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The Moonstone Essay

Updated August 13, 2022
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The Moonstone Essay essay

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The Moonstone, written in 1868 by Wilkie Collins is a mystery novel about a gem called “The Moonstone”. The moonstone is somewhat a symbol of what everyone strives for, beauty and power. In the book, justice plays a huge role in terms of doing what is fair and morally right through action and attitude. Although the moonstone is overbearingly beautiful and breathtaking, like all beautiful things, it has a history “…that crime brings its own fatality with it” (Ch. IV).

With such great beauty, the moonstone almost takes power and control over people, making them act out in such ways just to get their hands on it. The Moonstone does not come from England. Herncastle, the uncle of Rachel Verinder steals the gem while in battle. Before Herncastle takes possession of the Moonstone, the stone has already passed through the hands of a number posseors. During the first narrative, the gem is explained as a symbol of wealth and power that no man should ever possess, even though so many wish to get their hands on it.

And with such demands for people to stay away from it, lures all to want it crave even more. In a way, the moonstone symbolized the conquering that Herncastle did while in India, allowing the moonstone to almost become a trophy of his doings. This is not just at all, it was known that the invasion on India was to make them less barbaric, when in reality, what the English were doing to India was forcing their beliefs and culture on them, in an obviously not mannerable way. “… “the shrine of Hindoo pilgrimage, and the wonder of the eastern world” (Ch. II of the prologue).

The moonstone was rightfully a part of India that was stolen after Herncastle kills many people, a trophy for murder has to carry some consequences with it, and so; it did. After his death, Herncastle leaves the moonstone,aware of the seriousness of the stone, to his niece Rachel Verinder to get back at the family that excluded him. He puts it in the hands of Mr. Franklin Blake to deliver the stone to Rachel. When Mr. Blake arrives at the Verinder house, there were words about Indiains that were disguising themselves as jugglers and magicians in order to try and get information on the whereabouts of the moonstone in hopes of getting it back and returning it to it’s rightfully owners, the Indians themselves.

Then after Rachel’s birthday party, the diamond gets stolen. Right away, people suspect the Indians. With that, the Indians were unjustly automatically thrown in jail, that is until there were several accounts that proved that they had no part in stealing the moonstone, it was said that they were seen in Frinzinghall between 10-11, the time that it was believed that the moonstone had been stolen.

Thus, they were let go after false accuseion. The moonstone brings out the worst in the people that inquire to come in contact with it, it brings out the deceitfulness of the once good-hearted Godfrey Ablewhite, the man that pined for Rachel Verinder’s affections, dies as Herncastle himself did with the selfish motivations to keep the diamond, even though they both knew who the rightful owners were.

At the end of the novel the Moonstone is given back to it’s rightful owners, and finally justice had been served, that is not with out a price. That which was the death of Godfrey Ablewhite and the signs of bold actions done by the Indians in order to get the moonstone back into their hands of their god and of their people.

It was believed by the Indian God’s that the Indian’s had risk their immortal souls by disguising as members of a lower statue in order to retrieve the diamonds, even though they saw it as dedicating their lives to the service of their god.”…forfeited their caste, in the service of the god. The god had commanded that their purification should be the purification by pilgrimage. Having been constantly together their entire lives, the trio depart in separate directions: Never more were they to look on each other’s faces”. But in the end, it was selfless love that made justice at the end of the novel.

It seemed to be that the curse of greed had failed on everyone but Franklin Blake and his affections towards Rachel. And with Rachel’s selfless love, she sacrifices her honor for the sake of Franklin. After this, the Indians restore the diamond to their god, and Franklin restores Rachel’s respect. The moonstone became a window for effecting and dutiful development for the English.

In conclusion, it was justice that had brought peace to everyone in the novel. Once the just actions were done fore the Indians in the end, all was well for everyone.

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