Virginia Woolf, a 20th-century English novelist, successfully wrote and developed her stories with some of the most unique writing styles of the time. Through one of her most famous novels, Mrs. Dalloway, Woolf pushes the use of symbolism beyond the usual. Frequently, symbolism is used to enhance or add to a story while Woolf, on the other hand, uses symbolism at the forefront of character development. One of the most unique aspects is his consistent use of nature as a symbol. Woolf's symbolic use of flowers, water, and trees play a key role in the characterization of Clarissa Dalloway, who is one of the most dynamic figures in the novel. These forms of symbolic nature allow the reader to give a deeper meaning to the character of Mrs. Dalloway. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay. Woolf opens her novel with “Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself” (Woolf 3). From the beginning, we developed Clarissa as a woman who craves a sense of independence. As Clarissa enters the shop, the descriptive paragraphs of the flowers have already begun. The reader begins to develop his character's strong and meaningful connection with the flowers around him. It feels like they're offering Clarissa a sweet escape from the reality of her life. That is, her life as simply Mrs. Dalloway. They expose her to the beauty and purity that she knows still exists in the world. All his senses are invaded by the splendor of the flowers. “She breathed in the sweet earthy scent of the garden as she spoke to Miss Pym…” (Woolf 12). We get the impression that Clarissa takes place in a field of infinite, colorful magnificence. As the scene continues, she remembers her childhood which fell deep into her past. She thinks of herself, running freely in the summer air, picking peas of sweat from the ground. Free to go anywhere as you please. Now she confides in the confines of the store, choosing from the available options. What freedom and serenity she once possessed. It's the flower that brings her back to life before conformity, before she became Mrs. Dalloway. Dalloway enters his home clumsily handling a bouquet of roses he bought for his wife. Clarissa takes the flowers and thanks her husband for this kind gesture. Clarissa couldn't help but notice his inability to say, "I love you." “She understood. She understood without him speaking; his Clarissa” (Woolf 115). Here, Woolf uses the bouquet of roses to symbolize the conformity that Clarissa has created in her life. His Clarisse. She is his. Marriage took away her pride, freedom and independence. Woolf develops roses as a symbol of the bond created between her and her husband. As Clarissa sits, questioning the meaning of her marriage, she keeps returning to the roses before her. “…but she loved her roses…the only flowers she could bear to see cut” (Woolf 17). When you cut off a flower, you take away its freedom to grow and live. They become constrained regardless of the confinement they are placed in, symbolizing how she feels about marriage. Just like the roses, she has been cut off from her state of happiness and growth. It was the only flower she could see cut. Roses are meant to be cut, displayed as a symbol of beauty for the enjoyment of others. Just like women are supposed to be wives. They must learn to be bold and beautiful in their new confinement. Water also plays a key role in the.