To the Lighthouse summary

Many posts related to Woolf and To the Lighthouse, so here goes...

Virginia Woolf online resources

Woolf’s “Modern Fiction” and How Should One Read a Book?” essays

Audio recommendation

To the Lighthouse: The Window, Chapter 1

To the Lighthouse: The Window, Chapters 2 – 9

To the Lighthouse: The Window, Chapters 10 – 16

To the Lighthouse: The Window, Chapters 17 - 19

To the Lighthouse: Time Passes

To the Lighthouse: The Lighthouse

To the Lighthouse: 1983 movie (TV)

"Experience, already reduced to a swarm of impressions, is ringed round for each one of us by that thick wall of personality through which no real voice has ever pierced on its way to us, or from us to that which we can only conjecture to be without. Every one of those impressions is the impression of the individual in his isolation, each mind keeping as a solitary prisoner its own dream of a world."

Walter Pater, The Renaissance

To the Lighthouse: 1983 movie (TV)

The IMDB page for the movie can be found here. An adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s work is going to be a challenge. How to capture the consciousness of the characters that fills the majority of the book?

Despite the massive changes to storyline, wholesale additions and omissions, and a pared down character list, the movie does a decent job at conveying the spirit of the novel. The setting is changed to Cornwall, where the Stephen family would vacation. Mr. Ramsay is given plenty of time to rage, bluster and tyrannize his family while still adding some of the sympathetic glances toward him. Rosemary Harris does a good job as Mrs. Ramsay, but I was not quite sold on the character as I was in the book. More time is given to Charles Tansley and a young Kenneth Branagh is admirable. The rest of the characters (two children, Minta Doyle and William Bankes are not included) fill out the solid cast.

The strains of family life definitely shine through, with the struggle for Mrs. Ramsay’s attention from the different family members shown very well. The competing view between Mrs. Ramsay and Lily Briscoe regarding the role of a woman in society is played up very well, with the addition of scenes and modern language to augment Woolf’s nascent feminism. There is little surprise that the strongest section of the movie was covering the ten years of the “Time Passes” section. Since this part was relayed from the outside, the views of the deteriorating house, rough weather, and family deaths were superficially covered well.

Several things suffered, unfortunately, and one omission was Mr. Ramsay’s apprehension about his legacy and questioning the enduring nature of art. In the movie he is concerned about the decline in the quality of his books and his inability to say anything new, but that is as far as it goes. But the biggest disappointment for me was that the dinner party never achieves the transcendent level as in the book. The characters switch to a voice-over during the party, which played much better than several stiff (and fortunately short) monologues meant to convey a character’s thoughts. Yet even then by the end of this scene I was somewhat tired of the technique, which gives me more appreciation of what the writers were up against in translating this to the screen. Even so, the sense of community and binding together against the watery destruction of time and nature was never developed.

One of the most difficult thoughts to put aside in watching a movie like this (besides going “that’s Aunt May Parker and Alfred the butler”) is “that’s not like the book.” There are many moments like that in this movie. Yet it is still an enjoyable film and I think a worthy adaption of the novel. Unfortunately it leaves me wanting something better, something that captures more of the questions and responses from Woolf’s book.

To the lighthouse discussion: The Lighthouse

Godrevy Island lighthouse (Source)
"The great revelation had never come. The great revelation perhaps never did come. Instead there were little daily miracles, illuminations, matches struck unexpectedly in the dark; here was one. This, that, and the other; herself and Charles Tansley and the breaking wave; Mrs Ramsay bringing them together; Mrs Ramsay saying, "Life stand still here"; Mrs Ramsay making of the moment something permanent (as in another sphere Lily herself tried to make of the moment something permanent)--this was of the nature of a revelation. In the midst of chaos there was shape; this eternal passing and flowing (she looked at the clouds going and the leaves shaking) was struck into stability. Life stand still here, Mrs Ramsay said."
(The Lighthouse, Chapter 4)

Let us not take it for granted that life exists more fully in what is commonly thought big than in what is commonly thought small.
(Modern Fiction)

The last section of To the Lighthouse reverts to narrating the consciousness of the characters. The family struggle is brought even more to the foreground—without Mrs. Ramsay, there is no more fighting for her attention. Instead the fighting is more direct between characters. The similarity between James and his father guarantees there will be friction. Cam’s love for her father holds up through all his cruelties and tyrannies. Along with Mrs. Ramsay’s abiding love despite everything, it paints a picture of strength that I’m sure can be misconstrued as weakness. Even Lily has to reconcile with the dead Mrs. Ramsay on this issue. The loss of the mother affected everyone including Lily. She is shown working through her grief, befuddlement and anger turning to anguish.

The characters that strike the reader as less likeable are given a sympathetic portrayal at some point. Just as the revelation in the first section of Charles Tansley’s poverty gives some understanding of his actions, Mr. Ramsay (despite his tyranny) is given a sympathetic touch at times in “The Lighthouse.” The sympathy that is shown between characters mostly comes from the females and is usually indirect. After the dinner Mrs. Ramsay gives her husband what he needs but not what he was (silently) asking for. Lily gives Charles Tansley help during the dinner. And in this section you see Lily unable to give Mr. Ramsay the sympathy he requested, instead bestowing him with pride regarding his boots.

A major focus in this section is the mutability of people and things, the self and how we view things. The distance from where things are viewed makes a difference—the waves looking tranquil from afar may be dangerous while in them. Cam looking back at the house while sailing thinks how peaceful it all looks, as compared to the hive-like activity while actually there. The same difference can be applied to time. How different everything looks when viewed years later. As James thought while looking at the lighthouse, “For nothing was simply one thing.” And this leads into the aspect of knowledge that Woolf addresses in the book. By showing the internal world of the characters, you see how little actually gets communicated to others. Others fill in the gaps of their knowledge as they see fit, as Lily does with Minta and Paul Raley. And this combination of experience and invention becomes a new “truth.” The desire for fifty pairs of eyes, and the recognition that even that isn’t enough, to understand someone shows the necessity of filling in the gaps.

The difficulty Lily has with her painting demonstrates the challenge in the artistic endeavor. “All that in idea seemed simple became in practice immediately complex,” thought Lily as she struggled with capturing her vision on the canvas. In the same way, she struggled with words to convey what she was thinking and became frustrated. She knows her work will only be hung in attics or stowed away somewhere, but that fact does not lessen the moment she is inspired to paint…the inspiration that makes life bigger and fuller than our limited consciousness can comprehend. The hypothetical beachcomber in “Time Passes” and Lily in this section continue to ask “What does it all mean?” The answer is given in those moments of transcendence, when we can escape ourselves and our limitations. Mrs. Ramsay attempted to do this by making time stand still, “making of the moment something permanent.” Lily attempts this with her painting, as does Mr. Ramsay with his work. Mrs. Ramsay realizes she can provide a stay against that “waterily” confusion and destructive elements that threatens family and friends. For a woman constantly described as placing “this with that,” she is able to provide order and stability for those around her and bridge the gap between various inwardly-focused lives.

To the Lighthouse discussion: Time Passes

The first chapter of “Time Passes” highlights the difference in narrative style for this section. Events after the dinner are conveyed through a third-person approach rather than the stream-of-consciousness in the “The Window.” This change in technique mirrors the shift in focus regarding the impact of time. The first section, which viewed the world through the consciousness of individuals, highlighted the effect time has on people. This middle section mostly concentrates on the effect time has on things. Events in people’s lives over the ten-year period are presented mostly as asides, without elaboration or emotion.

Once again there are many themes and motifs so I’ll only be able to mention a couple of them. One recurrent thing is the use of someone on the beach and asking philosophical questions. The waves and the sea have (among other things) signified time in its continual wearing down of physical things. The surface of the sea hides the power and beauty underneath, presenting a mirror to those that walk beside it. Likewise, the answers it yields will be a reflection of the beachwalker himself…in both form and content.

Toward the end of “The Window” Mrs. Ramsay symbolically protects her children from a death symbol by wrapping her scarf around the boar’s skull. With the passage of time, the shawl falls away revealing the meager protection that she (and all parents) actually provide. There is nothing that she could have done to prevent Prue’s death in childbirth or Andrew’s death in the war. While they were adults at the time of their death, Mrs. Ramsay’s feeling of impotence regarding protecting those out for a walk was a harbinger of how far her influence actually carried. Even so, her power was great in bringing people together, providing a stay against the elements outside and instigating events that would remain with them. This force she provided is echoed in “Time Passes” as the house's refusal to ultimately yield to the destructive elements attacking it (through forces it didn't control, but benefited from nonetheless).
The destructive nature of time in this section does lend credence to Mr. Ramsay’s concern about the lasting nature of his work, or of any work of art. As time passes, the forces working to destroy the books are only concerned with the physical component of a work. The essence of what is behind those works will live on..maybe wildly popular or alone in obscurity, but they do continue. Witness the emergence of Mr. Carmichael’s work, supposedly due to the war, in regards to what is popular at any point in time. As in relation to the house, there are other forces to help art survive.

I think it is a safe bet that the flower imagery in To the Lighthouse has provided several scholars their dissertation topic. Whether the use was with regard to actual flowers (in the garden, for example, and the constant vigilance to make sure they are planted and not destroyed by the wildlife), flower imagery (the flower in the tablecloth pattern that inspires Lily to ‘fix’ her painting), or simple allusion (Mrs. Ramsay’s reverie as she listened to the poem at dinner), the use of flowers saturate the book. I’ll pass on delving into it more, but did want to highlight their usage at some point.

Time and darkness are presented as engulfing elements in “Time Passes,” factors that swallow us up in a pool despite our best efforts. Along with nature, one day…one night does not always play a deciding factor in our lives. It is the accumulation of nights, of time, unveils what will happen and wear down our being. Here, the house does not deteriorate overnight but over the space of ten years. However this approach toward time has to be augmented with the recognition that things do happen in one evening, or in one moment. The deaths of the characters did not happen “over time” but in discrete moments. The passage of time yields these decisive moments.

The personification of the air early in this section lends itself to a wonderful metaphor on knowledge. These airs have “time at their disposal” and question everything they pass. They learn everything that is available, able to visit when and where they would like and read people or events at their leisure. The airs may be driven away with the recognition that they “can neither touch nor destroy,” but they obtain knowledge regardless. One major theme in the final section investigates the meaning of knowing another person. The use of “certain airs” in this section demonstrates one method of learning.

To The Lighthouse: audio recommendation

I saw the CD version of To the Lighthouse with Phyllida Law as reader at my local library and decided to give it a try. This in spite of my general misgiving about books on tape (I'm rarely able to give my full attention to them) and the specific worry about the adaptability of this work (can you keep track while listening to a sentence that has a dozen clauses between subject and verb?).

I need not have worried on either count. Phyllida Law does a wonderful job of bringing the book to life and keeping the sentence structure understandable. There is a lyricism and rhythm within the text that I was not aware of until hearing it read out loud. Very highly recommended.

General information: 8 CDs, just over 7 ½ hours, BBC Aduiobooks.

To the Lighthouse discussion: The Window, Chapters 17 – 19

Cover of To the Lighthouse by Vanessa Bell
Source

The last three chapters of “The Window” section takes place during the dinner and later that evening. I will briefly look at the dinner and some topics covered then and afterwards.

The dinner starts off with weariness and dissatisfaction of many of the participants. Several characters wish they weren’t there, feel something is lacking and that they have nothing to say. The turning point is when the candles are lit—while the narration didn’t note it, you realize the twilight made the room dark and uninviting. The diners feel physically closer together as “uneasiness changed to expectation…anything can happen." The food, the fruit and then the main course, cement the positive change in atmosphere. “(F)or the night was now shut off by panes of glass, which, far from giving any accurate view of the outside world, rippled it so strangely that here, inside the room, seemed to be order and dry land; there, outside, a reflection in which things waved and vanished, waterily.” (my emphasis) The outside represents the passage of time, the fleeting nature of life. “Some change at once went through them all, as if this had really happened, and they were all conscious of making a party together in a hollow, on an island; had their common cause against that fluidity out there.” The sense of community they achieved represents one stay against that danger. The difficulty in drawing everyone together was simply one of inertia—the distance we ordinarily feel makes it hard to overcome, but once overcome it continues to have a life of its own. The glimpses into the consciousness of the characters reveals the difficulty in connecting with others, yet the self can change and adapt to make things more inviting.

During the meal, the language used invokes a religious overtone that the participants feel. The language starts with references to pagan rituals but gradually adopts Catholic overtones. The poetry, quoted and then chanted, helps seal the religious feel with its rhythm, tone, and subject.

At the start of the dinner, the thoughts of several characters are less than generous. Mrs. Ramsay pities William Bankes for no longer having a wife and not having any children. Yet he is happy to be alone, feeling there is a sacrifice that has to be made in order to be around other people. Mr. Bankes looks at Mrs. Ramsay as one of his oldest friends but has nothing to say to her, feeling that there was a great distance between the two. Charles Tansley derided the silliness of the host family, mostly regarding the women. However it is the women who draw him into the group, including him in order to be social (and as Lily put it, at great cost). It is their “silliness” that helps make the evening a success. There was much communication between characters without words being spoken: between Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay, Mrs. Ramsay and Lily, Paul and Minta with everyone else (as they radiated their love), showing that the connection can be made at several levels.

Lily looks at Mrs. Ramsay and contrasts “that abundance with her own poverty of spirit”. Mrs. Ramsay is able to ‘control’ others and make things better by being so social. Lily reflects on the assumed engagement of Paul and Minta: “For any rate…she [Lily]need not marry, thank Heaven; she need not undergo that degradation. She was saved from that dilution.” She feels conflicted between what she feels and what she sees others feel, which parallels her frustration in not capturing a scene appropriately in her painting. Her questioning of marriage is echoed by Mrs. Ramsay at the end of “The Window” section: “(W)hy is it then that one wants people to marry? What was the value, the meaning of things?” While there is no answer given, part of it appears to be that two people can create what just one person cannot.

The creation theme carries over into Mr. Ramsay’s concern that his work will not last. The irony is that he constantly quotes, reads, or alludes to other works. A particular example is his reactions in reading Scott after recently saying “the arts are merely a decoration imposed on the top of human life; they do not express it.” Scott “made him fell so vigorous, so relieved of something that he felt roused and triumphant and could not choke back his tears.” He “forgot his own bothers and failures completely.” The arts are hardly a mere decoration for him. Mr. Ramsay feels some works will last for him and he realizes that his books will last for some people but not for others. At least for this evening, that is acceptable to him. One other example of what art can do as seen by Mrs. Ramsay after the poem was recited: “(T)he words seemed to be spoken by her own voice, outside her self, saying quite easily and naturally what had been in her mind the whole evening while she said different things…”. The collective recitation by the people at the table was “their own voice speaking.” Art doesn’t just speak to us, it can speak for us.

The passage of time weighs heavy in this section. Mrs. Ramsay reflects on a stay with Carrie Manning twenty years ago, how “there was no future to worry about.” She remembers it while current events keep slipping into "the past," making the present have an ephemeral feel. Mrs. Ramsay knows about her changes in the twenty years since elapsed, but feels “she did not know this Carrie who built a new billiard room.” It is the same person, of course, but one that she lost touch with over the years and is not consistent with her memory of that special weekend. How many people at the current dinner will look back in twenty years? She feels Paul and Minta will always come back to this evening, yet she realizes she has probably only thought of the weekend with the Mannings once since it happened. As highlighted with all the old friends, people drift apart and do not always look on them the same even if they stay in touch. What is passed between generations is compared as well. The undercurrent of comparing the brooch that Minta’s grandmother left her versus the recipe that Mrs. Ramsay’s grandmother gave her pivots on what they mean outside the person who receives it. Both gifts are highly valued, but only one can be effectively shared with others.

Unfortunately the symbolism of the boar’s head felt heavy-handed, the specter of death that Mrs. Ramsay protects her children from with the use of her own shawl. The role of motherhood is emphasized as is the cost of its performance. Much more in tune with the rest of this section was when she “pulled the window down another inch or two, and heard the wind, and got a breath of the perfectly indifferent chill night air and murmured good night…”. Shortly after that, Mrs. Ramsay was acting like a child when talking with Prue, Paul and Minta about their proposal to watch the waves on the beach. The swings in time and thought parallel her feelings of jealousy when looking at Paul and Minta—they have their whole lives together to experience, while much of hers is behind her. Yet her importance to the family and the party is continually emphasized, especially with the description of the party disintegrating once she left. Earlier she had described her own contributions as negligible, but we constantly see that isn’t so. “But what have I done with my life?” she asks at the beginning of this section. What she gives to her children is made clear over and over again. She is able to give her husband what he needs, sometimes directly and other times indirectly. She wishes that it wasn’t necessary, yet it seems to make her happy when she nurtures him. She feels frustration at times since “It was only that she never could say what she felt.” Yet she is able to convey much without speaking and with other actions. “(F)or though she had not said a word, he knew, of course he knew, that she loved him. He could not deny it. And smiling she looked out of the window and said (thinking to herself, Nothing on earth can equal this happiness)…”. For someone who wanted to keep her children at the same age since they would never be happier, Mrs. Ramsay has found the accumulation of the small moments can overcome the hostility of life.

A reminder that the poems that are referred to in the book can be found here

To the Lighthouse discussion: The Window, Chapters 10 – 16

Talland House, where the Stephen family spent their summers. From Leslie Stephen's photo album at Smith College Libraries site.

This section covers up to the dinner party and allows the reader to meet more of the Rasmay family and guests.

Mrs. Ramsay expresses her desire to spare her children from what she views as the hostility of life. She thinks they will never be happier than they are right now, while at the same time recognizing they all go through stages. The unasked question is when do people stop going through stages? Woolf shows the volatility of the characters’ nature and feelings, regardless of their age. Mrs. Ramsay recognizes that little things make the children inordinately happy, but doesn’t apply that to adults or note that little things also make young and old inordinately unhappy. She views life as “terrible, hostile, and quick to pounce on you if you gave it a chance,” yet I don’t think it a mistake that she only asks for the children to remain the same and not herself. Only by making time stand still or standing outside of time does she seem to say that happiness can be achieved. She wishes this for her children, particularly the youngest ones, even though she and her husband feel that the children will be “better” than the parents in certain ways, which will “stem the flood a bit.” One later quote that "one's children so often gave one's own perceptions a little thrust forward" may also provide an additional impetus to Mrs. Ramsay's wish.

…(I)t was a relief when they [the children] went to bed. For now she need not think about anybody. She could be herself, by herself. And that was what now she often felt the need of—to think; well, not even to think. To be silent; to be alone. All the being and the doing, expansive, glittering, vocal, evaporated; and one shrunk, with a sense of solemnity, to being oneself, a wedge-shaped core of darkness, something invisible to others. … When Life sank down for a moment, the range of experience seemed limitless. … Not as oneself did one find rest ever, in her experience…but as a wedge of darkness. Losing personality, one lost the fret, the hurry, the stir; and there rose to her lips always some exclamation of triumph over life when things came together in this peace, this rest, this eternity… .

So we have two contradictory ways to triumph over time: “being oneself” by oneself, and the community of family and others (as shown in the upcoming dinner party). In the sense of community you only see bits and pieces of others (“Beneath it is all dark, it is all spreading, it is unfathomably deep; but now and again we rise to the surface”), but that is all we have to work with in dealing with others. Woolf demonstrates this complexity while also showing the silent communication between Ramsay husband and wife, able to generate an entire conversation with only a glance. The quiet conversation between Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay as daylight faded shows a remarkably tender side of their relationship, even when they feel they can’t speak. Because of her concern of the evanescent nature of life and happiness, Mrs. Ramsay makes such quiet moments rich and satisfying…transcendent because of her concerns.

We may only touch at the rough boundaries of others, but Mrs. Ramsay shows how much influence one can have on others, whether real or imaginary. She inspires soaring internal rhapsodies from Charles Tansley and William Bankes. Paul and Minta get engaged from the feeling that Mrs. Ramsay has somehow “made” them do it. Mr. Ramsay may have achieved his greatest work before he got married, but he is able to have a long graceful decline thanks to his wife’s nourishment. Even the family’s fight for Mrs. Ramsay’s attention demonstrates her value to them.

I noted the contrasts between characters and items in the previous post, but the similarity between such pairings increases as this section progresses. Lily and Mrs. Ramsay approach the roles of a woman in society from opposite ends of the spectrum, yet many of their thoughts mirror each other even if they lead in different directions. Mrs. Ramsay regrets not having traveled and seen more, as well as not seeing the societal improvements she would like to see. She knows she will not be able to accomplish either until the children are grown, making the regret palatable. Lily reflects on not seeing more artwork and comes to the conclusion that she would never be content with her own paintings if she were exposed to more. Mr. Ramsay is called to mind in comparing this discontent of Lily. She is unhappy with her work, unable to successfully translate what she sees to the canvas. Mr. Ramsay worries about the ability of his work to last and peremptorily makes it even harder to create something that is meaningful. In contrast, however, Lily is trying to create based on what she sees and feels while Mr. Ramsay is working through a logical progression of thought that is apparently meant to be universal (what his work actually is trying to be accomplish is deliberately vague). The complex relationships between Lily and the Ramsays simultaneously calls into question roles while not judging what is satisfying beyond works for the individual. Just as Minta’s (lost) brooch bridges across time and connects her to her grandmother, Lily is a bridge between the elder Ramsays. She has much in common with the couple, even though she is completely her own person. The emphasis is highlighted between Mrs. Ramsay and Lily, each using the other to define what they believe their role to be. I mentioned earlier that it would be interesting to see how characters define themselves, especially how they do so in comparison to others. This dynamic is most prominent with the two women and you realize it has an impact in how they treat those around them.

Next—the dinner.

Picture of Virginia Woolf and her younger brother Adrian (from the same source as the picture at the top), c. 1886

To the Lighthouse discussion: The Window, Chapters 2 – 9

“…she felt…how life, from being made up of little separate incidents which one lived one by one, became curled and whole like a wave which bore one up and threw one down with it, there, with a dash on the beach.”
Picture--Hebridean Sunset

While there are many things going on in this section, the use of contrasts stands out. While people or things are played off each other (or even itself), many times there is an undercurrent showing their similarity. A few that I noticed (definitely not a comprehensive list) are noted below:

• Lily Briscoe and Mrs. Ramsay—there is a conflict of roles between the two women, or rather a difference of opinion on what a woman’s role should be. Mrs. Ramsay thought “an unmarried woman has missed the best of life.” While Lily enjoys being with the Ramsays, Mrs. Ramsay in particular, she had no “sexual feeling” and enjoyed being alone at times. Yet both women ponder their feelings of inadequacy and insignificance.
• Mr. Ramsay and Mrs. Ramsay—Mr. Ramsay depends on Mrs. Ramsay for support as well as adoration. He wonders if his work will be significant enough to last beyond his lifetime. Mrs. Ramsay nurtures him as well as the rest of the family, feeling subordinate to his intellect even while providing what he requires (or rather demands). Both are self-seeking in their own ways, Mr. Ramsay through his work to build his ego while Mrs. Ramsay helps other for self-satisfaction and praise.
• James Ramsay and Mr. Ramsay—both fight for the attention of Mrs. Ramsay. Yet both are lost in their own worlds. James, because he is only 6 years old with the related consciousness of that age, is unable to completely understand feelings or express himself. Mr. Ramsay has a superior ability to communicate and understand, yet chooses to slam “his private door” on his family at times. Both James and Mr. Ramsay display a volatile nature, their attitude radically changing and dependent on what is going on around them.
• William Bankes and Mr. Ramsay—old friends who have drifted apart over the years, yet Mr. Bankes still vacations with the family apparently out of habit (“repetition”). Both men adored Mrs. Ramsay, although in differing ways—Mr. Ramsay for what she provides him, Mr. Bankes simply because Mrs. Ramsay was a wonderful person that he viewed with “rapture.” The Ramsay children appear to treat both men similarly, avoiding them if at all possible.
• The Charge of the Light Brigade and The Fisherman and His Wife—two stories mentioned in this section that are very different. The Light Brigade memorializes the bravery and daring of soldiers in a suicidal charge. The Fisherman’s Wife is one of the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tales, providing an example of increasing greed and lack of satisfaction or appreciation of what one has. The irony is that Mr. Ramsay quotes the Light Brigade while “he shivered; he quivered” with his needy demands. Mrs. Ramsay read the Fisherman’s Wife to James, while setting the perfect example of being happy with what one has. The further irony is when Mr. Ramsay misquotes the Light Brigade, shouting “Boldly we rode and well,” instead of using Tennyson’s respectful and distancing “they.”
• Mr. Ramsay’s work—Lily Briscoe imagines something so monumental and abstract in Mr. Ramsay’s thought, while the reader views his actual internal monologue.
• The sea—several times the image of the sea eventually engulfing the land is used, in conjunction with the enormity of time and the universe as compared to the brevity of life. Yet the sea also provides a soothing consolation in addition to beautiful scenery that the characters enjoy.

In many of the relationships mentioned above, there is a distance between the characters that cannot be bridged. Lily questions “How did one judge people, think of them?” Later she asks herself how “did one know one thing or another thing about people, sealed as they were?” Woolf makes us aware that each person has overflowing thoughts of which we barely or rarely are invited in to see. While that isn't an earth-shattering revelation, the approach is heightened by the ever-changing feelings we are allowed to see. The ‘self’ is a complex thing, changing rapidly and sometimes dramatically. These changes aren't always apparent to others. While we are allowed a view inside, all the other characters get are impressions (often contradictory) to guide them in understanding others.

In addition to the difficulty of comprehending others, Lily’s painting exhibits the difficulty of capturing what we see and translating it into art. She differentiates between what is physically there versus her sensual view of it, stressing repeatedly “This is what I see.” Lily tries to call up the “vision which she had seen clearly once” but has trouble capturing on canvas. The translation from sensing a scene to representing what she saw shows the struggle to create and interpret. Mrs. Ramsay and Charles Tansley denigrate her efforts, but she perseveres in the attempt to faithfully capture what she experienced. In contrast to Lily is Mr. Ramsay, who is unable to convey “This is what I like—this is what I am” (echoing Lily’s “This is what I see) in regards to his work. He tears down all art in response to his inability to reach a higher point in his thought. Mr. Ramsay questions the utility of art in improving civilization, as well doubting its lasting nature. That he will be teaching the works and events of a century or more before the present time to his students is lost on him. As is the example of why his students come to him or why Lily Briscoe attempts to paint—self-expression and personal achievement. Personal improvement outside of lasting acknowledgment means little to him as he attempts to avoid his own oblivion through his work.

There is one moment in this section where tranquility occurs and that is when Mr. Bankes views Mrs. Ramsay. His rapture causes him to step outside of time for a brief moment, and the tranquility and happiness is on display for Lily to see.

To the Lighthouse discussion: The Window, Chapter 1

I first read To the Lighthouse about 6 years ago and I’m looking forward to reading it again. A few chapters into the book I realized how much of the book’s approach and themes permeate the first chapter. I thought reviewing just this one chapter would make writing about the rest of the book easier. In this chapter we are introduced to a few members of the Ramsay family as well as a couple of their guests. Not much happens—a few comments about whether or not a trip to the lighthouse is possible the next day between Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay with youngest son James listening. But so much more is going on beneath the surface…

Woolf deliciously describes the complexity of human relationships. It is easy to say that Mrs. Ramsay loves her husband, yet there are moments in this short chapter where she wishes he would be more compromising for the sake of the children or that he would simply go away. Her daughters love her as well, but they dream of a very different life for themselves. And Charles Tansley doesn’t know how to act as the Ramsay’s guest—pride at accompanying Mrs. Ramsay one minute, insulting her children the next, all the while uncomfortable staying with those in a different social and economic class. James’ fleeting wish to kill his father highlights the extremes of personality reflected in a six-year-old child. While we tame that volatility (to varying degrees) as we mature, our feelings and moods do not remain static or simplistic. One interesting thing to watch in the book is what the characters respond to…how they define themselves.

The power of time is introduced here as well. The narration style conveys that we are not limited to this moment, but the product of preceding actions (and anticipation of the future) that color whatever is currently happening. Once again, James is the rawest form of this as his conflation of present and future dictates how he feels. Mrs. Ramsay’s fading beauty at fifty shows an outward impact of time, while Augustus Carmichael’s opium addiction reflects an inner toll. Not just time, but nature has a power that allows or restricts what can be achieved. Whether the trip is made to the lighthouse or not depends on the weather. When focusing on the inner monologue, it can be easy to miss the outside forces shaping us.

Having just finished Joyce’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man I found certain similarities and differences telling. Like Joyce, Woolf puts us inside the characters’ minds, reading what they think and feel. However, the perspective constantly changes as we “jump” from one character to another (sometimes in the same sentence), causing a cascade of feelings and thoughts to unfold in a fraction of a second. Also, the level of the language does not change when moving between characters. So when reading James' consciousness, we encounter not the language of a six-year-old child but that of an adult. Just because he can not express precisely what he feels does not make it any less complex or moving. Even though the level of the language does not change, each consciousness is unique.

There are additional things in the first chapter that will be expanded upon later, such as watery images related to nature's power, momentary frissons at beauty, and artistic endeavors trying to capture the moment. The last thing I will focus on in this post is Mrs. Ramsay’s sense of community. She invites “too many people to stay” with them while on vacation. “Incivility to her guests” was something she could not bear, along with “inventing differences” since there were enough real differences between people. Her nurturing nature wants to draw people together, give them a refuge even if it is only temporary. That all of this unfolds in the first few pages, providing a framework on which the remainder of the book can be constructed, shows the precise formulation that lends so much power to the novel.