To the Lighthouse
REALITIES OF LIFE
Men and women’s ways of thinking, behaving
In Virginia Wolf’s To the Lighthouse, the reality of differences and inequities among the sexes is manifest throughout the book. Mrs. Ramsay’s thoughts about men and their status in society, shows the culture of society during that period of time. She is a compassionate woman and has an especially soft spot for young men. “She had the whole of the other sex under her protection…for their chivalry and valor…they negotiate treaties, ruled India, control finance…she might have managed things better…her husband’s money.” (6) This is a pivotal moment in time because her children do not seem to think the same about the role of the sexes as do Mrs. Ramsay. “…her daughters could sport with infidel ideas of a life different from hers; a wilder life; not always taking care of some man or other. They questioned the role of the sexes which “called out the manliness in their girlish hearts.” (7). The author shows men as the leaders in society but weak in character because, even though Mrs. Ramsay was submissive to the norms, she sees young men as “poor church mice” (6)…she makes gifts of old magazines and tobacco to be given to the “poor fellows” in charge of the lighthouse…and even though she sees Charles Tansley overly disappointing James, she pitied him and chastised her children for mocking him (5). But Mrs. Ramsay also has her flaws. “For her own self-satisfaction was it that she wished so instinctively to help, to give, that people might say of her, “O Mrs. Ramsay! dear Mrs. Ramsay . . . Mrs. Ramsay, of course!” and need her and send for her and admire her? Was it not secretly this that she wanted, and therefore when Mr. Carmichael shrank away from her she did not feel merely snubbed back in her instinct, but made aware of the pettiness of some part of her, and of human relations, how flawed they are, how despicable, how self-seeking, at their best. At times the author Virginia Woolfe, seems to suggest a
Men and women’s ways of thinking, behaving
In Virginia Wolf’s To the Lighthouse, the reality of differences and inequities among the sexes is manifest throughout the book. Mrs. Ramsay’s thoughts about men and their status in society, shows the culture of society during that period of time. She is a compassionate woman and has an especially soft spot for young men. “She had the whole of the other sex under her protection…for their chivalry and valor…they negotiate treaties, ruled India, control finance…she might have managed things better…her husband’s money.” (6) This is a pivotal moment in time because her children do not seem to think the same about the role of the sexes as do Mrs. Ramsay. “…her daughters could sport with infidel ideas of a life different from hers; a wilder life; not always taking care of some man or other. They questioned the role of the sexes which “called out the manliness in their girlish hearts.” (7). The author shows men as the leaders in society but weak in character because, even though Mrs. Ramsay was submissive to the norms, she sees young men as “poor church mice” (6)…she makes gifts of old magazines and tobacco to be given to the “poor fellows” in charge of the lighthouse…and even though she sees Charles Tansley overly disappointing James, she pitied him and chastised her children for mocking him (5). But Mrs. Ramsay also has her flaws. “For her own self-satisfaction was it that she wished so instinctively to help, to give, that people might say of her, “O Mrs. Ramsay! dear Mrs. Ramsay . . . Mrs. Ramsay, of course!” and need her and send for her and admire her? Was it not secretly this that she wanted, and therefore when Mr. Carmichael shrank away from her she did not feel merely snubbed back in her instinct, but made aware of the pettiness of some part of her, and of human relations, how flawed they are, how despicable, how self-seeking, at their best. At times the author Virginia Woolfe, seems to suggest a