To The Lighthouse novel on thinking activity

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Virginia Woolf novel - 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 used stream of consciousness technique in her novel “To the Lighthouse”. May be she wanted to say human being is not like which kind they present their self like equable and their inner voice is not like same as like their behaviour. In the novel Virginia Woolf tried to present person behaviour and person inner mind conflict.
She may be wanted to explain to showing the complexity of human relationship, the every battles that  people are at in there relationship with their near and dear one. For example in the novel she shows battles between husband and wife, son and father even including battles between teacher and student.

• Mr. Ramsay battles with Mrs. Ramsay character through Virginia Woolf show Mr. Ramsay character like he is self dramatising domestic tyrant husband and Mrs. Ramsay like obedient wife of Mr. Ramsay. If her husband angry on her, she pampering her husband. When Mrs Ramsay ask about furniture for house at that time her husband behaviour like angry bird so that type Virginia Woolf present  of battles between husband and wife it is also human complexity of relationship.

• Mr. Ramsay (Father) and James (son) between battle in one dialogue in this dialogue Virginia use stream of consciousness technique through visuals James mind –
“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.”
So it is also highlight human complexity of relationship.
Lily Briscoe is painter artist in the novel but society didn’t accept female image of doing painting and writing so Lily strongly facing struggle in the society and when Mr. Tansely came her near for conversion like woman can’t do painting and writing , at that time Lily and Mr. Tansely conversation-

"He was really, Lily Briscoe thought, in spite of his eyes, but then look at his nose, look at his hands, the most uncharming human being she had ever met. 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. There’s the sprig on the table-cloth; there’s my painting; I must move the tree to the middle; that matters—nothing else. Could she not hold fast to that, she asked herself, and not lose her temper, and not argue; and if she wanted revenge take it by laughing at him?


2) Do you agree: "The novel is both the tribute and critique of Mrs. Ramsay ?

 Karyeshu dasi, Karaneshu manthri; Bhojeshu mata, Shayaneshu rambha; Kshamayeshu dharithri, Roopeshu lakshmi; Satkarma yukta, Kuladharma pathni.
Yes, I am agree the novel is both the tribute and critique of Mrs. Ramsay character. She always behaviour like ideal wife, mother, friend but she didn’t think about herself. Mrs. Ramsay’s two daughter Nancy and Rose character are not presented obedience like her mother. And in the second part Mrs. Ramsay died. Even she is alive with her ideal image her family remember her in every movement. In the Article Mrs. Ramsay see on Critique way how she pampering husband and children. One day she crying at that time Lily Briscoe with her and Mrs. Ramsay said to Lily- you are more poor than me because Lily is unmarried so Mrs. Ramsay said to her where you express your feelings but Mrs. Ramsay  can express her feeling in front of her husband.

3) Considering symbolically, does the Lighthouse stand for Mrs. Ramsay or the narrator (Virginia Woolf herself who is categorically represented by Lily)?

Yes, in this novel Virginia Woolf herself represents by Lily. But Mrs. Ramsay character is like central figure in the novel so symbolically lighthouse stand for Mrs. Ramsay not Lily. Because in the three part of novel most of focus on Mrs. Ramsay like she is everywhere with husband, children and friends even her death after Mr. Ramsay remembering her and Lily think about her for her painting so here central finger character is Mrs Ramsay. And Lily is not fully disappear in the novel because she drawing Lighthouse and prove herself woman can painting, in the novel her character growth up as painter. Even she drawing Mrs. Ramsay. Author show death of Mrs. Ramsay in the novel and Lily character become last mode character may be its through author tried to show more ideal thought not required but person growth up required for society as like Lily.

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? 

Gaia and Uranus myth -
Rhea and Cronus Greek myth –

Cronus afraid of his death because of his father curse his child killed him that why Cronus killed his children but at last once day Rhea didn’t give child and that child grown up knowingly his name Zeus, Zeus killed his father as per his mother wish and again cycling continues father killed by his son. According to Joseph Blotner interpretation novel character Mrs. Ramsay compare with goddess Rhea and Mrs. Ramsay character like Cronus and their son James like Zeus or Cronus. Because James behaviour with his father it like enemy and Mrs. Ramsay always pampering James and denied to do angrily behaviour with father. One thing is noticeable Mrs. Ramsay close relation with James not any other in this novel so it may be happen indirectly she is also with James. May be She is poison factor of  father and son relation.

Oedipus myth –

Oedipus killed his father and married with his mother. So here James character portrait as like father hated child, Virginia Woolf use stream of consciousness technique when James mind portrait father hated son.

5) What do you understand by the German term 'Künstlerroman'? How can you justify that 'To The Lighthouse' is 'Künstlerroman' novel?  

According to Oxford dictionary
The German term (meaning ‘artist-novel’) for a novel in which the central character is an artist of any kind, e.g. the musical composer, painter, writer. Künstlerroma meaning "artist's novel" in English, is a narrative about an artist's growth to maturity. To the lighthouse is Kunstlerroman novel because in this novel growth of artists Lily Briscoe. She is painter and her growth in this novel. Through her depiction of a woman artist, Lily Briscoe, Woolf devises a broad definition of art as that which crystallizes the moment, that which captures the moment from the flow of time.

6) In light of this remark, explain briefly Lily's dilemma in 'To The Lighthouse'.

Lily's dilemma express society image like how people believe motherhood is necessary for married woman but it is like patriarchal thought. Lily is not like Mrs. Ramsay and try to develop her individual identity. Lily didn’t wanted to marry because she wanted to live alone. Lily show Mrs. Ramsay as wife and mother so her individual identity like lost and her most of time spend to pampering her husband ego and children care. But Lily is strong character in the novel, she hasn’t need anyone. Mr. Bankes proposal her for marriage but she denied his proposal. And she live alone in the novel.

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?

Film and novel both beginning started in different ways. Novel start with this line-

“Yes of course, if it's fine tomorrow” said Mrs. Ramsay. But you 'll have be up with the lark”. She added.
When film start James shouting and Mrs. Ramsay pampering James. It like different to understand film starting without knowing novel. At the end of the  Lily's vision finished.
It was done ;It was finished.
Yes, She thought, laying down her brush in extreme fatigue, I have had my vision.”

At the end of film is same as like end novel.
No, I think movie more appropriate than visualisation of  novel because when I watched movie at that time I understand better whose stream consciousness mind interpreted Virginia and watching action is most important than visualisation action.

8) How do you interpret the last line of the novel and film. 
“It was done; it was finished.
Yes, she thought, laying down her brush in extreme fatigue, I have had my vision.”

In the last line of novel suggest that most of character vision is fulfilled and specially Lily's main visions is also fulfilled at the end of novel.
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.
 It is movie end throughout the Lily Briscoe character present as creative or active artist and as woman she is  believe marriage not more important for living society without marriage you can live and fulfill your vision.

9)What does the catalogue named as 'Army and Navy' signify? What does cutting of 'Refrigerator'  signify?

May be at that time is world war situation as highly Critique by author and in the novel Mrs. Ramsay's elder son is also soldier of Army sectors and also his death is mentioned in this novel. Cutting of Refrigerator is symbol of new technology growth. According to me in the novel James cutting Refrigerator perhaps it is sign that Refrigerator is use for storage things so it like Victorian people mindset and cutting Refrigerator may be it is sign of broke down Victorian mindset.

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? 

Through the novel Virginia Woolf present ideal or obedience woman character of Mrs. Ramsay and present her opposite character Lily Briscoe. Throughout the novel Mrs. Ramsay reading “Fisherman’s Wife” story this story related to fisher man wife is lure to get more and more so Virginia Woolf connect this type of woman character in the novel. Perhaps that Virginia Woolf present woman character like different way Lily, Mrs. Ramaya , Fisherman's wife Stories reference that all is sign of that.

11) How is India represented in 'To The Lighthouse'?  

Through the Mrs. Ramsay character is Indian represented in ' To the Lighthouse'. Mrs. Ramsay is like image of Indian society's woman who pampering husband and children ego and woman self identity is important when she alive but after her death everyone remembering her in the novel.

12) Write summaries of these articles:

• Mythical Pattern in the Lighthouse 

               By Joseph L. Blotner
Joseph interpret her novel to connect with Greek myth. Joseph mentioned that Mrs. Ramsay character portrait as goddess in the novel. And he connect Olympian gods and goddesses like threefold in relation to Zeus- Mother Rhea, wife Demeter and daughter Persephone. And he compare Mrs. Ramsay character with Rhea and James compare with Zeus. Mrs. Ramsay attitude toward marriage seems more pagan than Christian. The reappearance of Persephone has its symbolic equivalent in the novel in the return of the force which Mrs. Ramsay represented.
Joseph also mentioned Sigmund Freud’s interpretation of the Oedipus myth which is most famous myth. James behaviour like mother attachment and father hater child so it is Oedipus myth ideas. Joseph Blotner also proved that Virginia Woolf's diary shows that she read Greek so unconsciously she included myth in her novel.

• Fluidity VS Muscularity- Lily's dilemma in Woolf's To the Lighthouse article by Andre Viola.
Andre Viola focus on Lily character and he showed Lily is central character of the novel. Mrs. Ramsay character present patriarchal society's mindset. Lily argument with Mrs. Ramsay and Mrs. Ramsay has strong argument than Lily perhaps here may be Virginia tried to show society's set moral always won than individual ideas. Lily growth of as artist so it called Künstlerome novel. Lily dilemma show that she doesn't like Mrs. Ramsay because Lily felt Mrs. Ramsay is like obedience woman and she isn't want to become ideal or obedience woman. Even she hasn't want any companion like husband she wants to live alone.

- Vision in To The Lighthouse Article by

Article start with this line - 

" Someone had blundered" The vision of Lily reveals that it was Ramsay. In the scene Mrs. Ramsay speak this line - someone had blundered. According to the article Mrs Ramsay done blundered and she is responsible for father and son relationship like cruel.

Glenn Pedersen mentioned that  matriarchal and prove that it is also danger like patriarchal. After Mrs. Ramsay death Mr. Ramsay and his son relation like better than Mrs. Ramsay alive.