Virginia Woolf is an amazing and challenging writer, in my opinion. I looked online to see how others view her writing and, interestingly, some people said they read her work very quickly to get the main points and others read her novels very slowly to absorb every nuance. For me, I cannot imagine reading her novels quickly. Sometimes, I will reread passages multiple times because I realize something was missed in the first round. Many of her novels are short but they take longer to read then much longer books. The language is very lush and, when savored, is lovely. I need to be in the right frame of mind and mood to pick up a Virginia Woolf story – here are two that I really enjoyed.
To the Lighthouse. Taking the story at face value, it is about a family and their friends who “summer” at a house near the sea, which also has a distinctive lighthouse. The house is rather tattered and old, but it is loved by the family – or at least the matriarch, Mrs. Ramsey. The descriptions of the family unit and individual members are wonderful. There were layers and thoughts and emotions that worked both for the time it was written and today, though in somewhat different ways.
Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey are very different people – he is more intellectual/work-oriented and she emotional/family-oriented. They often get on each other’s nerves, but ultimately love and understand each other. Their eight children are sometimes annoying to him and always precious (though sometimes frustrating) to her. Their band of friends include a painter and various bookish types who sort of want to be there, but also sort of don’t. As a single person who is sometimes drawn into other people’s family activities, I understood this dynamic very well!
Family and friends alike all experience some level of discomfort in interacting with others, which is part of what makes the story so interesting. These characters are not one-dimensional, but think, feel, grow and change. Reading about them is interesting and it was easy to see myself and people I know popping up here and there. Sometimes the people I recognize span across a couple of characters. Sometimes, this complexity is a good thing and other times … not so much.
On a broader level, the story is set at a time when women were more of an appendage, someone to bring comfort to her husband but without a life/needs/thoughts/dreams of their own. Lily the painter represents a break from this, as she is unmarried, childless and definitely has needs/thoughts/dreams of her own. Mrs. Ramsey is “old school” and lives to be a wife and mother – her greatest success is when she can anticipate her husband’s needs and ease his life. This differentiation parallels the pre- and post-WWI eras, as Mrs. Ramsey is seen as the ideal before and as old fashion after. Lily is seen as a poor spinster before and at least somewhat an independent woman after. The gendered roles are something of a problem for the men as well, as Mr. Ramsey has to try to connect with his children after his wife suddenly dies – she has always been the bridge, but with that gone, he is very alone.
The balance of work and family is interesting. Taking a modern perspective, this family may have been happier with greater balance. Today, for most American families, this is a given and there is an appreciation for (or at least acceptance of) the need for both work and family to enter the equation. In this story, Mr. Ramsey and the other men want to either pursue their work or talk with each other – they aren’t into the emotional stuff of life or discussing much of anything with the women. Mrs. Ramsey is on the other side – not understanding the concept of work being an integral part of life – she is all about family and friends.
The losses in life are seen through not only the death of Mrs. Ramsey but also because of war and childbirth. The story skips a decade or so and picks up later, as the children are older and are coming to terms with their beliefs and perceptions, and Lily and Mr. Ramsey are coming to understand the impact of Mrs. Ramsey’s death. How does one move on after the loss of someone so essential to their lives? How long does it take to grieve? This is a love story on several levels. A sad and reflective story about people and families and love and loss.
Mrs. Dalloway. This story was truly a special experience on two levels: the story itself and the extraordinary language. I am (almost) always amazed at the beauty of the writing when I read classic books – there is so much depth to the descriptions that it is impossible to read them quickly. This story of a day and the trip through people’s thoughts is wonderful.
I will never have to worry about throwing a swanky party or deal with the British class system of the post-WWI era, but the thoughts were sometimes so familiar that I felt I was there. Clarissa’s fear of the party going wrong reminded me of projects on which I have worked. Everyone’s thoughts about whether they would measure up or whether a friend or loved one really cared about them were ones I’ve had. Were they boring others? Were others just being polite? I’ve sooo been there.
What was interesting is how similar everyone’s thoughts were – nearly all of the characters playing larger roles were shown to be uncertain and to express fear or disappointment in themselves. An exception to this uncertainty and self-doubt was Dr. Holmes – who was, essentially, an idiot. It is heartening to think that others have insecurities, not because misery loves company but because I can find some way to identify with them. Over the years, I’ve grown to accept and appreciate flaws – perfection, in my opinion, is overrated. Flaws or inconsistencies in a person are what make them interesting. What differed for the characters was the level of insecurity and how they dealt with their insecurities. Some were able to cope, some rose above and moved forward, and some failed in their efforts with tragic results.
The language is why I went back to this book three times – and started from the beginning each time. So lovely and engaging. Some passages just made me smile and others made me tear up. There is a wonderful balance of strength and gentleness to the language. I also love the fact that Virginia Woolf knew when to stop writing – so many authors may have tacked on “stuff” in terms of both plot and words – this is a model of restraint and of the importance of not gilding the lily.
