Vera Clayhorne Guilt

Vera Claythorne is considered to be the one person on the island with the most guilt, but who is Vera? Vera Claythorne was a governess, looking after a little boy named Cyril Hamilton. Vera became infatuated with Cyril's uncle, Hugo. However, there was a huge marriage barrier in their way which was money. Hugo confessed to Vera that he didn't have enough money to get married and support a family. For several days Cyril had questioned Vera about swimming out to the island, and she finally thought she could tell him to swim out to the island. She then she would act as though she never knew that he had left her sight and just when Cyril is about to drown she would act like she was swimming to save him. Vera then hoped that after Cyril’s death …show more content…
For instance, the statement “This act, as well as her denial of any wrongdoing.” (Chapter 11) showed how Vera felt guilty. To explain, Vera felt so much guilt because she had never been able to determine what was right or wrong. Vera denied, and refused to believe that she killed Cyril. She would tell herself that it wasn’t her fault, or that she did nothing wrong. When in fact, it caused her more guilt in the end. Another example would be when all the people on the island began to hear laughter in the yard and see Vera Claythorne standing there. After the death of Mr. Rogers, Vera began to go into hysterics, and when she figured out that they were dying, according to the poem she began to laugh. In fact, Vera knew all along that they would die eventually, while the rest of the people on the island were oblivious to what was going on. She knew that they were all guilty, and that the killings were just justice for what they had done. The last example would be the statement. “Vera Claythorne is a small, terrified animal, afraid to move.” (Chapter 13). This statement showed Vera’s guilt because she lived in constant fear of Hugo, or Cyril trying to get revenge on her. Hiding the fact that she felt fearful and guilty caused her to create her own shell that covered up the fact that she felt penitent. In other words, Feeling both the guilt of killing Cyril and the guilt of pushing her loved one away …show more content…
Vera Claythorne’s life is always about what happened to Cyril. Furthermore, she spent every day thinking about Cyril and Hugo. For example, after arriving on the island Vera states that. “The smell of St. Tredennick” (pg.196). Meaning that the whole island reminded her of the ocean that Cyril drowned. After smelling the ocean Vera began to recollect about the day of Cyril’s death. The scent had caused her so much guilt to the point that she passed out. Secondly, Vera begins laughing hysterically over what appears to be the death of Mr. Rogers. After seeing Emily Brent show no remorse over what happened to Beatrice Taylor she felt as if Emily was terrible. "The little elderly spinster was no longer slightly ridiculous to Vera. Suddenly - she was terrible." (Pg. 101). To explain, Vera said this only because that's what she really felt about herself. She felt so much guilt that when she found out someone else had caused a death she began to blame them, but in reality she wanted to blame herself. She wanted to call herself terrible for causing Cyril's death, but could never bring herself to say those words to herself. Vera became consumed by Cyril, and began to live her life always thinking about what she had done. In addition, Vera continued to have visions of Cyril, and was frightened by the thought that Hugo was on the island watching her. Another example of grief would be after Vera shot