The Enchanted April

“To those who appreciate wisteria and sunshine. Small medieval Italian castle on the shores of the Mediterranean to be let furnished for the month of April. Necessary servants remain.”

This notice in the paper is the novel’s inciting incident. Due to this small, non-descript notice, a large chain of events is set in motion, transforming the lives of seven people and introducing The Importance of Self-Discovery and Freedom. This process speaks to the transformative power of even the smallest of events and gestures toward the idea that, even for those set in their ways, change is possible.

“Nobody took much notice of Mrs. Wilkins. She is the kind of woman who is not noticed at parties.”

Mrs. Wilkins is shy and modest. She is not happy in her marriage and does not enjoy socializing. Nevertheless, she does embody agency and will. It is because of her suggestion and commitment that the trip to Italy happens. She urges Mrs. Arbuthnot on, and it is because of her energy and dedication to the idea of a vacation that the women find themselves “indulging” in the frivolity of a month-long stay in a castle on the Mediterranean, suggesting that she is worthy of notice after all.

“Of course Mrs. Arbuthnot was not miserable. How could she be when God was taking care of her?”

Mrs. Arbuthnot is a pious woman. Her piety derives in part from the unhappiness of her marriage. She disapproves of her husband’s writing career and has chosen to deal with her feelings by giving them over “wholly” to God. She devotes herself to God and to helping others to distract herself from Fredrick.