelmed at being shoved into the limelight and having her private life scrutinised for all to see. I do not underestimate her either, but she is no Rebecca, she is no queen of swords. To me she is the unnamed narrator. Desperately in love with Maxim, but fearful he is lost to another woman. But that does not mean he actually is.
And so who is Mrs Danvers? The psychotic, obsessive, and loyal servant to Rebecca. Is that us as the Lukola fandom? Some would say so. We don't give up and we know an awful lot of background shit that contradicts what we are being shown online. Or is it the Lutonia's, if there actually are any? Or is it Toni SS running that account for the five people that may ship Luke with Antonia. Is it the Jakola's who are so blind at this point, they need their eyes checked or a brain scan for cognitive function. Or is it Tiff, so swayed by PR, influence, followers and god knows what else, that she is devoutly following the orders of Rebecca, or someone else?
I was hurt by Luke's actions on Tuesday. We were all waiting for a Polin selfie to celebrate the anniversary of the last Lukola photo and instead Luke's PR team or Antonia decide to stick the knife in. I haven't really looked at the dump properly, I just can't support that. I feel like we are being lied to. I know they were scared about the recent blinds, but that was cruel to do on a Polin anniversary. It is not Luke as we know him to be. I know he doesn't owe us anything and he can post what he wants, but after a month of silence, it seemed suspicious to me. It mirrored Nic's Australian post of Jake. What's funny though is that Luke was most likely in Australia and Nic was very likely in New York. Antonia was a good decoy for that, always sat firmly in the middle of the theatre so that everyone could see her., but Luke was always looking elsewhere.
If you haven't read Rebecca, there is a good version of it on Netflix starring Lily James. I am going to spoil it in 3,2,1. Maxim, is the one who killed Rebecca. I won't bore you with why I think he did this ultimately, that's for my dissertation, but I find it important that HE is the one to do it. Before you come after me, I am an English teacher finding symbolism in everything, so I do not want or think Luke is going to bump off Antonia. I think that he has to be the one to cut ties, end contracts, publicly disengage etc. I am firmly in the belief he is actively trying to do this. It must be a very stressful situation right now and I don't envy them. He needs to do this so he and the narrator (Nicola) can be happy. It will be messy and public, and the truth is never easy, but it must be done.
At least Nicola came back this week proudly wearing her Claddagh ring in the married position. Even Jakoolas can't dispute this ring was made during and representative of season 3 and Luke. She wears it close to her heart. Luke storied a HOM tribute post that his PR team, hastily nudged him to write as they saw he lost 2000 followers and was getting abuse online - yet again. He then reshared Nicola's Palestine post mighty quick. At this point it is all tiring and most people have jumped overboard long ago. I am here for the long haul and until we know the truth. I believe with this blind items the truth is coming. Nic and Luke, if you are reading this, please do it on your own. Be bold, brave and speak your truth. Or claim your adjacents properly. Pigs will fly.
"You thought I loved Rebecca? You thought I killed her, loving her? I hated her, I tell you. Our marriage was a farce from the very first. She was vicious, damnable, rotten through and through. We never loved each other, never had one moment of happiness together." Maxim de Winter, Rebecca.
PS. Does anyone else hear Klaus's voice from the Originals when they hear the name Rebecca? lol