To the Lighthouse

“To the Lighthouse” is a novel written by Virginia Woolf.  It’s on stream of consciousness means thoughts are goes on. We have to understand the thought process of character and then get real message of the novel. It is not that just read character but we have to read the mind of character.

This novel divided into three parts:

1). Time passes
2). The window

3). The lighthouse

Mrs. Ramsay is a main character who is taking care of family. She believes in traditional values so she wants attention from everybody and wants to create her image in the mind of people. Mr. Ramsay, her husband totally opposite to her. He believes in practicality.

Lighthouse is  a symbol of hope, desire and loneliness. John, Ramsay’s son wants to visit lighthouse. There is need to cross the river to visit it, so his mother console him that if the climate will good than we will go tomorrow. Mr. Ramsay said it will be not good so John dislike father. We see the Oedipus complex that love for mother and hate for father.

Lily Briscoe is another practical character who is a painter and creating the picture of Mrs. Ramsay. She believes in single life. She advised Mrs. Ramsay to be a practical but she was not ready to change her behavior.