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Virginia Woolf, Color Key: Blue, turquoise, and purple: main…

- - - - In this excerpt, it's discussed how Woolf illustrates the physical and mental manifestations of illness through the characters Clarissa and Septimus in the novel, Mrs. Dalloway. Whilst Clarissa deals with the trauma of having struggled from influenza, "Septimus... reflects the inextricable interplay between physical and mental health" (105). This excerpt also highlights Woolf's own experiences with illness and "with doctors, who were largely unable to help her and who often made her conditions worse", which is why Woolf's portrayal of doctors in Mrs. Dalloway are so skewed and indicative of a flawed society (138).
    - - In Mrs. Dalloway, the government and mental/physical health are connected. Though the sighting of the Prime Minister is a large deal within the society, when he arrives at Clarissa's party later, he ends up not being as special or important as he seems. Woolf uses the Prime Minister as a metaphor for the British government and their lack of action following the war, an event that has a devastating mental and physical impact on much of the society, especially on the character Septimus, who receives no help from those around him despite his spiraling mental state.
      - The idea of a "governing class" is introduced in "Mrs. Dalloway's Social System". Members such as Sir William Bradshaw uphold the stoicism of such class, even if it oppresses those like Septimus who require genuine mental help. Bradshaw is largely the reason why Septimus ends his life. Therefore, Woolf is pointing out how this lack of emotion or action is also a class issue, further adding on to the flawed society presented in Mrs. Dalloway.
- - - - Woolf also explores the idea of perception through the character Septimus, a veteran of the war who struggles with PTSD throughout the novel, eventually leading to his suicide. Though his wife, Rezia, tries her hardest to understand what Septimus is going through, their perceptions of the world and the setting around them is fundamentally different. As such, Woolf is portraying how the world is perceived differently by those who struggled and suffered from the impacts of the war.
      - Perception is one of the main concepts discussed in Mrs. Dalloway as something that limits the growth of the characters Clarissa and Peter, who struggle with not only their self-perception but their perception of one another. Whilst Clarissa used to challenge the status quo at Bourton, she has since become what Peter describes as the perfect hostess, thus losing a pivotal aspect of her identity and youth. At the same time, Peter feels as though he needs to prove that he has fully gotten over Clarissa and has made a name for himself, despite his lack of success. This struggle with perception can be seen in the narrative mode of stream of consciousness in which the internal conflicts of both characters are exposed.
    - - The idea of perception and creativity can both be seen through the character Lily Briscoe. In the first part of the novel, Lily struggles with her self-perception as an artist due to her status as a single woman. Her work is essentially stunted by her femininity and by those around her, such as Mrs. Ramsay, who believe her best chances at success are through marriage. However, as Lily comes to terms with the fact that she is an artist above all else, her creativity is finally unlocked and she finishes the portrait she has been struggling with since the beginning of the novel.
  - - - Orlando
        
        Though Orlando explicitly changes gender from man to woman from the beginning of the book towards the end, the character is continuously portrayed androgynously, specifically in the way they dress. As a man, Orlando is said to have dressed more femininely, whereas when Orlando is a woman, she continues to dress in slacks and comfortable men's clothing. Woolf establishes the idea that above all else, clothing is what is most indicative of our gender and no matter what gender Orlando is, they continue to maintain the same characteristics and beliefs, especially their close connection to nature and animals.
        
        These screenshots from the Orlando film emphasize the point that Orlando has always been portrayed androgynously through their clothing. As a man, Orlando still maintains feminine features, yet as a woman in the modern age, Orlando dresses more masculinely, with their hair tied back and wearing a white button up. Despite the gender and time, Orlando is still the same character.
      - Virginia Woolf and the Flesh of the World
        
        In this excerpt, it's established that Woolf "sought to portray the non-human... world within which we are tiny and only momentary presences" through vivid descriptions of the natural world which continues to live long after we as humans are gone (856). Though the natural world continues to live, it still has a profound effect on humans and the way we interact and treat the world and people around us, which Woolf showcases in a variety of her works.
        
        The idea of the non-human world is evident in the second part of the novel as the environment overtakes the Ramsay summer house despite how significant it seemed in the first part of the novel. Mrs. Ramsay's abrupt death is also evidence of this idea as it shows how short human lives truly are in the grand scheme of the universe. Though self-expression is important, Woolf shows how time and nature will eventually take over, much like how Mrs. Ramsay could feel the effects of her dinner party dwindle as she walked away.
        
        The claim in the excerpt that for Woolf "writing was an activity so fused with the experience of earth and sea and sky that she thought of it in terms of landscape of waves" is reflected in Orlando's works and writing as the work that finally makes Orlando successful is "The Oak Tree" (858).
      - Similar to Orlando and their poetry, Woolf shows how her characters are interconnected with the natural setting around them in To the Lighthouse as Lily gathers inspiration to complete her piece from her environment, like the reflection of light and the ocean.
    - - The fictional character, Judith Shakespeare, in this essay serves as a metaphor of the gender inequality present in Woolf's society. Though Judith is just as talented as her brother, William Shakespeare, her writing is done in shame and secrecy due to her gender. Through this, Woolf is not only commenting on the unequal balance between the genders, but she's also showing how creativity comes at a cost. Even though anyone can be creative, not everyone can wield their creativity. Whilst William ends up becoming the iconic figure in literature that he is today, his hypothetical sister, Judith, ends up committing suicide due to her unwanted engagement, further emphasizing how for women, self-expression was not a freedom they had.
- - - - In this essay, Woolf establishes the premise that the lives and stories of women have never been portrayed in society the way the lives and stories of men have. Because women are seen as being inherently inferior within society, they don't have the same opportunities to create fiction like men do, despite its long lasting and wide-reaching impacts. Therefore, Woolf makes the argument that women need a room of their own, in which they have control over the lock and key, as well as stable finances in order to be independent and create fiction.
        
        In both texts, it is argued that women are often the backbone of the society for all that they provide. In A Room of One's Own, Woolf claims that women are a "mirror" to men who are able to gain strength when looking at themselves, a sentiment further expanded upon in Three Guineas where Woolf points out the pivotal role women play in the lives of men as mothers, wives, and daughters. Though women don't have the same freedom and independence as men do, they still support them in nearly every aspect of their lives.
    - - In To the Lighthouse there seems to be a lack of independence due to the control Mrs. Ramsay has over her children. Forcing her children into arranged relationships and pushing her daughters to follow the strict gender norms of their time, Mrs. Ramsay holds power over her household. This power even extends into the life of Lily Briscoe, the surrogate daughter of Mrs. Ramsay, however, they have differing views on marriage. Mrs. Ramsay sees it as a necessity for a single woman like Lily whereas Lily herself believes it's pointless. Though Lily struggles with this concept, through her artwork she is able to gain independence.
      - Though Mrs. Ramsay and Lily hold different perspectives on marriage, they are similar in the sense that like Lily creates art, Mrs. Ramsay's talent is being able to bring the people around her together. The main difference between these two characters, however, is the fact that whilst Lily has the opportunity to pursue somewhat of an individual life, because of the society Mrs. Ramsay grew up in, she is unable to put her talents and creativity into something more meaningful and independent. Even though Lily is still pressured to think about marriage, she still has more of an opportunity than Mrs. Ramsay ever had.
    - - Elizabeth Dalloway exemplifies how the independence of women is limited given her internal conflict. Though she has reached the prime age where she is catching the attention of the society and men around her, she has no genuine interest in any of the attention she is receiving. Rather, Elizabeth wishes she could live in the countryside with her father and dogs. The bus ride she takes on her own is symbolic of her desire to break away from societies expectations, however, her eventual return back home symbolizes how despite her dreams, she must return back to the reality of her life, one where she, like her mother, will probably end up marrying a successful husband and fulfilling the role laid out for her.
    - - Though this excerpt discusses similar ideas of women and fiction presented in A Room of One's Own, the author, Alice Walker, introduces a concept not discussed in Woolf's works: race. Though Woolf makes the valid argument that a woman needs a room and money to support herself and to create fiction, Walker points out that women of color, specifically Black women face an even greater lack of independence because "for most of the years black people have been in America, it was a punishable crime for a black person to read or write" (403). Whilst white women struggle to find themselves a room and money, black women are ""the mule of the world" because (they) have been handed the burdens that everyone else... refused to carry" (405).
    - - In the film, Laura Brown ends up kissing Kitty, yet Kitty automatically pretends nothing happens since she knows their society would never accept a romance between the two. Rather, Kitty conforms to social norms. This is parallel to the relationship shared between Clarissa and Sally, who also kiss during their time at Bourton. Though both characters from film and novel act as though this forbidden kiss is meaningless, it has a deep impact that can't be explored due to fear of their social perceptions being harmed.
  - - - In this work, the idea of class and status is discussed at length in regards to Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway. Though Woolf establishes the idea that there is a clear social divide between men and women in the novel's society, she further emphasizes this divide through the character Doris Kilman. This excerpt explains that Doris Kilman's inability to hide and control her emotions like the governing class, including Clarissa, is the reason why she has an even lower social standing than other characters in the novel. She is an outsider "in a society dedicated to covering up the stains and ignoring the major and minor tremors that threaten its existence", which is the ultimate reason why Clarissa and the rest of society look down on her (72).
    - - Similar to A Room of One's Own, this work by Woolf focuses on the intersection of class and status and its effects on the independence of women. In her response to the unknown male's letter, Woolf makes the argument that because women hold a different place in society, their anti-war efforts cannot be the same as men's. This is largely since women are much less likely to receive a college education than men, seeing as the fate of their education is in the hands of the opposite gender and not a personal decision. Additionally, Woolf makes the argument that though women are domestic workers as mothers, wives, and even daughters, they are never paid for their efforts like men are, thus the freedom of women is limited as they don't have the necessary funds to provide for themselves.