Look over the Essay #1 Prompts. Consider which question you would like to answer. Once you’ve tentatively decided on a question, write down some initial thoughts in response to the answer. Consider which scenes from the text might prove most relevant and identity them in your notes. You should try to identify roughly 2-3 scenes or passages. When you have finished, share your notes (or the part of your notes that you think is most representative of what you will be arguing) in the comment section under this post.
If you can’t find a question that you would like to answer, then you may devise your own question. It should be focused on either A Room with a View or Mrs. Dalloway. If you choose this option, please submit a draft of your question in the comment section.
(2nd Prompt) A Room with a View does offer a possible vision to replace the world that it rejects. The politics of this book revolve around a society that appears to be conservative towards women, but it also follows the main character, Lucy, who is in constant search of individualism. Forster suggests that we should treat each other accordingly – in regard to behavior, they must behave as they wish. We should decide to live accordingly to how we want rather than abiding to what society or others tell you what to do. It’s wrong for society to dictate who you are supposed to love, behave, say, or think. Everyone would be the same and no one would be able to think for themselves.
1. ““I want more independence,” said Lucy lamely, she knew that she wanted something… but independence was certainly her cue.” (Forster 207)
2. “…I have never known you till this evening. I have just used you as a peg for my silly notions of what a woman should be. But this evening you are a different person: new thoughts—even a new voice…” (Forster 184)
This is a great start. I think you’re right that Forster is advocating a society in which people can follow their desires and not just do what they think they are supposed to. But how can we make that happen? Ironically, in the two quotations you offer, Lucy is still parroting the views of others, even when she is claiming a desire for independence. What, in Foster’s view, can make true independence possible? And does he think it’s possible to have both independence and love?
(Prompt #5) Mrs. Dalloway is a feminist text because of its character Clarissa Dalloway herself. This book illustrates the independence and empowerment for women because of the daily actions of Clarissa Dalloway. Chiefly, through her decisions to marry Richard instead of Peter Wlsh, who she clearly had a lot more passion for. But with this option to marry Richard, this provides her with the path to assert her independence. With Richard, Clarissa is able to be fulfilled without the assistance of Richard. Their marriage provides them with stability because neither of them are really invasive and dominant forces in the other’s life, this marriage is done with mutual respect.
“Much rather would she have been those of those people like Richard who did things for themselves; but to make people think this or that; perfect idiocy she knew (and now the policeman held up his hand) for no one was ever for a second taken in. Oh if she could have had her life over again!” (Woolf 10)
“This being Mrs. Dalloway; not even Clarissa any more; this being Richard Dalloway” (Woolf 11)
You have some great ideas here, and I think you’re right that choosing Richard over Peter allows Clarissa to achieve a certain kind of independence. But she is still financially dependent on Richard, no? And she comes from the upper class, which makes it easier for her to have the kind of life that she wants. Does Woolf offer any model of independence for women that is applicable to people from other classes? Does she recognize that Clarissa’s power derives in part from her class?
Forster grounds his feminist stance in A Room with a View by illustrating the complexities that come with a society adhering to social norms of sexism and gender roles for an extended period of time. Even if women are repressed under the current social climate, they are also conditioned to perpetuate harmful stereotypes that hinder their contributions to society as women. Men are not the only ones perpetuating harmful ideologies, just as women are not the only ones who are capable of being allies go other women. Men can also support women, and it is not until we accept the good and bad behavior on both ends, instead of attributing good to women and bad to men, that there may actually be a sense of female liberation.
As Lucy moves through her own love story, one that leads her to places like Florence, Rome, and England, the latter her hometown, she interacts with several characters that defy her expectations, such as Mr. Emerson, Mr. Beebe, Charlotte Bartlett, and the Miss Alans, of what constitutes a good character in men and women, all of them simultaneously contributing to and dismantling gender norms.
Scenes:
1. “Oh, I thought they had been libeling me to you. But I suppose it is only their personal charms that makes you defend them.”
“I’m not defending them,” Lucy said, losing her courage, and relapsing into the old chaotic methods. “They’re nothing to me” (p. 63)
—Lucy feels cornered, and possibly attacked, by Charlotte’s words, and feels the need to defend herself and return to her “old chaotic methods” of perpetuating harmful stereotypes in regards to not just gender but class as well.
2. “He longed to hint to her that not here lay her vocation; that a woman’s power and charm reside in mystery not in muscular rant. But possibly rant is a sign she is alive. After a moment, he contemplated her flushed face and excited gestures with a certain approval. He forbore to repress the sources of youth.” (p. 115)
— Cecil proves men are capable of moving past their outdated views on women’s behavior as he assesses his own internal dialogue about Lucy,
Really good start. You have some very provocative insights here. A couple questions: you articulate the kind of nuanced position you think is necessary for feminism to be successful. Are you attributing this view to Forster or offering your own? Does he suggest that women can perpetuate gender stereotypes and that men can be effective allies? I think demonstrating this will make for a very powerful and interesting paper. One other thought: the scene you bring up with Cecil does show him deciding not to try to silence Lucy. But his assumption is still that it is up to him whether or not to repress her and that his job is to help shape her identity. I wonder, in other words, whether he is truly a good ally. He might be more of a mixed bag–which could also help prove your central thesis.
Prompt 3.
– Big Ben Clock (tradition?)
– The timeline of the whole book ( start in the morning end evening).The timeline seems intentional .
– Woolf wants to point out how much time is a terrible thing, how limited it is, Clarrisa’s fear of death is also linked to time.
– I also want to talk about the setting (pre war)
–
Some great initial thoughts. One question: is time all bad for Woolf? Is there pleasure to be drawn from the passage of time? Does she in any way suggest that our experience of time can be poetic and beautiful as well as tragic?
1st Prompt
I enjoy digging into the views of Lionel Trilling as he discusses Forster. The idea of opposed forces is shown in a few areas.
– Opposing Mannerisms
– Opposing Lifestyles
– Opposing Societal Norms
The changes in character development are also noteworthy.
This is a good start, but you could be more specific. Whose mannerisms are opposed. Which lifestyles are being compared to each other? What societal norms are being opposed? What exactly do you think Forster is saying about societal norms? Is he challenging them? Why?
Prompt 5
Mrs. Dalloway
Virginia Wolff vauled people doing what they want regardless of gender. She demonstrates the experiences between women and men.
– Feminist stance
– Society and class
– Acceptance
– Virtue of women
– Clarissa (When she buys flowers for herself )
Flowers can be seen as something else not just love but as joy or beauty that is everywhere
Some great initial thoughts here. But the topics you’ve identified seem a bit vague to me. What do you mean by “acceptance? or “virtue of women?” What kind of changes for women is Woolf advocating? What’s wrong with the state of society and the expectations that are imposed on women? How does she make this clear?
Prompt#5
But you do, “he went on, not waiting for contradiction. “you love the boy body and soul, plainly, directly, as he loves you, and no other word express it. You won’t marry the other man for his sake.” “How dare you!” gasped lucy, with the roaring of waters in her ears. Oh, how like a man! – I mean, to suppose that a woman is always thinking about a man.” “But you are.” She summoned physical disgust. (173)
She wanted something big, and she believed that it would have come to her on the wind-swept platform of an electric tram. This she might not attempt. It was unladylike. Why? Why were most big things unladylike? Charlotte had one explained to her why. (33)
Forster in my view does not espouses for feminism. I chose two scenes where is evidence that Forster channels antifeminism. There can be an argument that when Forster wrote A Room with A View he was conforming the story to social norm that were expected during the early 20th century. However, if he wanted to empower feminism he could have gone against those social norms, and he should have written feminism story. He had the opportunity to break social barriers.
This is a great start. I think you can definitely argue Forster is calling feminism into question .You’re right that in the first scene you mention, Lucy is thinking about a man, though she claims not to be. Thus this does seem to imply that she is dependent for her happiness on having a man in her life. But in the second scene you bring up, I’d urge to to consider the possibility that Forster is being ironic. He’s mocking those who subscribe to the idea that women need to be ladylike. This doesn’t mean that he’s fully a feminist. But you might need to find other parts of the novel to support your claim.
Prompt#5
A Room with a view
EM Foster advocates feminism and encourages female consciousness, especially the irony of Charlotte, and it is more obvious to explain this point of view
For Italy was offering her the most priceless of all possession -her own soul.” (Foster, 120)
“courage-courage and faith.” (Foster, 82)
“Miss Bartlett, she had worked like a great artist…the complete picture of a cheerless, loveless world” (Foster, 90)
You have some good initial thoughts here. When you mention the “irony of Charlotte”? what exactly are you referring to? And what exactly makes Forster’s novel feminist? What ideals or values is he advocating? What is he suggesting women should be able to do that they can’t in the society he is describing? What barriers does he identify? What solutions is he proposing? (You don’t have to answer all these questions–just wanted to give you some things to think about.)
For my essay, I want to explore how Mrs. Dalloway as a novel reacts to World War I which happened not so long before. I want to argue that the characters Mrs. Dalloway and Septimus represent two different reactions to war and are representative of the social class and generation of which they are part.
Three possible scenes to explore:
“But what an extraordinary night! She felt somehow very like him—the young man who had killed himself. She felt glad that he had done it; thrown it away.” (p. 135)
What does Mrs. Dalloway’s reaction to Septimus’ death say about her character? Is her callousness representative of a larger trend of indifference towards the men who returned from war and the struggles that they faced because of it?
“…the majesty of England, of the enduring symbol of the state which will be known to curious antiquaries, sifting the ruins of time, when London is a grass-grown path and all those hurrying along the pavement this Wednesday morning are but bones with a few wedding rings mixed up in their dust and the gold stoppings of innumerable decayed teeth. The face in the motor car will then be known.” (p. 13)
The narrator here remarks that the monarchy will be remembered long after everyone else around Mrs. Dalloway is dead. But who works to ensure the continuation of the monarchy and of British power. Like the people on the street, the soldiers who fought in the war for England will also be forgotten while the person who reigns over the institution that they fought to protect will be remembered.
“Men must not cut down trees. There is a God. (He noted such revelations on the backs of envelopes.) Change the world. No one kills from hatred. Make it known (he wrote it down).” (p. 18)
According to Septimus, no one kills from hatred. Yet Septimus just returned from war in which possibly he and definitely those around him killed people. Why then did they kill? Perhaps Septimus is saying something important about why war happens and the insanity of war in which people kill each other without hatred but for some other cause.
Great insights here. One thing worth thinking more about is what did cause the war? You seem to suggest that the ideology of the ruling class is responsible. But what exactly is this ideology and why did it necessitate involvement in such a brutal war?
Option 5: Focusing on either A Room with a View or Mrs. Dalloway, explain whether you think his/her work espouses a feminist or an anti-feminist stance. Does the text appear to celebrate those actions which further independence and empowerment for women? What kind of depiction does it offer of its female characters?
The novel I will be focusing on is “Mrs. Dalloway”. I want to study the strong female characters that are represented such as Sally.
“Did it make any real difference to one’s feelings to know that before they’d married she had a baby?”(In those days, in mixed company, it was a bold thing to say),”(Woolf 89).
“He hadn’t blamed her for minding the fact, since in those days a girl brought up as she was, knew nothing, but it was her manner that annoyed him; timid; hard; something arrogant; unimaginative; prudish. The death of the soul,” (Woolf 89).
You have some interesting quotes here, but you haven’t actually offered any provisional analysis of these quotes or any preliminary thoughts about what your argument might be.