Hope

Hope in this novel serves as a means of survival and of clinging on to humanity. Though Rose discovers that hope is actually a feeble and meager thing, it is all she needs to hold onto the will to live.

In Part 1, Rose’s hope stemmed from her idealistic nature. This is why she turned down Nick’s marriage proposal. She did not want to have a rushed wedding; she wanted a “chance of a honeymoon,” flowers and champagne, and so decided that she would wait. She had hope that when the war was over, she and Nick could be together as a normal couple and could have a normal wedding. This hope and idealism is what helped her to get through her time in Southampton, where she writes, “I’m so tired now. None of us ever get enough sleep…” (6). Hope is a means for...