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The First Epoch: Part 1, Chapter 8
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Woman in White, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Evidence and Law
Morality, Crime, and Punishment
Identity and Appearance
Marriage and Gender
Class, Industry, and Social Place
Summary
Analysis
As soon as the opportunity arises, Marian asks Laura if she remembers Anne Catherick. Laura does not remember much, except some mentions of her own similarity to Anne. As the weeks pass at Limmeridge House, Walter realizes that he has fallen in love with Laura. He is extremely happy in his life there and looks back on this period as an innocent, peaceful time.
Walter’s feelings for Laura grow and develop as he spends more time with her. This represents a time of happy memories for Walter and a period of innocence before the major events of the novel unfold.
Themes
Literary Devices
Gradually, however, a change begins to come over Laura and, although Walter has tried to hide his love and keep a professional distance from Laura, he realizes that she has fallen in love with him too. Laura’s behavior towards him becomes stilted and uncomfortable. Walter also notices that Marian is always watching them, and that she too is aware of how they feel.
Walter knows that Laura has fallen in love with him because she is no longer comfortable and relaxed with him. Their friendship becomes strained because Laura feels self-conscious when Walter is around. Walter suggests that romantic love and friendship cannot coexist between men and women.
Themes
