"Nothing stayed the same for two seconds together."
(Woolf, pg 1225, from ...Looking Glass...)
This sentence seems to be a summary of Virginia Woolf's personality. I did like this story, but I couldn't help finding it crazy while brilliant. She is a very clever writer and uses exceptional language, imagery, style, and tone; however, the further I read into this piece, the more I found it to be delusional. The line above reminds me of a mind racing from one thought to the next with little clarity. As she watches Isabella in the mirror, I think she sees her as another part of herself. I don't mean literally a reflection, but more like a vision. She sees strength. This character is independent, wealthy, and confident. At first I wondered if she was representative of who Woolf wanted to be, but she is also alone. The narrator part of Woolf definitely doesn't like to be alone. When the room comes to life through personification, metaphor and simile, I sense some extremely erratic thoughts. It is how I imagine it would feel to be in the mind of a crazy person.
"The room that afternoon was full of such shy creatures, lights and shadows, curtains blowing, petals falling--things that never happen, so it seems, if someone is looking."
(pg 1225)
I continually get the sense that the narrator is trapped. The mirror is the only contact for the narrator. This creates an extreme case of paranoia. When the postman comes, there is a strong sense of fear.
"Suddenly these reflections were ended violently and yet without a sound. A large black form loomed into the looking-glass; blotted out everything"
(pg 1226)
I thought some scary character was entering the story, but it turned out to be just paranoia. That paranoia is not only present in the sense of fear, but it continues as the narrator feels separated or cut-off. The letters are thought to hold some secret meaning and will probably be hidden. Here I found connection to the real world of Woolf as she probably struggled with emotions and writing. She seems to have been very paranoid on many levels.
"The thought served as a challenge. Isabella did not wish to be known--but she should no longer escape."
(pg 1226)
The fact that the story ends rationally does not make me feel any more confident that any sanity exists here. Very interesting writing, but very different thought process. I like this story and the others by Woolf, but I did not enjoy trying to think like her. I am surprised that she wrote as clearly as she did in the midst of all that strangeness that she displayed in the narrator. I guess that clarity through eccentricity is what made me prefer the first story to A Room of One's Own.
About Me
- Valerie
- I am from Tampa, FL where I spent my first 17 years, but I have lived all over. I served in the Army and both parents served in the Air Force. I spent a year in S. Korea, 3 years in Cali, summers in NC and I have lived in Georgia several times. I just moved to Perry to go to Mercer in January.
4 comments:
I did get that comment. was he joking? i mean...can an officer say that? i am working on my theory but i think it is beginnig to take shape. the female leaders i know are simply brilliant and try to remember that it has not been too long ago that they were voiceful mutes! now, look at your incredibly visible impact!hip...hip...horray! it was always there, but now the world has to acknowledge your equality. indomitable spirits!
Valerie,
Congratulations on having completed your 20th post!
Good exploration of Woolf's odd story (or essay--it isn't really clear what genre it is). Interesting insights on the quotations you include and examine, too.
I have very much enjoyed reading your blog this summer!
Valerie, I liked the way you evaluated Woolf’s work from a language perspective. I also liked the way you sensed the story to be talking about a crazy person. I agree that Woolf had issues but I do not think she was crazy. I don’t feel that the story was about Woolf but I do feel that maybe it was an experience that she went through. It could have even been an experience that a friend went through. You may ask, how I can gather that she went through these experiences. Well in “A Room of One’s Own” she mentions that a writer should write from personal experiences, so that is why I am speaking about experiences.
I feel that the mirror was a goal for the narrator. I feel that the closer she got to the mirror the more reality set in. I did not gather the narrator as being strange, but this may be because I really enjoyed Woolf. I am actually writing my paper on Woolf!
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