The Second Life of Mirielle West

Mirielle West is the protagonist. While at Carville, she goes by the pseudonym Pauline Marvin, which was a character in one of Charlie’s films. As the wife of a famous actor, Mirielle is accustomed to a lavish life in high society. She is regarded as beautiful and fashionable, and when the novel begins, her purpose in life is to shine at social events associated with Charlie’s career. While she considers motherhood a vital aspect of her identity, the nanny carries out the work of rearing her children. At this point in her life, Mirielle copes by drinking and keeping her children at a distance, as Evie’s drawing reveals. Similarly, her marriage suffers as a result of the distance that grows between her and Charlie after Felix’s death. Her diagnosis of leprosy and subsequent trip to Carville shock her out of her denial and force her to confront the reality of her life.

Mirielle’s view of herself shifts throughout the novel. At first, she refuses to accept her diagnosis because she believes people with leprosy occupy the lowest stratum of society, and it is impossible for her to see herself in that way. As someone of both a high social and economic standing, she believes those with leprosy are beneath her.