Peter Walsh's Pocket Knife

I have noticed based on almost everyone's posts, the prose used in Mrs. Dalloway was difficult to grasp at first. I really enjoyed the style Woolf chose because I kept feeling as if I were getting more insight to the characters and their emotions. Following each characters inner monologues and momentary thoughts kept me wanting to go further and further into their psyche. The flashbacks gave the story more depth by pausing from the day in June. This style blurs the lines between dream and reality and memory to moments. I notice more now than ever that during my days I too flow between dreams and memories to reality. Time seems to fade.

This book has so many underlying secrets. After the class discussion this week I realized a few themes and specific details I think I missed/ have forgotten since I read the book in the beginning of the summer. Feminism, homosexuality, post world war England, mental illness and obsession all seem to play important roles throughout.

Clarissa points out that she enjoys privacy, and the idea of privacy over love and religion. This made me appreciate Clarissa (or should I say Woolf) over any other character. Along with privacy, I noticed and underyling theme of death. Woolf almost obsesses over this idea at times. I think it is quite contradictory though because Clarissa is one who seems to appreciate life. Clarissa believed that the suicide was Septimus embracing life...