Madison Howlett
Year of Wonders; Essay

“While many characters in ‘Year of Wonders’ display admirable qualities, Anna Frith is the true heroine of the novel”

Throughout her novel ‘Year of Wonders’, Geraldine Brooks presents readers with many characters that are viewed as admirable in their village of Eyam, during the time of the plague. Set in 1665-66, Brooks creates an environment that many people would not be able to cope with. Numerous deaths and a village that is crumbling around you can push many people to their limits and bring out the worst in human nature however Brooks creates allows characters such as Michael and Elinor Mompellion and Anys and Mem Gowdie to defy the odds and remain admirable and strong throughout the tough
Brooks creates such a honest and valuable character in Elinor that after hearing of Elinor’s sin, aborting her baby, readers are still positioned to sympathise and follow Elinor’s story without the urge to judge her. Brooks presents Elinor as a character who is highly admired and positive in everything she comes across. This presentation of Elinor allows readers to connect with Elinor on a positive level and view her as a character who possess admirable qualities.

Brooks positions readers to view Michael Mompellion as an admirable character given the circumstances he finds himself in. Being the rector of the village of Eyam, Mompellion takes on the role of keeping the villagers safe being the “born leader” that he is during the time of the plague. Brooks positions Mompellion to be one of the strongest and most powerful characters in the text, which presents him as a dominant character. “The thunder of his voice” allowed Brooks to present Mompellion as a central character in the novel, which readers could learn to admire. His ability to keep the village of Eyam from moving into a state of turmoil shows that he had great power and that he was going to use it as best he could. Although some villagers “did not love him for what he had done”, Brooks characterises Mompellion in a way that readers are positioned to understand and relate to Mompellion, as he believed that