Thinking activity : 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 a female artist against the values of middle/upper class society etc) can only be said in the way she has said?
Virginia Woolf was a great writer. She had very well used stream of consciousness technique into the novel To The Lighthouse. Through this technique she examine human 's life. This technique gives freedom to read people 's mind. It focuses on subjectively looking the things. Through this technique Virginia Woolf express her inner conflict and struggling. It also considered her auto biographical novel. She described the struggling which going on in the real life.
●Complexity of human relationship :
Woolf described the complexity and struggle going on between human. She uses the stream of consciousness technique for expressing human emotion and feeling. Which keeps going on changing. The complexity finds between relationship of Mr ramsay and Mrs Ramsey. They both were opposite from each other like two sides of one coin. Both have different perspective of looking life.
“Yes, of course, if it’s fine tomorrow,” said Mrs Ramsay. “But you’ll have to be up with the lark,” she added.
This lines were spoken by Mrs Ramsay to James. James want to go light house. He told her mother.So she told him that they will going to Lighthouse tomorrow. For made her son happy she spoke lie to him. So Mrs Ramsay believed that " happiness is more important than truth ".
“But,” said his father, stopping in front of the drawing-room window, “it won’t be fine.”
These lines spoken by Mr Ramsay who decided to not going to Lighthouse. Because the weather was not good. He told his son truth instead of lie because he wanted to preparing his children for future. He never speak lie. He wanted to prepared his children to fight with cruel world. So for him " Truth is more important ".
Woolf also described the complexity between Lily Briscoe and Charles Tansley. Charles believed that woman can't paint or write. Lily believed that women can do painting and writing also. So this thing created the complexity between their relationship.
The complexity between father and children relationship,daughter and Mother relationship, complexity between two different womanhood Lily and Mrs Ramsay. Mrs Ramsay has Victorian womanhood and Lily has Modern womanhood.
●Struggle of female artist :
Woolf had describe her conflicts and struggles through the character of Lily Briscoe. She goes through inner struggle with herself and outer struggle with the values of the society. She faced humiliation from Mrs Ramsay and Charles Tansley. They thought that painting is the profession of Men not women. Through the stream of consciousness technique Woolf expressed the struggle of Lily Briscoe.
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.
So Tansley believed that women can't paint because in painting need objective point view to looking the things where as women has subjective point of view. Also Mrs Ramsay told her to get married instead of living alone. For her marriage was most important than following the passion. So through this Woolf shows the struggle of Lily who wanted to follow her passion instead of getting married and going household works. Through this character Woolf described her struggle as a artist.
2. Do you agree: "The novel is both the tribute and critique of Mrs. Ramsay"?
Yes the Novel is both tribute and critic of Mrs Ramsay. It is both critic and tribute to the enduring power of Mrs Ramsay.
●Tribute of Mrs Ramsay :
In the Novel Mrs Ramsay described as ideal woman. She was a wonderful hostess. She has all the quality of ideal Indian women. In Indian mythology describe the definition of ideal woman through the Sanskrit shlok.
Karyeshu dasi, Karaneshu manthri; Bhojeshu mata, Shayaneshu rambha; Kshamayeshu dharithri, Roopeshu lakshmi; Satkarma yukta, Kuladharma pathni
So Mrs Ramsay has all these qualities she taking care of her husband and children. She satisfied her husband's ego by praising him. She supported her husband. She facing struggling with her husband 's diffident moods. She was a wonderful hostess. Her art was food and decorating the house. She taking care of each and every person of the house. She has a kind and sympathic nature. She has empathy towards Lighthouse family. After her death she still lived into the mind of family members. From the beginning to end she was presented into the novel.
Lily 's painting describe the conflict. Mrs Ramsay don't like that women do painting. Lily wanted to prove that women can do painting. So she drowned the picture of Mrs Ramsay. If she don't drowned pictures indirectly Mrs Ramsay wins. But drowning painting of Mrs Ramsay it gives tribute to Mrs Ramsay.
Also she compared with pagan myths. Mrs Ramsay considered as Mother Goddess. It symbolised women as center of universe.
●Critic of Mrs Ramsay :
The novel also describes Mrs Ramsay critically. In the novel the main focus was going to the Lighthouse which not full filled until Mrs Ramsay was lived. After her death James and other family members went to Lighthouse. Prue followed her mother advice to get married and occasionally she died from following her mother wish and advice. So Mrs Ramsay became responsible for her daughter 's death. She considered as a Negative force. Family integration not possible while she lived. It possible after her death.Mr Carmichael don't wrote anything while she was lived. After her death he became successful. James goes to the light house after her death. She looking herself with centrality of the house. Her own presence harming entire family. She was bridge between father and children but she was also a bridge to keep allowed few people to crossing it.
3. Considering symbolically, does the Lighthouse stand for Mrs. Ramsay or the narrator (Virginia Woolf herself who is categorically represented by Lily)?
Lighthouse is stands for Mrs Ramsay. She stood strongly as Lighthouse. She was compared with the light of lighthouse. She considered as a guiding star and harbour emotinal safety of other guest and family members of the summer house. Also she stands through out the novel in the window she presents through the dialogues and inner thoughts. After her death she was presented into the mind of the character like Lily and Mr Ramsay. So she stands center of the novel as lighthouse stands at the center of the sea.
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 was compared with pagan myths. She considered as Greek Goddes. In these myths women is not only center of the house but center of the universe. Feminine principles is more important than masculine principles.
In this myth Chronus and Rhea had six children. Gaia and Uranus told Cronus that just as he had overthrown his own father.He was destined to be overcome by his own child.So as each of his children was born Cronus swallowed them. Rhea, Uranus and Gaia devised a plan to save the last of them Zeus. Rhea gave birth to Zeus.She gave Cronus a stone wrapped in swaddling clothes. He swallowed that stone and think that he killed his child. But Zeus already saved by his mother Rhea. So here in the novel Rhea compared with Mrs Ramsay , Chronus compared with Mr Ramsey and Zeus compared with James. As Rhea protected Zeus from physical harm so like that Mrs Ramsey tried to guard James from physiological wounds.
In this myth Gaia forced her son chronus to killed his father Uranus. He killed his father and overthrown his kingdom. So here Indirectly Mrs Ramsay compared with Gaia. But she don't force her son to killed him. Uranus compared with James. Who always thought to killed his father who never full filled his wishes and rudely behaved with him.
"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. "
3) Myth of Oedipus :
Oedipus killed his father accidently and married his mother. So it told the attraction between mother and son. In this novel described relationship between mother and son. James didn't like his father because he feels insecurity he thinks that his father taken away his mother from him. He heated his father so much that sometimes he wish to killed his father.
"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. "
5. What do you understand by the German term 'Künstlerroman'? How can you justify that 'To The Lighthouse' is 'Künstlerroman' novel?
Künstlerroman deals with the youth and development of an individual. It talks about inner growth of any artist. The novel itself is the example of Künstlerroman. In this novel shows the growth of Virginia Woolf as writer. She expressed her inner thought through the stream of consciousness technique. It shows her inner development.
●Inner Development of Lily and Mr Carmichael :
It also shows inner growth of Lily Briscoe. Who became successful for achieving her vision. She struggling a lot for achieving her vision. In the starting of novel she draw a picture of Mrs Ramsey and James but she felt it incompleted. But at the last after death of Mrs Ramsey . Through the imagination of her she portraited her. So it shows her mental and inner growth that she became successful to achieving her vision.
It was done; it was finished.
Yes, she thought, laying down her brush in extreme fatigue, I have had my vision.
Like this Mr Carmichael also became successful writer. He was also unable to write anything but at the end he also became successfull and famous writer into his society.
6. "... the wages of obedience is death, and the daughter that reproduces mothering to perfection, including child-bearing, already has on her cheeks the pallor of death. One reminded here of various texts by Lucy Irigaray, in which she attacks mothers for being, however unwillingly, accomplices in the patriarchal system of oppression." (Viola). In light of this remark, explain briefly Lily's dilemma.
Lily Briscoe and Mrs Ramsay has different perspective to looking the life. Mrs Ramsay thinks that to be marry is good thing instead of be single. But Lily likes freedom she don't want to marry. She just wants to follow her passions. She struggling a lot to following her dreams and passions. She never liked to satisfied man ego by praising him. After the death of Mrs Ramsay she know that Mr Ramsay need sympathy towards her but she never tried to full fill his ego. She has different vision towards life.
7. the 'beginning' and the 'ending' of the novel and the film adaptation of the novel directed by Colin Gregg.
There are many different between film and novel. In the novel has alagical tone , not much out door scenes and most importantly it based on stream of consciousness technique. Where as in the film it has not following alagical tone , more outdoor scenes, most important it didn't follow stream of consciousness technique. It is not much faithful to writing. Before watch film it is important to read novel. It becomes easy to understand film.
●Different beginning :
the novel starts with the talk between Mrs Ramsay and James where as in the film shows family going outside. So the plot of film and novel is not same. The tone is same but the incident is not happens in the same chronology.
●Different in ending :
Novel is based not the steam of consciousness techniques but in the film it doesn't happened. In the film doesn't shows much more the inner thoughts of the characters. In the novel reader feels bored and confused because of this technique. In the film it doesn't feel bored while watching it. At the end in the novel shows inner thoughts of James and cam who observing their father while he was reading a book. So it describes what is going on the characters mind but in the film it doesn't show this thing. Also the inner conflict of Lily described in the novel what she felt while painting. The struggle she felt while drowning picture of Mrs Ramsay. But it doesn't shows in the film.
In the film at the end Lily complete the painting and achieved her vision after that she going into her bedroom and consider her self as a fool. While in the novel this thing doesn't happened. Novel ends with Lily's achieving her vision.
8. How do you interpret the last line of the novel with reference to the ending of the film ?
The ending of the movie and film same that it ends with painting of Lily. But in the both film and novel Lily spoke different lines which shows different point of view of her.
●Last lines of Novel :
" It was done; it was finished.
Yes, she thought, laying down her brush in extreme fatigue, I have had my vision."
So in this lines Lily become successful to achieved her vision. So here is the vision is more important for her. She didn't achieved that vision before she painting. But after so much inner thinking she finally got her vision. After achieving her vision she so much get tired not physically but mentally. She thinks a lot about Mrs Ramsey to get her emotions into her painting. So she constantly thinking of her while painting. Finally she become successful to get Mrs Ramsey 's emotions into her painting. She constantly thought about her but she doesn't effect herself while thinking her. Her perspective towards life remains different than Mrs Ramsey.
●Last line of 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 film Lily constantly thought about Mrs Ramsey. She wanted to become like Mrs Ramsey. After doing painting she goes into the room. She telling her self Fool that she was a fool who thinks to become like Mrs Ramsey. She lots her own vision and freedom to looking life. She forgot her own self and her own values. She telling her self fool because whom she was considered as fool Mrs Ramsey. Who remains servant of the house and not following her own passions. But she herself thinking Mrs Ramsey too much and wanted to becoming like her. So in that way she was also a fool. She losted her own way to looking the life.
9. What does the catalogue named as 'Army and Navy' signify? What does cutting of 'Refrigerator' signify?
●Army and Navy signifies :
Army and Navy signifies both war and consumerism. Consumerism shows important of the money in women life. Money is important for women to become free. So the money is the main source of freedom for women. It gives women better opportunity to grow and get respect. Armysignifies the blood and murder. It reflects in the character of James who wants to killed his father.
●Refrigerator signifies :
Refrigerator is preserver of the things. It not allow to happen the natural process of Nature. It has dual paradox as a preserver and technology. It is symbol of change and preserving human culture. It associated with Mrs Ramsey with the role of preserver of culture. She not allowing to change anything. She changing and shaping her children mind. Her approach for son is different from daughters. She wants her daughter to be strong supporter of Men. She don't want that the modern thoughts effect her family so she tried to preserving traditional thoughts.
10. Why did Virginia give such prominence to the tale of the “Fisherman’s Wife”? In particular, why did she weave such a misogynist tale into the fabric of a book which so eloquently challenges received patriarchal notions about the roles and capabilities of women?
In the story of Fisherman’s wife. Wife is always demanding to her husband. So it shows that women has not any right to demand. Demanding women consider as harmful women. It shows how women is portrayed into the literature. In the novel it happens opposite that Mr Ramsey has demanding Nature. Who always demands her wife to sympathise towards him and satisfied his male ego by praising his works and knowledge. It shows the different type of nature of women . In this Mrs Ramsey not depended on her husband. But her husband was depending on her.
11. How is India represented in 'To The Lighthouse'?
In the novel India represented six times.
1".There were all the places she had not seen; the Indian plains; she felt herself pushing aside the thick leather curtain of a church in Rome "
Here is India became a place of desire. It seems that she had not visited India. Only she heard about it. So it become desire to visit India.
2. "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?"
India is famous for its jewellery, spices, Gold and other things during that time. India was also know as " soneki chidiya". So the jewellery of India was famous. It considered as pride.
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