Thinking activity: To the lighthouse by Virginia Woolf
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To the Lighthouse takes on some elements of Woolf’s own life: she felt stifled by her father in much the same way that Mr. Ramsay squeezes the life out of his children. And the sudden deaths of her mother and her sister Stella left her in deep mourning (echoes of Mrs. Ramsay and Prue’s deaths in To the Lighthouse).
But, Woolf herself got fed up with critics who insisted on reading the Ramsays as direct representations of the Stephens (Stephen was Woolf’s maiden name). To the Lighthouse is also an extended meditation on the relationship between art and life, and on late Victorian family structures.
Here are some of the question what is the understanding about all questions releted to the novel by Virginia Woolf.
(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? (Key: The 'How' of the narrative technique is to be discussed along with features of Stream of Consciousness technique which helps Woolf to put in effective manner what she experienced in abstractions.)
Answer: Virginia Woolf wanted to say in the novel recalls childhood emotions and highlights adult relationships. Among the book's many tropes and themes are those of loss, subjectivity, the nature of art and the problem of perception. We can observed that women are struggle a lot day to day life and battles that people relationship with near and the dear one, they are struggle of a first of female artist against the values of society. So here in this knowledge we can analyse the character of Lily Briscoe. The narrative technique is to be discussed along with features of of consciousness is characters of more and more complex because thoughts never have sequences. She describes the fragmentation of each thing in this novel.
(2) Do you agree: "The novel is both the tribute and critique of Mrs. Ramsay"? (Key: Take some clues from the painting of Mrs Ramsay drawn by Lily Briscoe and the article by Andre Viola and Glenn Pedersen. Can we read Mrs. R in context of the idea of Ideal Indian Woman - Karyeshu dasi, Karaneshu manthri; Bhojeshu mata, Shayaneshu rambha; Kshamayeshu dharithri, Roopeshu lakshmi; Satkarma yukta, Kuladharma pathni.)
Answer: I agree with this point that the novel also represented both the side of tribute and critique in Character of Mrs. Ramsay. Mrs.Ramsay is one of the central characters in the novel because all things were happening around herself. When we saw her as a Indian ideal woman, we got some clue points like She always handled all conditions and she tried to fulfill her desire for her son, husband and family. She didn't raise her voice against her husband and she also tried to shape her daughter the same as herself. I like to put one sentence here from the novel,
" They must keep the window open and the doors shut..."
It's a sentence used in a symbolic way here. So that in the novel mostly She remain lower in front of superior. Same happening in present Indian society. who is raise question for women rights and freedom against superior ? Another thing when Lily Briscoe painted Mrs.Ramsay at that time she was also confused to find focus of the house. When she drawn painting as a part of the art at that time created conflict between character of Mrs. Ramsay and Lily Briscoe. Lily also arguments with Mrs. Ramsay for what's facts about her life ? but at the end of the novel she remaining in each and every character's heart which may be proved her as a ideal Indian women.
(3) Considering symbolically, does the Lighthouse stand for Mrs. Ramsay or the narrator (Virginia Woolf herself who is categorically represented by Lily)? (Key: Take help from the presentation on Symbolism to connect Mrs. Caroline Ramsay with Lighthouse. Secondly, the narrator / author cannot fully disappear from the novel and thus the stoicism of Lily to paint and thus prove that she can paint, is symbolically presented in the stoicism of Lighthouse. Read the 'lighthouse' symbol from the presentation slide with this insight to connect lighthouse with the narrator.
Answer: The lighthouse stand for Mrs Ramsay or the narrator that time we can connect Mrs Caroline Ramsay with lighthouse, it is stand as guiding star and harbours emotional safety to other family and guest members summer house. She is the spiritual bridge between other humans in the novel.
Second is light and darkness. It is connect stoicism of Lily to paint and thus prove that she can paint, is symbolically presented in the stoicism of Lighthouse.It is symbolises strength, guidance and safe harbor. Third we can see symbol is the element of water Represents the emotional guidence. And last is to the lighthouse amidst emotionally shattered beings.
(4) In the article by Joseph Blotner, two myths are patterned together. Name the myths? How are they zeroed down to the symbols of 'Window' and 'Lighthouse'? How does the male phallic symbol represent feminine Mrs. Ramsay? (Key: The strokes of light-beams. . . )
Answer: The first myth which is shown here is of Rhea and Demeter. First Mrs. Ramsay is compared with Rhea. Rhea is Greek goddess, and her husband is killing all her child but he saves the Zeus somehow. We can see same with Mrs. Ramsay as she is also caring James from Mr. Ramsay in the sense of anger. Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay treat James differently. Mrs. Ramsay treat James in a sense which create anger in James mind for his father, she behaves in front of James as she is trying to save him from his father. Secondly she is compared with Demeter. Demeter is a daughter of Rhea and goddess of corn and fertility. It is said that when she is in sorrow whole earth becomes barren. Demeter is more worshiped by men than women, same as men are in more need of Mrs. Ramsay than women. Every men in summer house are in need of Mrs. Ramsay in one or the other way.
(5) What do you understand by the German term 'Künstlerroman'? How can you justify that 'To The Lighthouse' is a 'Künstlerroman' novel?
Answer: As per my understanding to the reference of German term, In the novel as a whole, however, if one considers the sheer bulk of text allotted to each character, Lily is statistically more present than Mrs. Ramsay." Gender-oriented criticism has recently restored the balance in her favor, but often with diverging conclusions," so that it now seems appropriate to assess the new perspectives, taking as their main theoretical support analyses by Melanie Klein and by Julia Kristeva." At the same time, as To the Lighthouse is a kind of Kunstlerroman, it is fairly easy to follow Lily's progression and setbacks from the morning of her return to the island in part III.
(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 in 'To The Lighthouse'.
Answer: The wages of obedience is death, and daughter that reproduces mothering to perfection, including child-bearing, already has on her cheeks the pallor of death that all are Lucy's Irigaray in that contaxt we can come to the point that time throughout the novel, Lily strongly oppose to patriarchal power, she believe in feminism and freedom. She wants to be free without any kind of male company but at the end of the novel we come to know that she also wants be a like Mrs. Ramsay a married life have family and children to be enjoy the life. So, Lily was very confuse to follow pure femininity or man company it is the patriarchal system of oppression.
(7) Movie Screening: Worksheet (Click here to open)
(8) You have compared the 'beginning' and the 'ending' of the novel and the film adaptation of the novel directed by Colin Gregg (you can see it again in the embedded video below this). 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?
Answer: In the beginning of the novel and the film adaptation similar or some artistic liberty is taken by the film makers Dinner table discussion, James’s naughty behaviour and shielded by Mrs. Caroline Ramsay and care to Ramsay's behaviour. And Then Mr. Ramsay's philosophies and F. H. Bradley’s Appearance and Reality. There are beginning of the novel.
Lily's painting was finished and she was remember Mrs. Ramsay and James visualise the past memory. They reached the lighthouse after her painting his finished she walks inside the house and speedily she climb stairs to her room and shut the door. she is standing near the windows and recalls the past memory she thought on character of Mr. Briscoe lie on the bed, and say that 'You are a fool' there is ending part of the novel.
(9) How do you interpret the last line of the novel (It was done; it was finished.
Yes, she thought, laying down her brush in extreme fatigue, I have had my vision.) with reference to the ending 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".)
Answer: This line interpret the way to live life adopted by Mrs Ramsay is the best way to be happy, make happy and be immortal as one is remembered even after death. Lily makes her mind to be like Mrs. Ramsay in rest of her life. In brief, the tribute to the enduring power of female for which Mrs. Ramsay lived and died. Lily laughs at her thought which invokes Mrs. Ramsay in her memory, as if saying that she can never be as enduring as Mrs. Ramsay. No Doors, no windows, her painting is the best. She loves 'a room of her own', her loneliness, her art. Thus, it is critique of the sacrificial nature of Mrs. Ramsay.
(10) What does the catalogue named as 'Army and Navy' signify? What does cutting of 'Refrigerator' signify?
Answer: The catalogue named as 'Army and Navy' is cutting of 'Refrigerator' signify as a War and Consumerism - the two evils which walk hand in hand and act against the larger interest of Human Beings. When James is cutting his refrigerator out some five years or so before World War I, and were refrigerators even invented then, and if so would they have already been available in the 'Army and Navy'.
A quick research told me that refrigeration was developed in the late 19th century, with the German engineer Carl Powell Gottfried Linde taking out patents in 1895. From that point on, refrigeration technology developed rapidly and home refrigeration units soon started to appear.
(11) 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?
Answer: Enough throat clearing. As with the refrigerator, my starting point is why? 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? The emotional and moralizing weight of “The Fisherman’s Wife” seems totally at odds with the strong feminism expressed in To the Lighthouse.
And by having Mrs. Ramsay tell such a misogynistic tale Virginia is also indicting Mrs. Ramsay. By showing Mrs. Ramsay as transmitting and perpetuating harmful myths about female will and desire, Virginia is criticizing and attacking the way in which women are complicit in limiting their ability to fully realize themselves.
(12) How is India represented in 'To The Lighthouse'?
Answer: India is referred 6 times in the novel.
- India is ruled by the men-folk.
- India is exotic place where there is great romance, adventure and happiness.
- Augustus Carmichael’s going to India is considered as some sort of achievement.
- India is referred to as a place of desire. . . a desire to visit.
- Made in India jewelry is a thing to be possessed – owned with pride.
- Some land which is far away – unknown land, the exotic land.
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