Charlotte Bronte's 1853 novel Villette chronicles Lucy Snowe's journey as she grows from a protected girl to a lonely young woman, until she finds her place in the world. The novel opens with Lucy's visits to her godmother, Mrs. Bretton, as a child. During Lucy's last visit, a little girl Paulina Home also comes to stay at the Brettons' house and she develops a close relationship with Mrs. Bretton's son, Graham, before being called back to her father's side.
In the time that passes since Lucy's last visit with the Brettons, Lucy is left alone in the world. She doesn't reveal much about her past, but the friends and family she had as a child, represented by her visits to the Brettons, are gone. Lucy is left wandering in search of a home, and she travels first to London and then to Villette. This trip demonstrates how napve and unprepared Lucy is for life alone. You arrive in the city of Villette, in France, without luggage and with little money. Lost and frightened, she wanders the streets and stumbles upon Madame Beck's school on Rue Fossette, where she is given a job as a housekeeper. Madame Beck sees Lucy's potential and urges her to resume English lessons at school. Although this position offers Lucy a respectable means of providing for herself, she is alone in school and she feels there is nothing to expect. Lucy becomes depressed and when she is left alone during the holidays she starts wandering around the city. After visiting a church, where she confides in Pire Silas, a priest, Lucy passes out in a strange neighborhood.
Lucy wakes up and finds herself in a strangely familiar room. She realizes that she is in the company of her old friends of hers, the Brettons. After their happy reunion, the Brettons become friends with Lucy and care for her as she recovers from her illness. The prospect of a friendship with the Brettons, especially Graham Bretton, is important to Lucy, as she adds companionship and variety to her suffocated life. This friendship improves Lucy's life and health, but she worries that she will be forgotten and that the friendship will only be temporary. Graham begins to confide in Lucy, particularly about her feelings for Ginevra Fanshawe, a beautiful but vain girl from Lucy's school. Over time, the Brettons take Lucy to concerts, museums, and even a show. One night Lucy accompanies Dr. Bretton to the theater and a fire breaks out. Dr. Bretton rescues a young woman who is nearly trampled by the crowd, and this young woman is revealed to be their old friend, Paulina Home de Bassompierre. As Paulina becomes a precious friend of Lucy, her arrival also ends Lucy's friendship with Graham, as she cares more about Paulina.
When Lucy sees Paulina and Graham approaching, she begins to focus her attention elsewhere and cultivates a friendship with M. Paul Emanuel, the strange and selfish professor of literature. At first, Lucy doesn't like M. Paul, but he helps her with her studies, leaves her small gifts and books, and teases her about her flirtatious ways and her materialism, characteristics that only he sees. Eventually, Lucy discovers his goodness and her generosity. When she was young, M. Paul was engaged to a young woman, Justine Marie, but they were forbidden to marry. He died in a convent, and although his family disapproved of marriage, M. Paul provided for the family when they had financial problems. Though Lucy secretly has hope for Graham, she can see that he and Paulina de Bassompierre have fallen in love and will marry. Lucy feels she has found a firm and devoted friend in M. Paul, and she grows up to love him deeply. However, she leaves Europe to take care of an estate in the West Indies. Before leaving, she reveals that she has prepared a home and a school for Lucy. In her absence, Lucy takes care of the school and thrives. She looks forward to having a future with M. Paul upon her return, but there is a strong indication that she will die on the return journey.
