Thinking activity on "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 is the master of stream of consciousness. she was fully conscious of the inadequacy of human relationship. one of the main reason of the failure to establish satisfactory human relationship is that the words are main source of communication between one-another. but sometimes words fail to express full complexity of a character's thought and and feelings. so sometimes they become misleading. Mrs.Woolf was aware about it so she tried stream of consciousness technique. 

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

# Ye, we can say that the novel is a tribute and critique of Mrs. Ramsay, because from the very beginning of the novel we can observe her character that she is very caring and kind hearted housewife and mother but when we see Mrs Ramsay with the perspective of Lily Brisco we can say that her good behaviour is not natural. She has considered as an ideal woman because she fits in frame of patriarchal mindset. In the painting of Lily we can see that Mrs Ramsay is at the centre of the painting and summer house but she is knitting (ideal housewife) and guiding her child (ideal mother), Mrs Ramsay's character goes downward from controlling position to a mere housewife.

Yes we can read Mrs. R in context of the idea of Ideal Indian Woman as she follows all the rules of wife which has designed by patriarchy.

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 )

#The Lighthouse goes with Mrs. Caroline Ramsay or Lily and her stoicism, is a confusion. The same way Narrator goes with whom is also confusion. Lighthouse is something that stands alone in between the sea and who guides others also same way Mrs. Ramsay is also remains strong. Same way water represents the emotions, on the opposite side Lighthouse stands for spiritual and emotional strength. Similarly Mrs. Ramsay was also like a bridge and stands strong among all characters. Similarly Lily also proves herself to the patriarchal structure by painting, she also stand strong like a light house. So we can say that both Mrs. Ramsay and the Narrator remain strong as a Light house and they are not disappearing from the novel.

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. . . )

#There were two myths Oedipus myth and Pagan myth. As window works as bring new air in our house. We can interpret it as window brings freshness in our mind. Lighthouse shows the way to the people and it helps to take the right decision. So as compare to society it stands positive thing. 'To The Lighthouse' is based on Greek myth. In this novel  Virginia Woolf use various myth. Joseph blotner has also use the famous myth like the pagan myth or Oedipus myth. The myth of kronos and Rhea is relation between father and mother. Kronos has eating children. But they are so innocent. Here, Rhea is represented as a mother.  The myth of Homeric Hymns it is the praise of divinity or God. In this reference we find that how metaphor became reality. Use in the Homeric Hymns metaphor is  more important, literature is full of metaphor.

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

#“To the Lighthouse’ is many ways a ‘Kunstlerroman’ novel.  It means which describes development or a struggle of an artist (as in ‘To the Lighthouse’ Lily’s character and the novel, itself is a struggle of an artist!). It also deals with ‘arrogant rejection of the commonplace life’, in this novel the character of Lily makes it ‘Kunstlerroman’ novel.

6 ) Lily' Dilemma in the novel  " To the Lighthouse ."

 #   As we all knows that Lily's character represents the biographical image. She always talk about the independent life. According to her there is no need of man.  In short Lily's thoughts remains totally vice versa from the thoughts of  Mrs. Ramsay. But at the end she constantly thinks about Mrs. Ramsay. In a way she also wants to be like her. Because she realizes that Mrs. Ramsay remains in everyone's heart even after her death.

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,  there are a few difference between the novel and a movie. In the movie most of the scene runs faster compared to the novel. The another different is comes in the end. In the novel Lily just puts her brush. While in a movie she goes upstairs and start talking with herself. In a movie it becomes little bit difficult to understand. Whereas the technique, parentheses of the novel helps reader in the understanding

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".) 

#The last lines " It was done; it was finished.Yes, she thought, laying down her brush in extreme fatigue, I have had my vision." It interprets with two aspects with two aspects. first one as literal meaning of the words now painting is completed and finished means work is done by her successfully. And metaphorically, it suggests that  she completed the painting of Mrs.Ramsay who is alive in her painting for womanhood and her qualities. After getting the success against the patriarchal society, prove herself she can't come out from her inner struggle or from her own turmoil. She thinks again that the there is the only way of living life which is suggested by Mrs.Ramsay. Being free , being independent , there is something which she feels lack of  in herself and there for after completing painting in film she speaks that "Closed doors, open windows" "Dearest Briscoe, you are a fool". Means at the end of the novel she may want to accept the way of living life of Mrs.Ramsay

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

#Army and Navy’ and Refrigerator are connected with preserve or shaper of culture. The catalogue I n To the Lighthouse does not have a date, but it does have a name. War and consumption are linked in the same object. Why Virginia Woolf put here reference of refrigerator and why James cut only refrigerator?  So here Mrs.Ramsay is training and shaping her children’s mind. Here instrument of science and occupied of same sphere as technology and war in linked that science and tech. has this war effect of novel. And War and consumptions are linked in the same object. So we see that war and refrigerator has symbols and Refrigerate is Mrs.Ramsay. War images id bold, death and fight but may be in this novel. At that time both are symbol and refer in this novel each and every of scene of novel.

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?

#Here we can interpret that writer wants to do satire through the tale of the  "Fisherman's Wife." In the tale female character is represented more dull. But here it is compared with the characters of Mr. Ramsay and Mrs. Ramsay. And also in the characters of Lily and Transley. 

Over depending nature always leads towards the failure. So we find that after the death of Mrs. Ramsay, for Mr. Ramsay it becomes so much difficult to handle everything. And Charles Transley also wants to complete his work quickly whereas Lily works slowly but with full of passions.