Thinking activity about To the Lighthouse
Virginia Woolf use the modernism in her novel To The Lighthouse. She expressed her all the characters very well. She also use some autobiographical element here. She use stream of consciousness.
She present here complexity of human relationship between Mrs. And Mr. Ramsay. Lily Briscoe a female artist struggle a lot . In her era people think that women cannot write or paint. She also face the struggle with Mrs . Ramsay and Charles Tansley . Through this Woolf presented the situation of women in that era. She wrote her all work very critical way. She made satire on her character and doing critical thinking which that times man cannot do. She also present patriarchy and gender difference here.
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. )
Yes ,the novel is both the tribute and critique of mrs. Ramsay . We also imagine and compare here mrs. Ramsay with woolf's mother. She present here mrs. Ramsay as ideal character. She Sacrifice her happiness for her children and husband. She also tolerate mr. Ramsay's anger on her but not speak any word against her. If her children speak so, she scold them .
At last Lily Briscoe wants to become like her . She criticize her after her death .She compare herself with mrs. Ramsay. She is good mother and good wife but Lily doesn't like to be like her. She has individual thought than mrs. Ramsay. Mrs. Ramsay was caring mother and serve her guest very kindly and felt happiness to serve them.
3)Considering symbolically, does the Lighthouse stand for Mrs. Ramsay or the narrator (Virginia Woolf herself who is categorically represented by Lily)?
In Lighthouse we can find many symbols. This novel stand for mrs. Ramsay.we might say her ,the central character of the novel. She had care of all the person of her family and also had care for her relatives.
In this novel her character covered whole part .she arrange all the thing very beautifully. She also became a match maker. After her death she alive in Lily '' s mind and her painting. After her no one from the novel can took part of her in her house.
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?
In literature there is always myth behind the story /novel. In The Lighthouse also has myth behind it.
Myth of Demeter:-
In this novel there was a myth of Demeter and her daughter zeus. This symbolize mother and daughter relationship. Here in the novel it symbolize relationship between Mrs Ramsay and her daughter. Demeter is Goddess of fertility. So she also presented by character of mrs. Ramsay and her children.
Myth of Uranus:-
This present the mother son relationship in the novel. Mrs. Ramsay always care for her child . She always give them company and love. In myth of Uranus , mother inspire her son to kill the father so here the character of James is like him who wants to kill his father.
5)What do you understand by the German term 'Künstlerroman'? How can you justify that 'To The Lighthouse' is 'Künstlerroman' novel?
The term Kunstlerroman mean artist's novel. It may be classifieds as a specific subgener of Bildungsroman. In this the central character is an artist of any kind.
The novel Lighthouse is also like Kunstlerroman . Character of Lily was an artist. She always facing problem as an artist in the novel.Mrs. Ramsay and Charles Tansley doesn't like to watch her as a artist. But she do it still the end of the novel. She complete her painting of mrs. Ramsay.Woolf also symbolized her character with this.
6)In light of this remark, explain briefly Lily's dilemma in 'To The Lighthouse'.
Virginia Woolf presented here character of Lily whom has not biological links with family .She has her own thoughts while Mrs. Ramsay has not .She always doing debat with mrs. Ramsay about marriage. Lily is conscious only of a more immediate pressure that of mrs. Ramsay bearing down on her. She wants to live with her art and nor like men 's company. She never follows others thoughts. In this novel she is syndrome of the envied breast. She grows more and more confident about her own ability.
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.
Yes ,that is right that the power of words is much greater than that of the visuals. Here the novel and movie are totally different. In movie there is more scene of outdoor and in novel there is scene of indoor activity. The end of it is also different. In novel Wools used different narrative style while in movie things are easily describe.
8)How do you interpret the last line of the novel?
The last line of the novel is different from movie .Both was spoken by Lily. In the film she finished her painting and lies on bed and close the doors and open the window. When she walked in the house the shadow of light on her face also symbolized the hide and seek thing .She also mentioned herself as a fool . She thought a lot about Mrs. Ramsay. She doesn't like be like her.
In the novel she finished her painting and got her own vision. Mrs Ramsay's influence was stronger in her mind.
9)What does the catalogue named as 'Army and Navy' signify? What does cutting of 'Refrigerator' signify?
Refrigerator is a symbol of Change. It is also a symbol of technology and instrument of science. James os guided in his choice by mrs. Ramsay . War and navy consumption are linked. War consumer a catalogues the playground for james. War present destroyed things and violence. Refrigerator keeps all the fresh and alive for long time. So both signifies different things.
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 this novel mrs. Ramsay told story of Fisherman and his wife to James . Mrs. Ramsay and Fisherman's wife presented same here. They both demanding something to their husband. Limited demand are acceptable but geed is not acceptable. Here fisherman'' s wife has greed more and more and she lost all the thing at last. In Lighthouse mrs Ramsay demands to mr. Ramsay . She is ideal lady though she demand that make novel problematic.
11)How is India represented in 'To The Lighthouse'?
Here Woolf presented India very different way. Somewhere it is good , somewhere it is bad. In one line it represents that india is known for jewellery. Some other lines present about Colonial country.
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