Example research essay topic: Virginia Woolf Part Iii - 1,568 words

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Time in To the Lighthouse To the Lighthouse, published in 1927 is one of Virginia Woolf's most successful novels written in a stream of consciousness style. The novel is divided into three parts, which revolve around the members of the Ramsey family and their guests during visits to their summer vacationing residence on the Isle of Skye. The central preoccupation within the novel however is not to be found within the lives of the characters, instead they are seen as being secondary to the overall grounding of the novel in the house itself. Woolf examines the actions of the characters and the passing of time from the perspective of the central symbol of the actual physical domestic space of the house.

The characterization of Mrs. Ramsey, who is identified as being the guardian, or the angel of the house, cannot be separated from the actual physical space itself. Just as the walls and doors of the house serve to keep out and protect the inhabitants from the outside world, Mrs. Ramsey works to create a domestic space where she can shield the people from the effects of modern life and offer a retreat into a more natural landscape. This natural landscape however can be seen as a threat, the pounding of the waves on the surf turns from a soothing tattoo to her thoughts to the ghostly roll of drums remorselessly beat (ing) the measure of life, and terrified the sound makes her think of the destruction of the island and its engulfment in the sea (23 - 24). The simple fact that sound of the pounding waves comes to her suddenly, whereas before it had been concealed by the sounds of conversations being held outside, points to the hollowness of the house.

Mrs. Ramsey works to maintain the house as being a protective barrier, which can be seen through her obsession with wanting to keep all the doors closed, effectively trying to bar the outside world from entering: At a certain moment, she supposed, the house would become so shabby that something must be done. If they could be taught to wipe their feet and not bring in the beach with them that would be something And the result of it was that things got shabbier and got shabbier summer after summer. The mat was fading; the wallpaper was flapping Still, if every door in a house is left perpetually open things must spirit was the doors that annoyed her (38 - 39). Mrs.

Ramsey does not wish to be removed from the natural landscape, but prefers and feels safer to observe it at a distance through the frame of the windows, or even from behind the casing of the hedges. Mrs. Ramsey's strife to create harmony and build up the house as a sanctuary of life is constantly thwarted by the awesomeness of the nature which surrounds the house. The beach is not the only physical thing that is being pounded by the effects of the sea. The house is beginning to slowly decay and fall apart. The effects of time have slowly begun to their damage, the greenhouse roof is falling down, and even the idea of discussing this destruction, is too much for Mrs.

Ramsey. That would mean admitting to the fragility of the protective barrier of the house which she clings to. She may try to hide behind keeping up the appearance of the house by flinging a green shawl over the edge of a picture frame, but the futility of this action hits her when she realizes that in two weeks it would be the color of pea soup, nothing is being protected in this house, not even colors of a shawl (39). This is further compounded in the Time Passes section of the novel, Woolf gives the reader a glimpse of what would happen to this sanctuary if the inhabitants were to desert it for a period of years.

The house is slowly overcome and reclaimed by nature; it cannot on its own hold back the effect of time. The domestic space that Mrs. Ramsey wishes to maintain is finally seen to emanate from the individuals themselves and not from the physical space of the house. It is Mrs. Ramsey who creates a stability of place within herself; it is to her that people come to be reaffirmed and to stabilize their own identity. Th mood of To th Lighthouse is on of nostalgia.

Th bulk of th not (section I) taks plac book World War I, book th date of Mrs. Ramsy, and book th nd of childhood of th Ramsy children. Th rst of th not looks back on thos month of wholeness, innocent, and did. Th not is having overlaid with a sns of more and time. ach of th vivid month of th first section has th fling of more in th sns that thy sm to hav acquired symbolic significant ovr th yar's so that thy hav for vivid month dining liv's and relationships. Lilly Brisco, th print who state with th family at th summer hom, is a character that focuss large on hr more of th summer hous and Mrs.

Ramsy, specially when sh rturn's yar's last to finish hr painting. Lilly Brisco illustrates th power of more and symbolism in proving some who has pass away. Th not is written in thr sction's and ach srv's as a function of more and time. Th first part is whr th memories ar for, th noting of more. In th second part a considerable amount of tim pass and th memories ar put away. Th third part is th crucial stag of more rival, when th memories ar brought up in th minds of th popl who return to th summer hom.

Part III, "Th Lighthouse, " rss th story of th Ramsy's, now without Mrs. Ramsy. In th first part of th not, Jams Ramsy had and to go to th lighthouse. His mother had said h could and his father had said h could not because th with would b too rough to allow th boat to land.

Th not nds with Jams achieving his did and, along with his site Cam, reconciling with his father. Part III is also a completion of th narration of Lily Brisco painting a portrait of Mrs. Ramsy. In th abc of Mrs. Ramsy, sh complete this portrait but tn yar's ago. For all who return to th summer hom th lighthouse is view as a symbol of Mrs.

Ramsy. Mrs. Ramsy vn compare half to th lighthouse when sh was all, computing that sh thought sh was lik th third flash of light, th long, star on that popl county on. It was a guiding light for th sailors as it watch ovr thm, as Mrs. Ramsy was th guid that watch ovr thos around hr.

Th trip to th lighthouse and th finishing of th painting ar both symbolic of finding close with Mrs. Ramsy's passing and at th sam tim showing how sh liv's on through the memories and through th lighthouse. Lily struggle to paint hr portrait of Mrs. Ramsy.

Sh runs through hr memories of Mrs. Ramsy as sh paints. Sh rumors Mrs. Ramsy's did that popl gt married. Lily fls vindicated in hr choice not to marry.

Lily also rumors th words of Charls Tansly who told hr women cannot paint or writ. Lily struggle with hr ida of Mrs. Ramsy and finally coms to a recognition of hr as a powerful and also a flash human bing. Lily and Mrs. Ramsy ar two mrs different typ's of woman.

Mrs. Ramsy is th classic matriarchal figure, taking car of thos around hr, will Lily is a more woman, intrusted in hr own accomplishment and not concerns with serotype of what a woman nds to b or do. At th last most, Lily mak's a stock of th brush, which complete hr painting. This last stock rally shows how Lily rumors Mrs. Ramsy and xact how more srv's hr. Th single lin that Lily adds to th painting is place btwn th figure of Mrs.

Ramsy and th tr, which reprint natur. Th lin is rprsntativ of th lighthouse and acts as a bring btwn Mrs. Ramsy and th tr. Natur dos not hav to dal with mortality lik popl do, but with a symbol of th person who has pass carrying the more on, it is as if th person has said th grasp of mortality. Mrs.

Ramsy has did, but sh is mrs much all symbolically through th lighthouse. Lily's painting shows how through th memories of th family Mrs. Ramsy liv's on. Virginia Woolf infuses this book with th concepts of tim passing and its toll on th world around it.

Bids th popl lost within th family, thr is th war taking th liv's of many. Through th ys of th popl around Mrs. Ramsy w gt to s how more can battle th facts of tim and prev some in our harts and minds despite th yar's going by. Time and memory play an important role within the conceptual framework of the work, and Virginia has created a masterpiece that would be fascinating people of various ages for many more years. Words Count: 1, 536. Bibliography: 1.

Woolf, V. To the Lighthouse. New York: Harper Collins, 1997.

Research essay sample on Virginia Woolf Part Iii