Thinking activity on "To The Lighthouse"
1. How can you explain that 'what' Virginia Woolf wanted to say (for example, the complexity of human relationship, the everyday battles that people are at in their relationship with near and dear ones, the struggle of female artist against the values of middle/upper class society etc) can only be said in the way she has said?
Virginia Woolf has portrayed each and every character of her novel in a very smart and better way that the message that she wanted to convey to the society easily conveyed. She has used a special technique of Stream of consciousness to convey her message. She present very complex human relationship, everyday battles with reflection to her various characters.
Let us discuss each points in details
i) Complexity of human relationship, everyday battles
Mr. Ramsay and Mrs Ramsay
Husband wife's relationship in the novel seems very complex. From the very beginning we can find that Mr. Ramsay always remains in passive and angry mood. Most of the time he talked with his wife angrily. But still it is very complex situation because sometimes he behaves totally contrasting to his own character in very calm and romantic way with his wife. These all things are not presented in a direct way but with the help of inner thoughts of characters which helps us to understand things in easier way.
Example from text representing the inner thoughts of characters.
Thought of Mrs. Ramsay
ii) Struggle of female artist
Lily briscoe struggles a lot, as she was a painter and society always thinks that painting is a work of men not women, How the backwardness of human mind leads to several restrictions in society which are meaningless.
In the novel when Lily is drawing a painting that time she was interrupted by Mr. Tansley, she started thinking in mind that why this man came here and spoke many things in the form of inner thoughts which are not presented directly in front of Mr. Tansley. In this way Virginia Woolf is successful in presenting human thoughts with the help of stream of consciousness technique.
2. Do you agree: "The novel is both the tribute and critique of Mrs Ramsay"?
Yes the novel is both the tribute as well as critique of Mrs Ramsay, Virginia has presented both the qualities of single women, good or bad.
Mrs Ramsay as an Ideal woman
Karyeshu dasi, Karaneshu manthri; Bhojeshu mata, Shayaneshu rambha; Kshamayeshu dharithri, Roopeshu lakshmi; Satkarma yukta, Kuladharma pathni.
This shlok means a true ideal woman must be hard working like servant, emotional, and should eat food after feeding all her family members. She was connected with various metaphors of Indian Goddess.
At one side Virginia Woolf presented Mrs Ramsay as an ideal women who is always ready to serve her guest at any cost. She used to make enough recipe that her guest can full up their stomach. Mr. Ramsay never like his wife's over protective and caring nature for other. Mrs Ramsay looks upon the needs of all the members and deals with each situation very calmly.
Critique of Mrs Ramsay
Lily Briscoe presented the other aspect of Mrs Ramsay's character. Mostly she was thinking about Mrs Ramsay in her mind even after the death of her. Lily thought that her own life is better than Mrs Ramsay because she was free to take her own decision. Mrs Ramsay always busy in thinking of others, she never finds time for herself. She was busy in satisfying the ego of her husband, and was tied in an invisible bond with her family.
3. Considering symbolically, does the Lighthouse stand for Mrs. Ramsay or the narrator (Virginia Woolf herself who is categorically represented by Lily)?
Symbolically, the Lighthouse stand for Mrs. Ramsay, not Lily Briscoe. As the whole novel was surrounded around Mrs. Ramsay even after her death she was presented in the mind of the characters like, Lily Briscoe, Nancy, Mr. Ramsay. The first part of the novel "The Window" is almost covers a large part with Mrs Ramsay's dialogue and her inner thoughts while telling the story of the Fisherman to her son James.
In the second part "Time Passes" Mrs Ramsay died suddenly.
In the third part "The Lighthouse" she was presented in the mind of Lily Briscoe, who continuously thinks about her. While drawing the last painting which was not finished since ten years when Mrs Ramsay was alive, she thinks about all characteristics in her mind and then gave finishing look to her painting.
4. In the article by Joseph Blotner, two myths are patterned together. Name the myths? How they are zeroed down to the symbols of 'Window' and 'Lighthouse'? How does the male phallic symbol represent feminine Mrs. Ramsay?
-If we look from mythic pattern then Mrs Ramsay is put in the centre of the novel. Symbolically Woman is the symbol of homemaker, She has the power of creation. The very ultimate creation of the female is the birth of a child. She is a life giver.
This always raise doubt in our mind that is Virginia woolf knowingly makes use of myth or unknowingly. We find answer of this question in the diary of Woolf's where written that:-
"She read Greek, and "on not knowing the Greek"
Myth of Gaia and Uranus
According to the Myth of Greek God Gaia and Uranus, Gaia forced her son Chronus to kill Uranus. This myth can be connected with Mrs Ramsay, her son James and Mr Ramsay. James was not forced by his mother, but in a way he always wish to stab knife in his father's chest, whenever his father scolded him or when denied to go at Lighthouse. However there is no direct evidence present in the novel. The way Chronus eats children and Cuts Uranus's genital organ because of Uranus atrocity over Gaia, is symbolised male force over female, just like Mr. Ramsay forcing Mrs. Ramsay to satisfy his ego.
Lighthouse itself symbolised male phallic symbol and Window and door symbolised female. The title of the novel itself raised many questions that why Woolf gave the title which symbolised male even if Mrs Ramsay is the life giver( Myth of Pagan Goddess as a life giver).
Oedipus myth
According to Oedipus myth, Son unknowingly kills his father and married with his mother. In the novel James didn't like his father because he thinks that his father takes his mother and steal the time which he supposed to spend with his mother. Unknowingly this type of thinking rises Oedipus complex in the mind of the little James who sometimes in anger wish to stab knife in the chest of his father because of disliking him, but in actual did not do that.
5. What do you understand by the German term' Kunstlerroman'? How can you justify that 'To The Lighthouse' is 'kunstlerroman' novel?
Kunstlerroman is the Narrative in which there is growth of an artist. It is the narrative about an artist growth to maturity.
To The Lighthouse is considered as the Kunstelrroman because in this novel there is growth of an artist. Virginia Woolf herself seems like growing stage by stage with each characters presented in the novel.
Growth of artist with Lily Briscoe's character
In the novel the character of Lily Briscoe present a mature growth of an artist ( as Lily symbolised the character of Virginia Woolf herself). In the very beginning when lily was drawing a painting of Mrs. Ramsay along with James, that time she was not able to give it finishing touch by portraying the emotions lying on the face of Mrs Ramsay. But in the end she was matured enough to give finishing look to her painting after the death of Mrs Ramsay. We can see the mental growth of an artist.
In reality Virginia Woolf was also struggling with her life. She has fought extremely courageous battle and succeed in the end.
6. Lily's Dilemma in 'To The Lighthouse'
Lily Briscoe is totally opposite of Mrs Ramsay. She didn't believe in married life and therefore shows no interest in men. She is happy in her single life. She always wanted to become free from all the barriers of society and she has strong and deep thought that can never be changed by anyone regarding marriage. She makes her mind enough strong that she never accept proposal of any man. In the novel Mr. Bankes proposed her but she refuses the proposal. Lily's dilemma is that she faced the situation of making toughest choice in her life for her marriage. She never wanted to be mingle with anybody. Even after the death of Mrs Ramsay, Mr Ramsay looks at her with different angle because he feels all alone and wanted someone with whom he can share everything, who can satisfy his ego. But Lily denied his indirect proposal. She is stubborn woman who never change her decision.
7. You have compared the 'beginning' and the 'ending' of the novel and the film adaption of the novel directed by Colin Gregg. Do you think that the novel is more poignant than the movie? If yes, do you ascribe the fact that the power of words is much greater than that of the screen/ visuals?
The beginning and end of the film is totally different from the novel. Yes it is true that we find difficulty in understanding film version if we do not know the background of the novel. But after knowing the background we understand the film in better way. It signifies that the words are more powerful than the visual. However this thing not happen all the time. Its only happens sometimes when the work was written with some specific techniques which is difficult to understand and more difficult to present on the screen.
Stream of Consciousness
This technique makes the viewer confused and it can be written properly but can not be presented properly. It signifies the continuous flow of thoughts in the character's mind. A single character thinks a lot before doing any action. This technique ofcourse makes the viewers of the film bored.
Difference in the End scene
In the ending scene of the film all have reached to the lighthouse without much thoughts or action running in characters mind. The film was ended very quickly, not showing the main things in detail.
Inner thoughts of James and Cam
In the novel while going to the Lighthouse, there were enormous thoughts going on in the minds of the characters. But these thoughts are not reflected in the film. James was waiting for one word of praise from his father and at last when they are about to reach then finally he heard that word for which he is longing for. He feels inner satisfaction, but these thoughts are not directly presented by James but with the help of stream of consciousness technique through the mind of Cam.
8. How do you interpret the last line of the novel, with reference to the ending of the film.
In the novel and film last line spoken by Lily Briscoe is different and both the situation represents different views of Lily.
i) Last line of the novel
ii) Last line of the film
In the ending scene of the film Lily addressed herself as "fool". It symbolised that in her whole life she remains alone and never wanted to get marries because marriage was like prison for her. She thought that the way Mrs Ramsay doing for her family she might be never think of doing those all things in her life, she never allow herself to be like servant of house. She is very stubborn woman. But at the end what she got, nothing. She remains all alone, there was no one for whom she can say that he/she is her family. On the other hand even if Mrs Ramsay died, she lives in the mind of the family members, in the mind of her husband who thinks that to going to the Lighthouse is her only last wish. Therefore thinks of completing it and decide to go to the trip to The Lighthouse.
Even Mrs Ramsay rules over the mind of Lily herself. Therefore at last Lily calls herself a fool who never understand the family value.
9. What does the catalogue named as 'Army and Navy' signify? What does cutting of 'Refrigerator' signify?
James is cutting down the picture from the illustrated catalogue of the Army and Navy stores, endowed the picture of refrigerator.
Army and Navy stands for war and consumerism
Both these Army and navy stands for something related to violence and war. In a way it signifies Mr. Ramsay's angry mood who is always ready to quarrel and always throws cruel remarks to his son James. James always wishes to kills him whenever he makes bad remarks.
Symbol of Refrigerator
Refrigerator signifies the preservative nature of Mrs Ramsay. It stands for change, advance technology. But Refrigerator not allows natural process, It controls the natural process of food which we kept inside it.
Other side it preserve each and every things inside it. In this way refrigerator plays dual role. With reference to Refrigerator Mrs Ramsay is a preserver of culture or shapes culture of an Ideal woman.
Virginia Woolf presented very Ideal woman Mrs Ramsay in her novel and in a way Mrs Ramsay is the protagonist of novel. But on the other hand she has give such prominence to the tale of the Fisherman's wife who is always demanding something with her husband. This story of Fisherman seems like misogynist story in which there is bad portrayal of female. In a way she is reflecting the patriarchal society that how woman are presented negatively in text, how a demanding woman is consider as a bad woman. She wants to reflect the harsh reality of the society by presenting the Fisherman's wife story. In reality most of the women are ideal as Mrs Ramsay, but still society present negative picture of society.
11. How is India represented in 'To the lighthouse'?
India represented in this line of the novel as somethings like alien country which never be seen by anyone. It is just a strange country for them.
In this way so many times the reference of India came in the novel with different significance and interpretation.
1. How can you explain that 'what' Virginia Woolf wanted to say (for example, the complexity of human relationship, the everyday battles that people are at in their relationship with near and dear ones, the struggle of female artist against the values of middle/upper class society etc) can only be said in the way she has said?
Virginia Woolf has portrayed each and every character of her novel in a very smart and better way that the message that she wanted to convey to the society easily conveyed. She has used a special technique of Stream of consciousness to convey her message. She present very complex human relationship, everyday battles with reflection to her various characters.
Let us discuss each points in details
i) Complexity of human relationship, everyday battles
Mr. Ramsay and Mrs Ramsay
Husband wife's relationship in the novel seems very complex. From the very beginning we can find that Mr. Ramsay always remains in passive and angry mood. Most of the time he talked with his wife angrily. But still it is very complex situation because sometimes he behaves totally contrasting to his own character in very calm and romantic way with his wife. These all things are not presented in a direct way but with the help of inner thoughts of characters which helps us to understand things in easier way.
Example from text representing the inner thoughts of characters.
Thought of Mrs. Ramsay
"she thought, possibly she might have managed things better—her husband;Mr. Ramsay
money; his books. But for her own part she would never for a single second regret her
decision, evade difficulties, or slur over duties."
“No going to the Lighthouse, James,” he said, as trying in deference to Mrs Ramsay to soften
his voice into some semblance of geniality at least.
ii) Struggle of female artist
Lily briscoe struggles a lot, as she was a painter and society always thinks that painting is a work of men not women, How the backwardness of human mind leads to several restrictions in society which are meaningless.
In the novel when Lily is drawing a painting that time she was interrupted by Mr. Tansley, she started thinking in mind that why this man came here and spoke many things in the form of inner thoughts which are not presented directly in front of Mr. Tansley. In this way Virginia Woolf is successful in presenting human thoughts with the help of stream of consciousness technique.
"He was really, Lily Briscoe thought, in spite of his eyes, but then look at his nose, look at his hands, the most uncharming human being she had ever met. Then why did she mind what he said? Women can’t write, women can’t paint—what did that matter coming from him, since clearly it was not true to him but for some reason helpful to him, and that was why he said it? Why did her whole being bow, like corn under a wind, and erect itself again from this abasement only with a great and rather painful effort? She must make it once more. There’s the sprig on the table-cloth; there’s my painting; I must move the tree to the middle; that matters—nothing else. Could she not hold fast to that, she asked herself, and not lose her temper, and not argue; and if she wanted revenge take it by laughing at him?“Oh, Mr Tansley,” she said, “do take me to the Lighthouse with you. I should so love it.”
2. Do you agree: "The novel is both the tribute and critique of Mrs Ramsay"?
Yes the novel is both the tribute as well as critique of Mrs Ramsay, Virginia has presented both the qualities of single women, good or bad.
Mrs Ramsay as an Ideal woman
Karyeshu dasi, Karaneshu manthri; Bhojeshu mata, Shayaneshu rambha; Kshamayeshu dharithri, Roopeshu lakshmi; Satkarma yukta, Kuladharma pathni.
This shlok means a true ideal woman must be hard working like servant, emotional, and should eat food after feeding all her family members. She was connected with various metaphors of Indian Goddess.
At one side Virginia Woolf presented Mrs Ramsay as an ideal women who is always ready to serve her guest at any cost. She used to make enough recipe that her guest can full up their stomach. Mr. Ramsay never like his wife's over protective and caring nature for other. Mrs Ramsay looks upon the needs of all the members and deals with each situation very calmly.
Critique of Mrs Ramsay
Lily Briscoe presented the other aspect of Mrs Ramsay's character. Mostly she was thinking about Mrs Ramsay in her mind even after the death of her. Lily thought that her own life is better than Mrs Ramsay because she was free to take her own decision. Mrs Ramsay always busy in thinking of others, she never finds time for herself. She was busy in satisfying the ego of her husband, and was tied in an invisible bond with her family.
"she thought, possibly she might have managed things better—her husband;
money; his books. But for her own part she would never for a single second regret her
decision, evade difficulties, or slur over duties."
3. Considering symbolically, does the Lighthouse stand for Mrs. Ramsay or the narrator (Virginia Woolf herself who is categorically represented by Lily)?
Symbolically, the Lighthouse stand for Mrs. Ramsay, not Lily Briscoe. As the whole novel was surrounded around Mrs. Ramsay even after her death she was presented in the mind of the characters like, Lily Briscoe, Nancy, Mr. Ramsay. The first part of the novel "The Window" is almost covers a large part with Mrs Ramsay's dialogue and her inner thoughts while telling the story of the Fisherman to her son James.
In the second part "Time Passes" Mrs Ramsay died suddenly.
In the third part "The Lighthouse" she was presented in the mind of Lily Briscoe, who continuously thinks about her. While drawing the last painting which was not finished since ten years when Mrs Ramsay was alive, she thinks about all characteristics in her mind and then gave finishing look to her painting.
"Yes, it must have been precisely here that she had stood ten years ago. There was the wall;
the hedge; the tree. The question was of some relation between those masses. She had borne
it in her mind all these years. It seemed as if the solution had come to her: she knew now
what she wanted to do."
4. In the article by Joseph Blotner, two myths are patterned together. Name the myths? How they are zeroed down to the symbols of 'Window' and 'Lighthouse'? How does the male phallic symbol represent feminine Mrs. Ramsay?
-If we look from mythic pattern then Mrs Ramsay is put in the centre of the novel. Symbolically Woman is the symbol of homemaker, She has the power of creation. The very ultimate creation of the female is the birth of a child. She is a life giver.
This always raise doubt in our mind that is Virginia woolf knowingly makes use of myth or unknowingly. We find answer of this question in the diary of Woolf's where written that:-
"She read Greek, and "on not knowing the Greek"
Myth of Gaia and Uranus
According to the Myth of Greek God Gaia and Uranus, Gaia forced her son Chronus to kill Uranus. This myth can be connected with Mrs Ramsay, her son James and Mr Ramsay. James was not forced by his mother, but in a way he always wish to stab knife in his father's chest, whenever his father scolded him or when denied to go at Lighthouse. However there is no direct evidence present in the novel. The way Chronus eats children and Cuts Uranus's genital organ because of Uranus atrocity over Gaia, is symbolised male force over female, just like Mr. Ramsay forcing Mrs. Ramsay to satisfy his ego.
Lighthouse itself symbolised male phallic symbol and Window and door symbolised female. The title of the novel itself raised many questions that why Woolf gave the title which symbolised male even if Mrs Ramsay is the life giver( Myth of Pagan Goddess as a life giver).
Oedipus myth
According to Oedipus myth, Son unknowingly kills his father and married with his mother. In the novel James didn't like his father because he thinks that his father takes his mother and steal the time which he supposed to spend with his mother. Unknowingly this type of thinking rises Oedipus complex in the mind of the little James who sometimes in anger wish to stab knife in the chest of his father because of disliking him, but in actual did not do that.
5. What do you understand by the German term' Kunstlerroman'? How can you justify that 'To The Lighthouse' is 'kunstlerroman' novel?
Kunstlerroman is the Narrative in which there is growth of an artist. It is the narrative about an artist growth to maturity.
To The Lighthouse is considered as the Kunstelrroman because in this novel there is growth of an artist. Virginia Woolf herself seems like growing stage by stage with each characters presented in the novel.
Growth of artist with Lily Briscoe's character
In the novel the character of Lily Briscoe present a mature growth of an artist ( as Lily symbolised the character of Virginia Woolf herself). In the very beginning when lily was drawing a painting of Mrs. Ramsay along with James, that time she was not able to give it finishing touch by portraying the emotions lying on the face of Mrs Ramsay. But in the end she was matured enough to give finishing look to her painting after the death of Mrs Ramsay. We can see the mental growth of an artist.
In reality Virginia Woolf was also struggling with her life. She has fought extremely courageous battle and succeed in the end.
6. Lily's Dilemma in 'To The Lighthouse'
Lily Briscoe is totally opposite of Mrs Ramsay. She didn't believe in married life and therefore shows no interest in men. She is happy in her single life. She always wanted to become free from all the barriers of society and she has strong and deep thought that can never be changed by anyone regarding marriage. She makes her mind enough strong that she never accept proposal of any man. In the novel Mr. Bankes proposed her but she refuses the proposal. Lily's dilemma is that she faced the situation of making toughest choice in her life for her marriage. She never wanted to be mingle with anybody. Even after the death of Mrs Ramsay, Mr Ramsay looks at her with different angle because he feels all alone and wanted someone with whom he can share everything, who can satisfy his ego. But Lily denied his indirect proposal. She is stubborn woman who never change her decision.
7. You have compared the 'beginning' and the 'ending' of the novel and the film adaption of the novel directed by Colin Gregg. Do you think that the novel is more poignant than the movie? If yes, do you ascribe the fact that the power of words is much greater than that of the screen/ visuals?
The beginning and end of the film is totally different from the novel. Yes it is true that we find difficulty in understanding film version if we do not know the background of the novel. But after knowing the background we understand the film in better way. It signifies that the words are more powerful than the visual. However this thing not happen all the time. Its only happens sometimes when the work was written with some specific techniques which is difficult to understand and more difficult to present on the screen.
Stream of Consciousness
This technique makes the viewer confused and it can be written properly but can not be presented properly. It signifies the continuous flow of thoughts in the character's mind. A single character thinks a lot before doing any action. This technique ofcourse makes the viewers of the film bored.
Difference in the End scene
In the ending scene of the film all have reached to the lighthouse without much thoughts or action running in characters mind. The film was ended very quickly, not showing the main things in detail.
Inner thoughts of James and Cam
In the novel while going to the Lighthouse, there were enormous thoughts going on in the minds of the characters. But these thoughts are not reflected in the film. James was waiting for one word of praise from his father and at last when they are about to reach then finally he heard that word for which he is longing for. He feels inner satisfaction, but these thoughts are not directly presented by James but with the help of stream of consciousness technique through the mind of Cam.
" At last he said, triumphantly:
“Well done!” James had steered them like a born sailor.
There! Cam thought, addressing herself silently to James.
You’ve got it at last. For she knew that this was what James
had been wanting, and she knew that now he had got it he was
so pleased that he would not look at her or at his father or at
any one. There he sat with his hand on the tiller sitting bolt
upright, looking rather sulky and frowning slightly. He was so
pleased that he was not going to let anybody share a grain of
his pleasure. His father had praised him. They must think that
he was perfectly indifferent. But you’ve got it now, Cam
thought.
They had tacked, and they were sailing swiftly, buoyantly"
8. How do you interpret the last line of the novel, with reference to the ending of the film.
In the novel and film last line spoken by Lily Briscoe is different and both the situation represents different views of Lily.
i) Last line of the novel
It was done; it was finished.It seems like Lily has completed her vision, means she has get the answer of her question for which she is struggling since a long. It was not outside struggle but the struggle or conflict inside her mind. She is always thinking about Mrs Ramsay and he married life. In the end Lily after completing her painting about Mrs Ramsay realised that the emotions, feelings which she was lacking to draw in the painting are complete and now she has get all her vision about it by thinking about changing her mind. Her constant thoughts about Mrs Ramsay indicated that how there is strong influence of Mrs Ramsay over her that all time her mind get surrounded by her thoughts. It is only because Ramsay has something which she was lacking. Even if Mrs Ramsay was dead, even if Mr Ramsay was outside at his Lighthouse trip she was constantly thinking about them. It signifies that how she is longing for warmth of family.
Yes, she thought, laying down her brush in extreme fatigue, I
have had my vision.
“He must have reached it,” said Lily Briscoe aloud, feeling
suddenly completely tired out. For the Lighthouse had become
almost invisible, had melted away into a blue haze, and the
effort of looking at it and the effort of thinking of him landing
there, which both seemed to be one and the same effort, had
stretched her body and mind to the utmost. Ah, but she was
relieved. Whatever she had wanted to give him, when he left
her that morning, she had given him at last."
ii) Last line of the film
"After the final stroke on the canvass with finishing touch, Lily walks inside the house. As she goes ante-chamber, the light and dark shade makes his face play hide-and-seek. She climbs stairs, puts her brush aside, walks through the dark and light to enter her room. Gently closes the door - speaks: "Closed doors, open windows" - lies on the bed and with some sort of satisfaction utters: "Dearest Briscoe, you are a fool"
In the ending scene of the film Lily addressed herself as "fool". It symbolised that in her whole life she remains alone and never wanted to get marries because marriage was like prison for her. She thought that the way Mrs Ramsay doing for her family she might be never think of doing those all things in her life, she never allow herself to be like servant of house. She is very stubborn woman. But at the end what she got, nothing. She remains all alone, there was no one for whom she can say that he/she is her family. On the other hand even if Mrs Ramsay died, she lives in the mind of the family members, in the mind of her husband who thinks that to going to the Lighthouse is her only last wish. Therefore thinks of completing it and decide to go to the trip to The Lighthouse.
Even Mrs Ramsay rules over the mind of Lily herself. Therefore at last Lily calls herself a fool who never understand the family value.
9. What does the catalogue named as 'Army and Navy' signify? What does cutting of 'Refrigerator' signify?
James is cutting down the picture from the illustrated catalogue of the Army and Navy stores, endowed the picture of refrigerator.
Army and Navy stands for war and consumerism
Both these Army and navy stands for something related to violence and war. In a way it signifies Mr. Ramsay's angry mood who is always ready to quarrel and always throws cruel remarks to his son James. James always wishes to kills him whenever he makes bad remarks.
"Had there been an axe handy, a poker, or any weapon that would have gashed a hole in his father’s breast and killed him, there and then, James would have seized it. "
Symbol of Refrigerator
Refrigerator signifies the preservative nature of Mrs Ramsay. It stands for change, advance technology. But Refrigerator not allows natural process, It controls the natural process of food which we kept inside it.
Other side it preserve each and every things inside it. In this way refrigerator plays dual role. With reference to Refrigerator Mrs Ramsay is a preserver of culture or shapes culture of an Ideal woman.
"James Ramsay, sitting on the floor cutting out pictures from the illustrated catalogue of the Army and Navy stores, endowed the picture of a refrigerator, as his mother spoke, with heavenly bliss. It was fringed with joy. The wheelbarrow, the lawnmower, the sound of poplar trees, leaves whitening before rain, rooks cawing, brooms knocking, dresses rustling—all these were so coloured and distinguished in his mind that he had already his private code, his secret language, though he appeared the image of stark and uncompromising severity, with his high forehead and his fierce blue eyes, impeccably candid and pure, frowning slightly at the sight of human frailty, so that his mother, watching him guide his scissors neatly round the refrigerator, imagined him all red and ermine on the Bench or directing a stern and momentous enterprise in some crisis of public affairs.“But,” said his father, stopping in front of the drawing-room window, “it won’t be fine.”
10. Why did Virginia give such prominence to the tale of the "Fisherman's Wife"?
Virginia Woolf presented very Ideal woman Mrs Ramsay in her novel and in a way Mrs Ramsay is the protagonist of novel. But on the other hand she has give such prominence to the tale of the Fisherman's wife who is always demanding something with her husband. This story of Fisherman seems like misogynist story in which there is bad portrayal of female. In a way she is reflecting the patriarchal society that how woman are presented negatively in text, how a demanding woman is consider as a bad woman. She wants to reflect the harsh reality of the society by presenting the Fisherman's wife story. In reality most of the women are ideal as Mrs Ramsay, but still society present negative picture of society.
11. How is India represented in 'To the lighthouse'?
i) "There were all the places she had not seen; the Indian plains"
India represented in this line of the novel as somethings like alien country which never be seen by anyone. It is just a strange country for them.
ii) But which was it to be? They had all the trays of her jewel-case open. The gold necklace, which was Italian, or the opal necklace, which Uncle James had brought her from India; or should she wear her amethysts?Here India stands for its richness of resource. As this line signifies that India is best known for Opal necklace.
iii) "her husband said, his great admirers, and come there for a holiday. Indeed, she had the whole of the other sex under her protection; for reasons she could not explain, for their chivalry and valour, for the fact that they negotiated treaties, ruled India, controlled finance; finally for an attitude towards herself which no woman could fail to feel or to find agreeable, something trustful, childlike, reverential;"Here India stands for country which was ruled by the colonial power.
In this way so many times the reference of India came in the novel with different significance and interpretation.
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