The Marriage Of Opposites

When Frédéric first came to St. Thomas from France, he was a young, inexperienced man who had always lived a logical life and never confronted his true passions. However, once he comes to the island, he falls in love with the hot, wild landscape and also with Rachel, his aunt by marriage. This takes him by such surprise that he feels bewitched. Rachel brings out Frédéric’s hidden depths of desire when she wears her white night gown in front of him, and from that point on he pursues her despite his logical side telling him not to. 

Many of the men in the novel aren’t faithful to their wives, but Frédéric is an exception. Once he and Rachel are in relationship, he is only ever devoted to her and their children. He always remains Rachel’s passionate lover and best friend, yet also a level-headed businessman and caring father. Even though Frédéric is pursued by the women of the island for much of his life—they all think he is incredibly handsome—he never gives them any attention. Even when Mrs. Halevy and the congregation warn him against Rachel and ostracize him and his family, he still stays with Rachel. In this way, he demonstrates an unwavering dedication to the people he loves.

Even as a young boy, Camille knew he was different than other people. He couldn’t sleep as a baby because he was too interested in the world around him, and as a schoolboy he failed his classes because he cared more about viewing nature than looking at books. As he grows older, he realizes his true talent is painting, as he can see the world in colors that others can’t and put them onto paper and canvas. He feels the most joy when he is painting and he considers it his true calling, but growing up he is constantly pulled from this endeavor by the mundane responsibilities of school and helping with the family business. 

As Camille grows older, he hates working at the family store because it not only keeps him from painting but it’s also a space that separates the rich and the poor. He begins to abhor his bourgeois background and longs to live a painter’s life among down to earth people. He also begins to hate the political climate of the island, which keeps people separate based on the color of their skin and their social class. This is one of the main reasons he always wants to leave; this, and the fact that he and his mother are always fighting. While Rachel admits that Camille has talent, she doesn’t support him becoming a painter because she fears he won’t earn a living that way. When Camille and his parents finally move to France later in life, Rachel passively accepts his painting; however, her worries prove prescient and she ends up having to financially support him and his family.

Jestine is Rachel’s best friend throughout the novel. Their friendship is an unlikely one on the island, as Rachel is from a prominent Jewish family while Jestine is the mixed-race daughter of a maid who practices Christianity and Spiritualism. While these differences would usually mean division on St. Thomas, Rachel and Jestine are inseparable as children. Since Jestine’s mother works in the Pomié home, the girls practically live together while growing up, creating a sisterly bond that proves true when it is revealed that Jestine is actually Rachel’s half-sister, the product of a relationship Rachel’s father had with Adelle, the family’s maid. While their different lives create tension as they grow older, by the end of the novel they are once again inseparable in France.

In many ways, Rachel and Jestine are opposites, with differences that extend beyond their religious and class differences. These differences can be best seen through how each character interacts with Camille. While Rachel is hard on him and tries to persuade him to go against his nature, Jestine embraces his desire to be an artist. In this way, Camille feels closer to Jestine than to his own mother. Perhaps this is also because Jestine is an artist in her own right, being the island’s most prized seamstress. 

Despite the opposing elements of their personalities, Rachel and Jestine are also quite similar. Both women are brave—Rachel endures the opposition of the Jewish community to pursue her relationship with Frédéric, while Jestine endures the loss of her daughter—both women long to leave the island and go to France, but by the end of the novel, each woman has a very different reason for wanting to leave: Rachel wants to fulfill her lifelong dream, while Jestine wants to finally be reunited with her daughter.