To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

[Paulclem]

It was the first novel I read that successfully mimicked the interior narrative through the stream of consciousness technique. I studied it in 6th form, and I think it needed to be studied for me to get as much as I did from it, as Curlz has already said. Given the keys to the book, I thought it was really good.

[Red-Headed]

Woolf can often sensitively structurally emblematise forms of the inner consciousness, & you have to admire that, but I sometimes find her hard to get into to use a popular phrasal verb. Maybe I should re-read her!

[Dark Lady]

I'm just reading To the Lighthouse.

Woolf's a weird one for me because my reason for loving her books is not the same as my usual reasons. I really love her writing style and think her lyricism is amazing, which is so different from just identifying with a character or getting hooked by the plot. It took me a while to admit that I liked her because when I read Mrs Dalloway at uni everyone went on about how awful it was. I almost agreed with them and then realised I was enjoying it!

[Janine]

We discussed this book in depth awhile back - maybe 2 or 3 yrs ago. You might be able to locate the discussion thread in the old listings. I liked the book very much; was quite interesting when we discussed it in a group.

[dfloyd]

this is mine.

[janesmith]

I've read it a few years ago and quite enjoyed it. I do prefer "Mrs Dalloway" though because it seems to make the stream of consciousness technique more bearable and I'm particularly interested in the subject of shell-shock neurosis.

[neilgee]

I have to agree with Sir Bart's positive review, although it took me two attempts to read it once I got the feel of Woolf's highly individual style I was hooked and I've read almost all of her novel's since then but Lighthouse remains one of my favourites, [nevertheless this review gave me some new ways of seeing the novel so thanx for posting this], the only one I really couldn't penetrate was The Waves. I'll have to try that one again one day.

[Gladys]

Basically a novel about the pains and struggle of an English family before, during and after the First World War. To the Lighthouse is part reminiscence and the attempt to put into words the real "vision" and how this particular instance strikes our consciousness.

Isn't Woolf's novel equally about the moment-to-moment anxiety of all human beings: where have we come from, where are we going, why are we here? For all her characters life was, is and will be less than satisfactory, less than coherent. Yet all put on a brave face, most of the time.

And once in a while, each approaches a lighthouse of clarity and revelation: approaches, not reaches.

[sheissoheavy]

Well basically what I like about this novel is the style, like any other Woolf novel. I love her use of the stream of consciousness, not as much as I love Joyce for example but still.

What bothers me is the point she is trying to make, I mean the whole idea of the novel. I disagree with the critics and all A LOT. It is like, you know, it is complicated isn't it. This novel gets me thinking: no wonder she committed suicide. You cannot live with expecting that much from life. She is an extremist and it scares me because if I went on her line I know I will eat myself to death. I know she made the book so "black and white" so it would be easier for the reader to compare but still.

I would never want to be like Lily Briscoe. I would probably prefer to be a Mrs. Ramsey. Yet I think that there is something between those two extremes as well. I don't think Lily had to sacrifice her love life to paint no. I also do not like the whole thing that William Bankes and Mr. Ramsey could not be friends because he married and he didn't. That is not true, it is not like one was breastfeeding his kids while the other was partying in Vegas. You can be friends with people who differ from you. Also I do not think that Mr. Ramsey is socially awkward.

I also think that Lily is a lesbian and I believe her attitude towards Mrs.Ramsey has little nuances that prove this. I think this makes it clearer for me to understand her yet for obvious reasons Woolf did not expose the idea as much. If she did it would be impossible to compare her to Mrs. Ramsey because her reason for not marrying would be more logical. Yet the fact that Woolf shows creativity as an option to a family is uncomfortable. Also I do not think Mrs. Ramsey failed in what she was attempting to freeze time and find the meaning of life. She has 8 children she will live forever while Lily probably will not since she will never share her art. I read that some people also find her victorious because she did not die in the novel. Death is not losing Virginia, all of us will die and hypothetically speaking so will Lily. Yet if we look carefully we can see how Cam is imitating her mother in "The Lighthouse". She lives on.

Also just because the marriage Mrs. Ramsey arranged did not work out does not mean marriage is bad or that Lily made the right choice. One marriage failing does not mean anything. If that is your outlook on life you can never really live. Nothing is perfect. Some things work out others don't.

I don't know, in a way I love this novel yet on the other hand, it creeps me out.

I prefer Orlando though.

[Buh4Bee]

This was a great review and now I am interested in reading it.

[alexandraG]

What do you guys say about Mrs. Ramsay? Isn't she too overprotective? I think her husband is misunderstood.

[Buh4Bee]

Ha! Funny to see what one wrote 2 years ago. I did pick it up and put it back down. I picked up The Idiot instead. Maybe I'll give it another go, but my impression was that it is very dense and needs to be "studied" more than read.

[prendrelemick]

I am now a "Fan" after not reading To The Lighthouse. I've been perusing her essays and articles after reading Orlando (thanks to kindle complete works). It's her humour that has most suprised me, she is sophisticated and wicked.