Virginia Woolf, a 20th century English writer, successfully wrote and developed her stories with some of the most unique writing styles of the time. Through one of her most famous novels, Mrs Dalloway, Woolf takes the use of symbolism beyond the usual. Often, symbolism is used to enhance or add to a story while Woolf, on the other hand, uses symbolism at the forefront of character development. One of the most unique aspects is his constant use of nature as a symbol. Woolf's symbolic use of flowers, water and trees plays a key role in the characterization of Clarissa Dalloway, representing one of the most dynamic figures in the entire novel. These forms of a symbolic nature allow the reader to shape a deeper meaning behind the character of Mrs. Dalloway. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Woolf opens her novel with “Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself” (Woolf 3). From the beginning we developed Clarissa as a woman who aspires to a sense of independence. Clarissa enters the shop, the descriptive paragraphs of the flowers have already begun. The reader begins to develop her character's strong and meaningful connection with the flowers around her. We feel like they give Clarissa a sweet escape from the reality of her life. That is, his life simply like Mrs. Dalloway. They expose her to the beauty and purity that she knows still exists in the world. All her senses are captivated by the splendor of the flowers. "She breathed the sweet scent of the earthy garden as she was talking to Miss Pym." (Woolf 12) We feel as if Clarissa is set in a field of colorful and infinite magnificence. As the scene continues, she recalls her childhood that has fallen deep into her past. She thinks of herself, running free in the summer air, picking peas from the ground. Free to go anywhere as she pleases. Now he can confide within the confines of the store, choosing from the options at hand. How much freedom and serenity he once had. It is the flower that brings her back to life before conformity, before she became Mrs. Dalloway. Dalloway enters his house while awkwardly handling a bouquet of roses he bought for his wife. Clarissa takes the flowers and thanks her husband for the kind gesture. Clarissa couldn't help but notice his inability to say, "I love you." “She understood. She understood without him speaking; his Clarissa” (Woolf 115). Here Woolf uses the bouquet of roses to symbolize the conformity that Clarissa has created in her life. His Clarissa. She is his. Marriage took away her pride, freedom and independence. Woolf develops roses as a symbol of the bond created between her and her husband. As Clarissa sits, wondering about the meaning of her marriage, she constantly returns to the roses that lie before her. “…but she loved her roses…the only flowers she could bear to see cut” (Woolf 17). When you cut a flower, you take away its freedom to grow and live. They are forced into whatever confinement they are placed in, symbolizing his feelings towards marriage. Just like the roses, she was torn from her state of bliss and growth. They were the only flower he could see cut. Roses should be cut and displayed as a symbol of beauty for others to enjoy. Just like women are meant to be wives. They must learn to be bold and beautiful within their new confinement. Water also plays a key role in building Clarissa's life. There are many important scenes in the novel that take place around bodies of water. During the.
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