Discussion Question 1 **SPOILERS**

1. In Mrs. Dalloway Virginia Woolf combines interior with omni-scient descriptions of character and scene. How does the author handle the transition between the interior and the exterior? Which characters' points of view are primary to the novel; which minor characters are given their own points of view? Why, and how does Woolf handle the transitions from one point of view to another? How do the shifting points of view, together with that of the author, combine to create a portrait of Clarissa and her milieu? Does this kind of novelistic portraiture resonate with other artistic movement”s of Woolf s time?

As a newbie to Woolf, I was hesitant at first to pick up this book once I learned it was written as a 'stream of consciousness'. After finishing the book I have to say that I loved how Woolf flowed the POV in a logical and seamless manner. I had the impression I was observing the book and its various characters as an ariel projection... the innocent and interested observer from on high, that had the added ability of reading people's minds. That is my take on it and I think it works nicely for this story.

I lack the reading background to chime in regarding the last question (does this resonate with other artistic movement's of Woolf's time) but thought I would quickly chime in with some thoughts of my own for the other questions posted in this thread:

Primary POV's: Clarissa and Peter
I found the POV of the Warren Smith's, both Lucrezia and Septimus's, an interesting parallel story that merely touches the primary POV's at the end.

I think that the portrait Woolf paints here really goes beyond Clarissa and her milieu - sociologically it is a fascinating snapshot of society and how we all touch, however briefly, the lives of the people around us.

I like the image of an aerial view! It seems to make everything in the novel so much more coherent. I envision a helicopter silently following the actors as they move through central London. It explains how the author could have viewed the action, though I don't think such a thing would have occurred to her...flight being a new thing and all...but it could have.

To give an example of a parallel artistic movement of Woolf's time, the time had just brought to prominence Picasso and his Cubism. It's the same sort of fragmentation of the whole becoming greater than the sum of its parts as stream of consciousess is.

I think it's interesting that the secondary characters whose PoVs we see some of the action from are not uniform, that is they're not all like or unlike Clarissa. Dr Bradshaw, for example, is someone Clarissa and Richard Dalloway could know and love, while Miss Kilma is the anti-Clarissa, her deadliest enemy for the love of Elizabeth Dalloway.

Woolf handles the changes of PoV by time and coincidence...her characters are always in earshot of Big Ben, whose hours and half-hours form the superstructure of the book. When a character happens to pass another on the street, or to walk by a window as another character looks out it, the PoV changes. I've heard this criticized as lame and lazy, but I disagree wholly with that. It seems to me Woolf is using the principle of synchronicity, and gracefully at that!

I really loved how the POV would change, similar to a touch point - once the connection has been made, the two parties disconnect, each going their own way, and the author chooses which party to follow. Quite fun really!

I just finished watching the movie adaptation, circa 1997, starring Vanessa Redgrave as Clarissa. Loved Vanassa's portrayal of Clarissa, was a little surprised at how 'clean' London was portrayed as being in the movie, and found the artistic licenses taken not overly annoying - although it is hard to watch a movie based on a book you have just read without going, 'but why did they change that???? there was nothing wrong with that!!!" *sighs* Other than those minor outbursts from the peanut gallery overall, the movie was rather good.

I'm less kindly inclined toward the movie than you are. I liked Redgrave as Clarissa very much, and in fact still picture her as the face of Mrs Dalloway...but the, the *sanitization* of the book in filmed form...! It just lacked the oomph of the novel for me, and for the man of the hour I went to see it with. (Can't for the life of me remember his name...big blond dude, very pale, bright blue eyes....)

Ha ha ha..... fair enough. Yes the movie did lack some of the visuals that Woolf's skill in writing would portray for the reader. And sorry to hear that movie companion X is only partially remembered. A least you remembered him, even if it was only the physical attributes.

Switching between interior and exterior and the change of perspective are done smoothly. People looking at each other can change the perspecitve. People thinking deeplyr, outside on a bench, can be easily described from outside, followed by their thoughts. Without disturbing the story.

The switching between exterior and interior gives a nice view into the difference between what the characters think and do. Clarissa doesn't realy like the party, but acts as if it's great. Peter Walsh and Sally see nothing in the life of Clarissa, but seem to visit and adore her.

I don't know if James Joyce is a contempary of Virginia Woolf and I never read something by him, but the way of perspective is the way I expect(ed) for Joyce (btw, Dubliners is about to be read).

>7 boekenwijs: boekenwijs, Dubliners is a decent book, but I'd suggest, if it's available to you, starting with Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. It's a sparkling, delightful book!

Boekenwijs, I had the same feeling as I was reading Mrs. Dalloway! It was like reading Ulysses, with the same stream-of-consciousness writing.

I need to read Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. It's been on my shelf for ages. I'm just overwhelmed with must-reads lately!

Unfortunately I don't have Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, only Dubliners and Ulysses can be found on my shelves.

I only just now finished the book. I also like the aerial description, maybe a bird or even a butterfly fluttering from person to person. I was really surprised that the whole book was not from Clarissa's point of view, which was what I had been expecting.
--BJ

>11 billiejean: I like the butterfly image! But then I'm a butterfly nut.