MJ's Challenge ~ The Voyage Out

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My thoughts are mostly on Virginia's lyricism. She used recurring words like light (thanks for the tip Ribh) and yellow to convey a sort of comfort that allowed me to begin suspending my disbelief. Likewise the transition from many people to few, being jostled to sitting untouched, hard roads to soft water. These are releases, both technical (recurring words, one or two longish sentences that were easy reads) and depicted. So I'll approach chapter two with my disbelief deliberately suspended, because I think Virginia invited me to do so.

But there's tension too. Between a couple walking in the anonymity of a crowd to a stuffy dining room with no escape from men talking about cambridge (Peterhouse and cats, which I took for St Catherine's). So gendered disparity is making tension too. Indoors and the wind.

I've got another couple of comments to share too, but will hold it back for a little longer. I don't want to steal anyone's thunder.
 
On a slightly different subject, I've decided I can skip the opening chapter of almost all the books I read for my other bookclub (non-fiction, narrow topic, first chapter tells me things I already know) but must read opening chapters of fiction with great care so I can get into the headspace the author invites me to.
 
MaryJanet said:
My thoughts are mostly on Virginia's lyricism. She used recurring words like light (thanks for the tip Ribh) and yellow to convey a sort of comfort that allowed me to begin suspending my disbelief. Likewise the transition from many people to few, being jostled to sitting untouched, hard roads to soft water. These are releases, both technical (recurring words, one or two longish sentences that were easy reads) and depicted. So I'll approach chapter two with my disbelief deliberately suspended, because I think Virginia invited me to do so.

But there's tension too. Between a couple walking in the anonymity of a crowd to a stuffy dining room with no escape from men talking about cambridge (Peterhouse and cats, which I took for St Catherine's). So gendered disparity is making tension too. Indoors and the wind.

I've got another couple of comments to share too, but will hold it back for a little longer. I don't want to steal anyone's thunder.
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I' ve heard this novel described as a coming of age novel- so pehaps that's why I picked up on the light ie enlightenment.

There is certainly gender tension. Isnt this about the right era for the suffegrette movement? What I know of Woolfe would suggest she' s heavily into female politics. I expect this to be one of the main themes.
 
MaryJanet said:
I haven't started chapter two yet.

How's are you going with chapter one @RoyalChick ?
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I am part way through chapter two. I liked the atmosphere created in the opening. I am not sure I like any of the characters yet but that might be OK. As always with this period one has to get ones mind around the class thing. I am immersing myself slowly.
 
RoyalChick said:
I am part way through chapter two. I liked the atmosphere created in the opening. I am not sure I like any of the characters yet but that might be OK. As always with this period one has to get ones mind around the class thing. I am immersing myself slowly.
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The class thing is really cheesing me off.
 
I tried 3 times to edit a comment on my phone so now I am home we will try again to comment using the computer.🙄

The standout for me on character is how alone each person is even when in the company of others. They are held together by banalities & social conventions but there is no real connection that I can see between any of them, not even husband & wife.
 
Ribh said:
But this is true of most English novels. Why this one more than any other. 🤔
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Because she doesn't respect the lower classes. Eg in P&P we know full well Hill the housekeeper is essential to Mrs Bennett's well-being, functioning as a nurse when needed. In Jane Eyre, the title character is a young woman who must work or perish. So we know Austen and C Bronte respect the lower classes, while VW is disrespectful, slightly mocking.
 

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