The war and its effects were far from over in June 1923; they were simply pushed aside by the upper classes in order to return to a pre-war sense of normalcy. Moreover, the issues that provoked the war still imbue Mrs. Dalloway's society with an undeniable resonance. These problems manifest themselves repeatedly in Mrs. Dalloway and her guests and, although they arise from a variety of factors, the problems of London in 1923 arise largely from superficial societal attitudes. However, behind the superficiality of an extremely class-based London, there are brief 'moments' and subtle indications that society recognizes the problems and that change has come and will continue to come. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the Original EssayThe attitude taken in society before going to war continues to dominate Clarissa's life. Her last name, Dalloway, has implications of the word dally and "dally" eloquently describes the way she lives her life. She tells us in her own inner monologue at the beginning of the novel that "she had a passion for gloves" and that "Bond Street fascinated her", indicating the materialism that engulfs her world. Furthermore, his verbal exchanges with the characters are inevitably full of falsehoods such as the note written to Peter Walsh in wildly exaggerated language, "heavenly to see you", which lacks any sincerity. His exchange with Hugh Whitbread in the park near the government buildings is also false. Rather than listening to what Hugh Whitbread says, she is "mindful of her hat." Hugh's description of Evelyn's continuing illness in the same paragraph contrasts with Clarissa's thoughts and makes us aware of her "apparent" superficiality. Peter Walsh, although biased, twice comments that Clarissa is "not sincere". Her response to Lady Brunton at her party that she was "perfectly well" is also false and she only gives this response because "Lady Brunton hated illness in the wives of politicians." We are reminded throughout the novel that “there was always something cold.” at Clarissa's", further suggesting a lack of real compassion. The novel builds around Clarissa's party and the stream of consciousness in her own internal monologue throughout the party focuses on the names and positions of people rather that on real human emotions The "Ambassador of Portugal" and the "Prince of Wales" are only important because of what they represent in terms of society and Clarissa does not once consider them as beings. emotive humans but rather as positions in society Likewise, the “Prime Minister” remains anonymous, further emphasizing the importance to Clarissa of her position in society rather than actual “human qualities.” Prime Minister” twenty-nine times in Clarissa's thoughts in one day is a repeated and poignant reminder of the emphasis she places on positions in class and in society. Likewise, the names given to those around Mrs. Dalloway are intended to amuse and mock the pomp and superficiality of Clarissa's life in the upper echelons of high society. The names "Willie Titcomb", "Milly Brush", and "Lady Needham" all serve to downplay their lofty and rather antiquated attitudes and actions. By the time we arrive at Clarissa Dalloway's party, we are left in no doubt that all of Virginia Woolf's characters are, to varying degrees, victims of the class attitude that continues to reign inmaster in Mrs. Dalloway's post-Victorian London. However, the novel's focus on Clarissa makes her appear to be the most affected. Even before the party, his class-based superficiality is made more blatant by the mention of "Lords, Ascot" and "Ranelagh", all of whom are typically upper class. events. Her sentiment that "she felt nothing for the Albanians, or was it the Armenians? But she loved her roses" helps to suggest that she really is as false as she appears due to the contrast between something that has a international influence and an unimportant bouquet of roses. The narrative focuses on colors in Clarissa Dalloway's first description, mentioning "white", "blue-green", and "pink". Mentioning her appearance (especially in terms of colors) instead of focusing on emotion or thought helps to further symbolize Clarissa's superficiality. Early descriptions of Clarissa as being "very upright" and "lively" reinforce our feeling of a superficial and elevated woman, because the lack of real emotional description means that we are unable to imagine her in an emotional sense. Moreover, its description is often given to the reader in a rather animalistic manner. On page four we hear that there is "a touch of the bird about her" and adjectives such as "plucked" and "imbued", which lack any human quality, are used to describe her actions and suggest that she is emotionless. We are presented with a main character who shows all the signs of being a victim of war and the superficiality that caused it. However, it's not just Clarissa who seems blatantly shallow. Peter Walsh is casual in his obsession with “news from India”. However, Peter Walsh eloquently illustrates and symbolizes the unrest within the Empire as well as the social problems inherent in Mrs. Dalloway's society. He describes himself with extremely exaggerated images such as "tortured" and considers that Clarissa hated "frumps, idiots, failures, like him no doubt". The use of alliteration highlights his apparent lack of self-esteem, which he hides behind an outer shell. The choice of the word "frump", normally reserved for women and foggy people, which implies an elderly person, helps to further heighten our awareness of the depth of Peter Walsh's self-loathing. His pocket knife acts as a quasi-weapon against his emotional wounds and insecurities. Additionally, his pocket knife is described to the reader on the first page and from then on, whenever he thinks of Clarissa, "his pocket knife comes out." From the moment we meet Peter Walsh, we realize that, although absent from the war, he has been affected by the superficiality around him. Richard Dalloway serves to demonstrate and symbolize the political snobbery and frivolous nature of London in 1923. The description of his "humble reforms" and the repeated insistence that his name appears "at the end of letters to the Times" illustrate the lack of substance and sincerity of Richard Dalloway, the Conservative government and the political world it represents. The fact that Richard is not mentioned in the novel for the first twenty pages, despite his near-important role in politics and his role as the protagonist's husband, further suggests that he is not as important as he believes himself to be. himself. Peter Walsh's often mistaken ideas about life in London in 1923 are surprisingly accurate when it comes to Richard Dalloway. He comments that Dalloway has "much of the civic maiden spirit of the British Empire and the governing tariff reform" in him. Richard's actions inevitably support this feeling and hebecomes increasingly clear that, like Clarissa and Peter Walsh, Richard Dalloway is a victim of the superficial class snobbery that caused the war and continues to dominate society. We could “know a little of what Richard thought by reading the Morning Post”. Similarly, in contrast to Septimus's considered opinions on Shakespeare, Richard Dalloway glibly states "that no honest man should read Shakespeare's sonnets because it was like eavesdropping at keyholes." Similarly, Richard's insistence on sleeping after lunch is commented on simply "because a doctor once ordered it", further suggesting that Richard has been given these views and does not really know think for himself. He continues to use antiquated language, such as "lunch", which reinforces the air of pomp and phoniness his character creates when he clearly learned these words to impress rather than picking them up naturally. Bourton's joke where Peter and Sally imitate his voice ("My name is Dalloway") reinforces our view that Mr. Dalloway, like his wife and Peter Walsh, is simply a victim of society's superficial attitude. era. The adventure on the Victoria Street omnibus hints at an escape from the constraints of a superficial society. She realizes “that she so much preferred to be left alone to do what she wanted in the countryside” and that “she was delighted to be free”. Additionally, the absence of Big Ben or any mention of weather throughout this passage sets a less oppressive tone to the section and gives us a glimpse of a less superficial society, where deadlines and class politics are not more news. The Strand is the setting for Elizabeth's walk and this contrasts with the conformism of Westminster which argues that she is trying to escape falling victim to conformity to the materialism that dominates society. However, Elizabeth's liberation from the social customs imposed by the society around her is short-lived and she quickly returns feeling "that she had to go to parties." It is obvious that a trivial dilettante attitude engulfs his thought processes in the same way as every other character in the novel. Thoughtless comments such as "she could be a doctor. She could be a farmer. Animals are often sick" reestablish the suggestion that, like most of the novel's older characters, she is living her life and will continue to be trapped. the social customs that surround it. But it is not only the central characters who suffer from this extreme superficiality. Significantly, in the opening pages, when “Has the automobile stopped? opposite the Mulberry store” and “everyone looked”; it is obvious that social expectations control English society. The car and its mysterious occupant are used to emphasize the fact that everyone is very curious about something quite unimportant. Additionally, the car is symbolic of the English view in that it has a shiny exterior but the interior of the car (like the inner self of most of Virginia Woolf's characters) is hidden from the world. Reiza suggests "the English people...whom she admired in a way" when she looks at the people looking at the automobile, her tone and the situation encourages the reader to take an even more skeptical view of London society. The use of precise and complex details such as "boys on bicycles (who) jumped" and the repeated use of phrases and words such as "veil-like", "curious" and "whose was it face ? highlight the interest that something so unimportant has aroused. Even as he walked down to Piccadilly, he was still “ruffling faces on both sides of the street”. These arealso the blasphemies of Dr Holme? The attitude towards Septimus's shell shock implicates the medical profession in a role in a superficial and thoughtless London, suggesting that Septimus is "in a funk". This is a completely unprofessional and unresearched statement, but Holmes is adamant he is right. The fact that Dr. Holmes calls Septimus a "coward" indicates the hollowness of his professional opinions. Furthermore, the ironic name given to him by Virginia Woolf, with its implications of Sherlock Holmes and the grandeur that accompanies the detective, demeans the doctor and emphasizes that he is clearly a victim of superficiality. Doris Kilman becomes the symbol of the superficiality of the teaching profession and is portrayed as a predatory character "touching the last two centimeters of a chocolate eclair" in a very animalistic way. She is described in a heightened physically grotesque manner in order to suggest her pomposity and falsity. Parts of her body are highlighted and we are told that she "protruded her chin", "thick fingers curled inwards" and "large hand open and closed". All of these grim physical images help to suggest that important distinctions such as "she had her degree" and "her knowledge of modern history was more than respectable", which placed her in a certain class, are negative factors. and materialists who continue to dominate society. It appears repeatedly that wherever Virginia Woolf's impressionistic depiction of London in June 1923 is concentrated, we are burdened with images, suggestions and direct references to the faults of London society and it becomes clear that all the characters are victims of an extremely superficial class. society oriented society. However, there are brief moments where it is evident that change, away from social etiquette and snobbery, has occurred and will continue to occur. The novel uses three different perspectives to examine change. Clarissa and her environment, the role of Septimus Warren-Smith and the use of clocks and time. Big Ben continually reminds us of the inexorable movement of time and the clock increasingly becomes the symbol of the change occurring in society. The subtle way Big Ben continuously strikes in the background reflects the movements of change in society, away from the current class society. The different descriptions of the sound of the clock help us see that changes are happening and will "unquestionably" continue to happen. The first description of Big Ben, ("There! It exploded. First a warning musical; then the irrevocable hour.") suggests, through the inclusion of the word "irrevocable", that it is irreversible and that change will continue to occur. However, there is an air of thoughtless and exaggerated grandeur in the description of the clock: the words "soaring" and "irrevocable" paint a far grander picture than the clock rightly deserves. This exactly mirrors the people around Mrs. Dalloway in the sense that they are overly inflated and superficial. Additionally, one of the later descriptions of Big Ben, "bulky" and "shaky", is a more thoughtful description. We realize that as the depiction of Big Ben becomes more thoughtful, real and accurate and loses its exaggerated depiction, the upper class people of London begin to see that they are shallow and fake. It is clear that the way Big Ben is perceived symbolizes the changing attitude in London. Additionally, the "Harley Street clocks" and the "commercial clock hanging above a shop in Oxford" both reflect the symbol of Big Ben in parallel ways and suggest that the change thatwe observe at Big Ben is a universal change throughout London. . The inclusion of other clocks gives a more universal sense of change and helps to understand the change taking place in London society. Notably, Clarissa begins to realize that she is a victim of the falsehoods and superficialities of her society. At her dinner, she finally notices an "air of false calm" and that simply being "beautiful" was not as important as she had started the day thinking. The description of the party through Clarissa's eyes is both demeaning and slightly derogatory. This contrasts with how Peter Walsh still views the party and this contrast makes us aware of Clarissa's change in perspective and suggests to the reader that she is emerging from the superficial attitude she previously had. The use of the word "small" repeatedly elicits a feeling of worthlessness within Clarissa's own party. The syntax of the sentence emphasizes “Small Service,” emphasizing her distance from a society she has always embraced. The repetition three times of “small tables” reinforces this feeling. The word "small" is mentioned seven times in three pages and the use of other words like "underground" and "greedy" reinforces the feeling that Clarissa is about to embrace change as she is no longer a victim of the superficialities and the pomp of society. . However, the climax of Clarissa's self-realization only comes when she reflects on the old lady at her party. The reader can only be fully aware of Clarissa's realization once she herself compares her life to that of the lady and herself realizes the implications of this comparison. Even before the party, Clarissa shows signs of moving away from her past. Clarissa's past becomes more and more dull, indefinite and speculative. She keeps thinking, “Was that it?” and "he must have said it", indicating that she has moved on from her past. Additionally, as Clarissa becomes more aware of the fact that she is a victim of society's rules, Virginia Woolf's depiction of her becomes more in tune with her surroundings. For example, at the beginning of the novel, we are introduced to a "very white" lady, who suffered from an "illness", which contrasts sharply with the "masses of carnations" and "bouquets of lilacs" at the florists. as well as the “twirling young men and laughing girls” in the park. Her description is almost the antithesis of the environment in which she is set and the month. In contrast, at the end of the novel she is described with words such as "passionately" and "devoted", suggesting a tendency in Clarissa towards genuine emotions rather than keeping up appearances as she had previously done. Additionally, Septimus Warren-Smith is a symbol of a trend away from social values ​​in Mrs. Dalloway's society. Although seemingly insane from shell shock, he has a better understanding of humanity's real values ​​than most of the other characters and is not under the same "deep delusion". His assertions about Shakespeare, although false, ("how Shakespeare hated humanity") have been thought through correctly and this is indicated by the fact that he reads the plays in contrast to Richard and Peter Walsh's offhand comments on the sonnets and Shakespeare's plays. Additionally, unlike the other main characters, his level of self-realization is much higher. He admits that he is "too weak to kill himself" and understands that he cannot fully "feel" and can only "reason". He avoids a lacquer of “social varnish” to mask these apparent imperfections. He has no time for the same materialistic sentimentality that Clarissa shows when she says, “..