To the Light House—A Journey of Life from Moments to Eternity

王颖颖

【Abstract】Virginia Woolf， one of the prominent representatives of modernist novelist in England， has contributed significantly to the development of modern novel. To the Lighthouse established her as a major novelist. With a keen sense of life and nature， Woolf is obsessed with the limitation of human life. In To the Light House， life is both evanescent and permanent； it is a journey from moment to life.

【Key words】life； moments； eternity

Introduction

Virginia Woolf is considered as one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. To the Lighthouse is one of her best works， which was a great reflection on Woolfs mind. In the novel she proposes the general question “Whats the meaning of life”， which is clearly presented in the novel. According to Virginia Woolf， life cannot be cut by death， but can achieve eternity through peoples memory， in the work of art， and finally in its unification with nature. Based on the analysis of To the Lighthouse， this thesis concludes that life to Virginia Woolf is a journey from moment to eternity. She discovers in the midst of chaos the meaning of life in experiencing the moments of life， transcending the limitation of life and reaching the eternity of life.

1. Meditation on Life

Virginia Woolf spent more time thinking about life， time， and reality of life. In To the Lighthouse her life materials are absorbed. Woolf recovers the past not only for memory of the lost love but also for meditation on life. The Ramsay family together with their guests on the vacation island constitutes a mini-world. In To the Lighthouse， the presents of scenery portrays the haste on the passage of time. In the novel many objective things are endowed with deep meanings. Light is for hope and life while darkness replace life with death. Sea suggests the shortage of human life， but as each wave is the whole pattern of the tides， the sea can also stand for the eternal inhuman life. So Woolf developed her own artistic values and theories， which served as a base for her living reality for her pursuit to the meaning of life.

2. Moments of Life

Woolf is concerned with the transience of life of human beings. The constant concern propels her to seek for the meaning of life. “Moments of being” is very important in her view of life. In the first section of To the Light “The Window”， there exist moments of being vibrating with the waves， shining on the dinner table， illuminating in the world of art. Virginia Woolf interweaves skillfully these moments of being into the fabric of her characters life. For her， moments of being illuminate just like matches struck in the dark. In the third section of To the Lighthouse， she delineates the quick passing and flowing moments by the view from the train window. Moments of life are very important in her understanding of life， which serve as the stepping stone for concern of Virginia Woolf-the eternity of life.

3. Eternity of Life

To the Lighthouse displays Woolfs understanding of life. For her， experiencing the moments of being is important in understanding the meaning of life. What is more essential is achieving a kind of eternity of life. She believes that life cannot be destroyed by the destructive force of nature. Death cannot defeat life because of the infinite potentialities inherent in life. This is best exemplified in the life of Mrs. Ramsay who is subtly pervasive when she has ceased to live. Her life is not ended by the death， but continues to live through peoples memory， in Lilys work of art， and finally in its unity with nature. According to Virginia Woolf， life remains intact in peoples memory. Memory endows life with the power to transcend the limit of time and the capability to extend beyond the physical existence.

Conclusion

Faced with all the chaos and depressions in the Post-war world， Woolf sees art as a means of civilization salvation. Life to her is a luminous halo and a semi-transparent envelope which eternity is implied. Just as Lily finds her vision of Mrs. Ramsay and accomplishes her painting， Virginia Woolfs searching for the meaning of life is answered and her vision of life is revealed in To the Lighthouse. Life， just like the journey to the lighthouse， is a voyage over the sea of moments of being to the world of eternity. Virginia Woolf views life as both evanescent and enduring. She sees over the passing and flowing waves as the stability shining out of the lighthouse， and she sees among the chaos of the world the eternity of life. Virginia Woolfs life does not end， but continues in peoples memory， in her works， and achieves immortality through her unification with nature.

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