Author used the “stream-of-consciousness” method to tell the story “Mrs. Dalloway”. In this way, Mrs. Dalloway’s story can be easier to connect to the story of Septimus Warren Smith. Both Clarissa and Septimus have similar situation that had the psychic trauma. Clarissa had the difficulty of finding “herself”, and Septimus had difficulty to release himself from the war. They both married with someone they didn’t really love but who can gave them “safe”. At the end of the story, Septimus chose to end his life; Clarissa thought this is Septimus way to keep “himself”. As the reverse, Clarissa didn’t do this way even though she wanted to find herself too. Even though she wanted to take off the “cotton wool” as Septimus, she was not as “brave” as Septimus.

When Peter Walsh, who was Clarissa’s ex-boyfriend, came back, Clarissa thought that she still loved him. She wanted the life when she was engaging with Peter, because she thought it was fall of freedom. She was trying to take off the “cotton wool”, but she cannot, Peter was not same as the past.

Then she started to think about Sally Seton, an intimate friend. When Sally was young, she was herself. No cotton wool, no anything. Sally did everything as she wanted to. Clarissa loved those feeling, but Sally was gone. Sally became a traditional woman who married and took care of her family. Sally was “behind the cotton wool” too.

Clarissa wanted to take off the “cotton wool”, but the world hold her behind it. And also everyone else in the world, including the people in the party.