The Meaning Of Life In Virginia Woolf's To The Lighthouse
The Meaning of Life
To the Lighthouse; a novel by Virginia Woolf
The Woolf’s modernist novel To the Lighthouse was first published in 1927. It was a “critical success and considered revolutionary for its stream of consciousness storytelling.” Most of the novel is written as thoughts or observations with little dialogue and almost no action. Much of the book is autobiographical. The main characters are based on Woolf’s parents.
The book is divided into three sections. The first one describes one day during the Ramsays’ family holiday. The youngest son James wants to sail to the lighthouse, but his father tells him they cannot go there because of the bad weather. The second section takes place in ten years. Three members of the Ramsays’ family die
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According to Mrs. Ramsay a way “to the town” can be “the great expedition”. It is possible to enjoy even such a usual event. Everyday and sometimes boring things we can take pleasure in as something new.
People often do not see the beauty of nature. Firstly, we do not see much of it in towns; secondly, we are too busy to see it. We should perceive the ‘magic’ when we have the opportunity to be in direct contact with nature. “They came out on the quay, and the whole bay spread before them and Mrs. Ramsay could not help exclaiming, ‘Oh, how beautiful!’ For the great plateful of blue water was before her; the hoary Lighthouse; … the green sand dunes with the wild flowing grasses on them.” Everyone can experience the uniqueness of the moment in nature that is captivating and amazing differently every time.
We can also feel the power of a moment when we are in the presence of someone we love, appreciate or admire. “For the first time in his life Charles Tansley felt an extraordinary pride; felt the wind and the cyclamen and the violets for he was walking with a beautiful woman. He had hold of her bag.” Thanks to other people’s
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