Trip to the Cliff

Both Maxim and the Second Mrs. de Winter take a trip to the cliff, but for totally different reasons. The Second Mrs. de Winter is seeking to escape the servitude of her life, while Maxim is reliving painful memories from his past with Rebecca. When the Second Mrs. de Winter spots Maxim standing on the edge of the cliff, she believes that he is about to commit suicide. When she tries to approach him, he yells at her, and she runs away in terror.

Their first meeting reveals a lot about the future of their relationship. The Second Mrs. de Winter is young and naïve. She cannot even imagine the horrors that Maxim has lived through or how difficult her young life would end up being. She is innocent and he is haunted.

The trip to the cliff is symbolic for Maxim as he...