Roughly.... The Episodes 1. Introduction 2. The British Museum/ library 3. The student 4. The caricature of Professor von X 5. Lunch 6. The purse 7. The Admiralty Arch/ return home Questions 2. Describe the ironic aspect in Woolf's description of the dome at the British Museum. 3. What is so special about her caricature of Professor von X? Why was she doodling in the first place? What did she learn from this experience? 3(ish) Who or what is "the most discussed animal in the universe"? Who is doing the discussing and why? What do they say? 4. Why is Woolf's character intimidated by the student sitting next to her? Bonus: (Why does the character consult the letter M?) 5. During the lunch episode, Woolf's character reflects: "If he had written dispassionately about women, had used indisputable proofs to establish his argument and had shown no trace of wishing that the result should be one thing rather than another, one would not have been angry either." How does this relate to the question she has been pursuing? 6. During the lunch episode, what did Woolf's character realize that was the first step towards abating her anger? Why is this important? How does this related to Professor von X? 7. Woolf's character reflects: "Life for both sexes--and I looked at them, shouldering their way along the pavement--is arduous, difficult, a perpetual struggle. It calls for gigantic courage and strength. More than anything, perhaps, creatures of illusion as we are, it calls for confidence in oneself. Without self-confidence we are as babes in the cradle." a) What "illusion" is Woolf's character referring to? What does this have to do with self-confidence? How is this theme further developed with the image of the looking-glass?How does this reflect the relationship between men and women? How does the character seem to feel about these issues? b) Explain how the theme of self-confidence is treated here. 8. In the purse episode, Woolf's main character had the occasion to reflect upon her past life as opposed to her present conditions. a) What conclusion does she arrive at and how did she arrive at this conclusion? (Does the conclusion have anything to do with the title of the book and the cumbersome task or "burden" assigned to her? ) b) Why does isn't the vote as important to her? What do you think about that; is it a condition of her time, her position? Explain. 9. There are two descriptions of the city of London in this chapter. a) The second description of London seems to connect with the theme of 'instincts,' explain. b) Compare and contrast the two descriptions of the city. c) A literary allusion is made: what is it to? How is it related to the image of the city? 10. How does the ending of this chapter reflect the character development in this chapter? What is her big realization towards the end? (borrowed and ever so slightly adapted) |
Questions |
1. What is the task that has been set for Woolf? Why does she find this task particularly difficult? Why does Woolf feel that she can only offer her "opinion" on the matter of "women and fiction"?
2. Why does Woolf propose to offer her audience a story rather than a lecture? Is her choice of form fitting? According to Woolf, how does one find truth in fiction?
3. How might the chapel episode be related to the title of the book and the other episodes?
4. How is the luncheon episode related to Woolf's thoughts on fiction?
5. Woolf once wrote of the Victorian Era,
Ivy grew in unparalleled profusion. Houses that had been bare stone
were smothered in greenery...And just as the ivy and the evergreen
rioted in the damp earth outside, so did the same fertility show itself
within. The life of the average woman was a succession of childbirths.
What does this have to do with Mrs. Seton?
6. What (social) issue(s) are raised in the dinner episode, further developed in conversation with Mary about Fernham, and in relating of the brief history of Mrs. Seton? How does this relate to the title of the book?
7. List the main themes of this chapter.
8. What is the relationship between fiction and fact for Woolf?
(borrowed and ever so slightly adapted)
