Virginia Woolf: A Study in Style

Virginia Woolf is one of the eminent stylists of the twentieth century. This paper, Virginia Woolf: A Study in Style , is an exploration of the use of stylistic technique in Mrs. Woolf\u27s two most outstanding novels, Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse. The basic assumption of the paper is that the meaning of a work, especially the works of Mrs. Woolf, is as accessible through the study of style as it is through the more traditional study of content. Taking its cue from the works of Norman Holland and his reader-response criticism, the paper details four techniques of style which provide insight into Mrs. Woolf\u27s novels, and, through this means, the paper seeks to show how the two novels in question can be better understood. In addition to opening sections in which the paper\u27s perspective and the meaning of style are defined, the paper contains sections on contrast, repetition, metaphor, and sentence structure. In each of these sections, numerous passages are cited to illustrate the contention that these techniques are not mere handmaidens of content, but are, in fact, equally as revelatory of Mrs. Woolf\u27s thought as are studies of character, plot, and setting. The section on contrast uses examples which place relatively unlike items together in a pattern which conveys a meaning different than that of the items taken singly. The repetition section cites examples which use similar words, descriptions, or parts of speech to move the reader rhythmically toward an overarching perspective. In the section on metaphor, the cited passages are examples of the way in which Mrs. Woolf gets beneath the surface of events to reveal their connections on the mythic and imagistic levels. This same burrowing technique is shown in the section on sentence structure in which the examples show a separation of parts of the sentence by intervening details which expand the meaning of the sentence. Each of these sections attempts to show Mrs. Woolf\u27s concern with the connections which exist in a world made up of seemingly disparate parts. The paper makes no apologies for the subjectivity of its tone, claiming, rather, that such subjectivity is the right and proper duty of the critic as he or she attempts to understand the meaning of a work and make it accessible to other readers. The numerous cited passages, however, allay any fear that the novels have not been carefully researched, for the paper is directed as much to the scholar who would delve deeply into Mrs. Woolf\u27s works as it is to the reader who would read them only for the sheer pleasure of their beauty

Virginia Woolf: A Study in Style

Virginia Woolf is one of the eminent stylists of the twentieth century. This paper, Virginia Woolf: A Study in Style , is an exploration of the use of stylistic technique in Mrs. Woolf\u27s two most outstanding novels, Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse. The basic assumption of the paper is that the meaning of a work, especially the works of Mrs. Woolf, is as accessible through the study of style as it is through the more traditional study of content. Taking its cue from the works of Norman Holland and his reader-response criticism, the paper details four techniques of style which provide insight into Mrs. Woolf\u27s novels, and, through this means, the paper seeks to show how the two novels in question can be better understood. In addition to opening sections in which the paper\u27s perspective and the meaning of style are defined, the paper contains sections on contrast, repetition, metaphor, and sentence structure. In each of these sections, numerous passages are cited to illustrate the contention that these techniques are not mere handmaidens of content, but are, in fact, equally as revelatory of Mrs. Woolf\u27s thought as are studies of character, plot, and setting. The section on contrast uses examples which place relatively unlike items together in a pattern which conveys a meaning different than that of the items taken singly. The repetition section cites examples which use similar words, descriptions, or parts of speech to move the reader rhythmically toward an overarching perspective. In the section on metaphor, the cited passages are examples of the way in which Mrs. Woolf gets beneath the surface of events to reveal their connections on the mythic and imagistic levels. This same burrowing technique is shown in the section on sentence structure in which the examples show a separation of parts of the sentence by intervening details which expand the meaning of the sentence. Each of these sections attempts to show Mrs. Woolf\u27s concern with the connections which exist in a world made up of seemingly disparate parts. The paper makes no apologies for the subjectivity of its tone, claiming, rather, that such subjectivity is the right and proper duty of the critic as he or she attempts to understand the meaning of a work and make it accessible to other readers. The numerous cited passages, however, allay any fear that the novels have not been carefully researched, for the paper is directed as much to the scholar who would delve deeply into Mrs. Woolf\u27s works as it is to the reader who would read them only for the sheer pleasure of their beauty

The Vehicle, Fall 1978

Vol. 2, No. 1 Table of Contents FarewellGregory Manifoldpage 4 Visiting HoursCindy Grocepage 5 The Deer KillerG.L. Bullardpage 6 Identity CrisisCindy Grocepage 9 I ScreamDale Stroheckerpage 11 John RobertLee Martinpage 12 Smiling in WinterNancy Cunninghampage 20 Walt Disney Told Us LiesThomas C. Howellpage 20 LakesideMary McDanielpage 21 Heavy LiteratureTerry Kroenungpage 22 Old FriendsMary McDanielpage 27 A Sunny AfternoonJoan O\u27Connorpage 28 Always TomorrowMary McDanielpage 29 Four SunsetsGregory Manifoldpage 30 Come FreeBob Welshpage 32 Faded PinstripesLee Martinpage 33 WindsongCarolyn Perrypage 38 SilenceSylvia Aldertonpage 39 One More TimeCheri Clousepage 40 Grandfather Was IlliterateCindy Grocepage 41 StonehengeGregory Manifoldpage 43 GabsCheri Clousepage 44 Spindley Bare BranchesJeanne Hansenpage 48 Art CoverLafayette Wilson PhotographBill Cochranpage 3 DrawingLafayette Wilsonpage 10 DrawingLafayette Wilsonpage 19 PhotographBill Cochranpage 21 PhotographBarbara Colemanpage 28 DrawingJoyce Bonwellpage 31 PhotographKathy Sanderspage 39 DrawingKathy Sanderspage 42https://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1035/thumbnail.jp

The Vehicle, Fall 1978

Vol. 2, No. 1 Table of Contents FarewellGregory Manifoldpage 4 Visiting HoursCindy Grocepage 5 The Deer KillerG.L. Bullardpage 6 Identity CrisisCindy Grocepage 9 I ScreamDale Stroheckerpage 11 John RobertLee Martinpage 12 Smiling in WinterNancy Cunninghampage 20 Walt Disney Told Us LiesThomas C. Howellpage 20 LakesideMary McDanielpage 21 Heavy LiteratureTerry Kroenungpage 22 Old FriendsMary McDanielpage 27 A Sunny AfternoonJoan O\u27Connorpage 28 Always TomorrowMary McDanielpage 29 Four SunsetsGregory Manifoldpage 30 Come FreeBob Welshpage 32 Faded PinstripesLee Martinpage 33 WindsongCarolyn Perrypage 38 SilenceSylvia Aldertonpage 39 One More TimeCheri Clousepage 40 Grandfather Was IlliterateCindy Grocepage 41 StonehengeGregory Manifoldpage 43 GabsCheri Clousepage 44 Spindley Bare BranchesJeanne Hansenpage 48 Art CoverLafayette Wilson PhotographBill Cochranpage 3 DrawingLafayette Wilsonpage 10 DrawingLafayette Wilsonpage 19 PhotographBill Cochranpage 21 PhotographBarbara Colemanpage 28 DrawingJoyce Bonwellpage 31 PhotographKathy Sanderspage 39 DrawingKathy Sanderspage 42https://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1035/thumbnail.jp