Year of Wonders, A Novel of the Plague is by award-winning author Geraldine Brooks. The novel is based on the true story of a village in England during a plague in the seventeenth century. The inhabitants of Eyam, also known as Plague Village, sacrificed themselves. The villagers have quarantined the village to prevent the spread of the disease to the rest of the country. The story is told from the point of view of the protagonist, Anna Frith, a maid. Instead of starting the book at the beginning of the plague, the story begins near the end, in the autumn of 1666. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Michael Mompellion is the village rector. His wife Elinor recently died. Michael, Elinor and Anna Frith were the main carers in their village during the plague. Next, the author takes the reader back to the spring of 1665, before the onset of the plague. Eyam is a small, poor rural village located in the rugged hills of Derbyshire, England. Which raises the question: How does an isolated village become infected with the plague? Anna Frith is an 18 year old widow with two children. To survive, he takes in an itinerant, George Remington Viccars, as a lodger in his home. George then receives a shipment of cloth from London to make clothes for his customers. This fabric brings the plague with it. The tailor falls ill with a high fever and begins to show symptoms of the bubonic plague. He died a few days after contracting the disease. Before dying, George discovers that the tissue he received must be the cause of his illness. His last words to Anna are to beg her to burn the clothes and cloth. Anna ignores him and the infected clothes end up in her customers' homes. After George's death, Anna finds work as a maid for the Bradfords, a wealthy family in the village. While in Bradford, Anna discovers that a plague has reached London. The deaths begin when the villagers fall ill with the plague and die. Anna's two children and neighbors are among the first victims. Anys Gowdie and her niece are accused of witchcraft and causing the deaths. The villagers create an angry mob and kill the two women to end the curse on their village. The rector, Michael Mompellion, is the new priest of the village. He faces the crowd and orders them to stop. In his Sunday sermon, Michael implores people to stop the riots. It also urges all residents to stay in the village. This will stop the spread of the plague to other villages and towns, although this is a death wish for most residents. The village decides to quarantine itself and isolate itself from the outside world. The Bradford family decides to flee the village and try to escape the plague. After the Bradfords leave, Anna goes to look for work at the Mompellions. Elinor Mompellion takes the ignorant Anna under her protection and teaches her to read. The two women grow closer as they struggle to care for their village. Michael Mompellion comes up with the idea that the villagers should burn all their belongings to try to get rid of the plague. Michael's plan works and he hosts a thanksgiving service to celebrate the end of the plague. While on duty, Elinor is killed by a village woman who has gone mad after the deaths of all her children. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Finally, the novel returns to where it began. Michael is no longer able to take care of the villagers because of his.
tags