" To The Lighthouse" Blog task

This blog is a part of my thinking activity given by a teacher on 'To the Lighthouse', by Virginia Woolf. Click here to see Teacher's blog. 

Virginia Woolf is known for the term stream of consciousness, in which mind is struggling with time. As she was struggling with the time. Steam of consciousness means time travels in the past and in the future but, but we are in the present.


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 the Stream of Consciousness technique which helps Woolf to put in an effective manner what she experienced in abstractions.)

• Yes, very appropriately Woolf used complexity in human relationships like Mr. Ramsay and Mrs. Ramsay. This kind of relationship we can find in everyone's relation in real life and also she said about the struggle in an artist's life like in the novel Lily struggle a lot and also we can find similar in our time also that many artist like filmmaker, writers, cartoonist, painters also beaten by public and power or patriarchy.   If we read biographically then we can come to know that Virginia Woolf used this technique to prove that women also can write and paint better than men. So, she used a stream of consciousness technique 3rd person narrative to move from one to another character's mind. With the help of this technique narrator shows us the inner flow of thoughts walking in the mind of the character, for instance, the(James' thought). So, we can come to know about the inner and outer relationship of characters with each other.

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. )

• After reading the article of Andre Viola, it seems like that the novel The novel is both the tribute and critique of Mrs. Ramsay. But it depends on readers how they want to read taking the support of reader response theory. No doubt the novel is considered as the tribute of Mrs.Ramsay because after her death also she is able to live in minds of other characters.  But... I just think that the novel is more critique rather than the tribute of Mrs.Ramsay. As we all know that the stereotypical Indian culture, Mrs.Ramsay is presented as same as Indian woman presented in their literature. Does Virginia Woolf describe that only through this? Mrs.Ramsay does all things for family members, she lives for others, she does so many sacrifices for the sake of others and so many things which are already decided by patriarchal society. Mrs.Ramsay is alive in mind of others because of her services and compassion to each. She has something to give all the characters. Mrs.Ramsay is also known as ' Angle of the House'.  And Lilly Briscoe is totally opposite from the Mrs.Ramsay.  Lilly tries to break the wrong idea that " the “women can’t paint can’t write”. She does that and proves women’s identity as intellectuals as men. I think Virginia Woolf is more interested in Lilly Briscoe's character rather than Mrs. Ramsay. Both are remarkable characters in the novel because Mrs. Ramsay is alive because of her Womanhood only and Lilly Briscoe for her art. So, According to me, It is the way of describing irony not a tribute of Mrs.Ramsay.

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 stoicism of Lighthouse. Read 'lighthouse' symbol from presentation slide with this insight to connect lighthouse with the narrator. Give your concluding remarks in the comment below in this blog )

• Mrs. Ramsay can be seen as the lighthouse as the symbol of the lighthouse is considered as the strong pillar which bears the pounce from the sea, which is stood in between of the sea and not only suffering from the sea but also shows the way to the wandered people. In the same manner, Mrs. Ramsay is also trying to please all the people all the time and still remains objective and having a very kind nature. Lily can be also called the lighthouse because throughout the novel she is being irritated by the Tensely(Patriarchy) by such statements like "Women can't write or paint" as the lighthouse also has to suffer many storms into the sea. but ultimately at the last, she proves herself by completing her painting that whatever Tensely (society) says about her (Modern Women) she is free from all the stereotypes.

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? (Key: The strokes of light-beams. . . )

• In the novel two types of myths.Oedipus myth and Pagan Myth. The Oedipus Myth presents in the characters like, James and Mrs.Ramsay. her main goal is to care for her youngest son James .Mrs. Ramsay tells her son that’ if the weather is good tomorrow, they can go to the lighthouse. So, here we can see how she cares for her child with love another side Mr. Ramsay tells him, today that’s not possible...So, as mother Mrs.Ramsay is know how to do care of children. We can say that Mrs. Ramsay is about as close as Virginia Woolf.  Mrs. Ramsay is the lovely star at the center of the Ramsay family, and at the heart of the novel. Mrs.Ramsay magical power as the great mother is quite clear in the first section. Mrs.Ramsay is more emotional, whose magical force attracts people. The second. We find pagan myth in Mrs. Ramsay’s character. In pagan myth Rhea, Demeter and Persephone this are reflected in Mrs. Ramsay’s character.

5] What do you understand by the German term 'Künstlerroman'? How can you justify that 'To The Lighthouse' is 'Künstlerroman' novel? (Key: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/325047/Kunstlerroman)

• Kunstlerroman means apprenticeship novel that deals with the youth and development of an individual who becomes a threshold of becoming a painter musician or poet. Throughout the novel, if we read Lily’s character she develops as a painter. In the third part she completes the painting of Mrs. Ramsay, and finally, she has had her own vision. Same as Augustus Carmichael he is also a poet who is unknown chapter one but his poetry meets unexpected success afterward. So both the characters develop one as a painter and another as a poet.

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'.

• By these lines, we can say that Lily is in dilemma because of patriarchy and the women who consciously or unconsciously accomplice with patriarchy. We can see in the novel that Lily is attracted towards the Bank but she is not showing her feelings in sense of marriage because she doesn't want to be like Mrs. Ramsay. She is not happy with Mrs. Ramsay because she is the one who supports patriarchy and also wants her daughter to do the same. These lines show that by following the order one gets death  Prue died because she follows her mother's order to get married. The reason of Prue's death in childbirth, which again is the idea of an ideal or perfect woman given by Mrs. Ramsay while bringing up her daughters. In process of becoming perfect, she died. This is shown Lily's dilemma, that she is seeing all these things in front of her eyes but can not change the mind of women around her.

7] 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?

• The opening scene of Novel comes in a film almost after an hour. It means film maker has to changes in adoption film and this is require too. Especially when novels like ‘To the light house’ because novel have not as many outdoor scene in compare of film. Moreover, novel have not as much dialogue as well as interesting story plot but to make it interesting one must have to made some changes. Overall tone of novel is not bright but in grey shade and darkness so it hard to capture all this things in camera. So I think that novel is more poignant than the movie.

8] 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".)

• At last we knows that Lily Briscoe completed her painting but there is something missing and that thing she realised after completed her drawing because she wants to draw Mrs. Ramsay's painting but at the end she can not because Mrs. Ramsay is a great personality and not only about Mrs. Ramsay but to paint someone's personality is very difficult and at the end that thing  realised by Lily Briscoe.

9] What does the catalog named as 'Army and Navy' signify? What does the cutting of 'Refrigerator'  signify?

• Army and navy catalog signifies a time of war. On one hand, 'Refrigerator' is a tool for preservation. Against that is also a symbol of the change in technology, changing and presumably improving human culture. James is guided in his choice by Mrs. Ramsay and it should, therefore, be associated with her role as preserver and shaper of culture. The traditional woman who is not allowing the change, and preserver of old tradition.

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?

•  By giving place to the story like "Fisherman and His Wife" we can see that Virginia Woolf is trying to criticize here the way a woman is portrayed in the story. She also wants to criticize the women who thinks these types of stereotyping real and also believe in that, that they themselves are like this only. This notion of believing her self less this is criticized here. Virginia Woolf with the use of fairy tale subverting the misogyny of the fairy tale. Fairytale in novel challenges the myth about female desire and dangers of unopposed female will and desire. The real danger seems to be male needs and desire. 

11] How is India represented in 'To The Lighthouse'? (Read this blog for  passing reference)

• Many characteristics of this novel are match with Indianness. Because in this novel we find the " Ruled India" means patriarchy. Mr. Ramsay is more powerful rather than Mrs. Ramsay. Mrs. Ramsay is like purely Indian Mother,who pampered husband ego and carrying all the family members.  Augustus Carmichael visits to India,because that time India  as land of desire to visit and exotic land.