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2013/09/15 23:06
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1. Always “The Hours”2011/06/18 17:20
It is last summer that I threw myself to read Virginia’s Mrs. Dalloway, to challenge what stream of consciousness novel is, and to watch the adapted movie “The Hours”, based on the novel written by Michael Cunningham. In the beginning, I am totally falling into the plot-less plot. After the numerous approaching then, I detach from the self-built atmosphere, reading calmly again.
The movie, released in 2002, is structured of three parts about three women in different spaces and periods. “A woman's whole life is in a single day.” Just immersing in one day, three women see their fates, adjusting their decisions toward life. In 1923, Virginia Woolf, played by Nicole Kidman, writes her book Mrs. Dalloway in Richmond while she has endured the endless mental illness for long. In 1941, a California housewife Laura Brown, acted by Julianne Moore, reads Mrs. Dalloway, wandering what identity she needs. Though she seems to have a happy family, Laura stills feels restless, suffering from the pregnant depression. In 2001, living in Greenwich Village , middle-aged Clarissa Vaughn, performed by Meryl Streep, dedicates herself to preparing the party for her former lover, Richard. These stories are apparently respective independent, yet they are closely related to each other because of some mutual sentiments. The tricks of writer and director which can be detected in the end of the movie tie up their relationships tightly.
From three storylines, there are at least three dimensions can be issued - death, depression, and repression. Experiencing the WWI, Woolf has been unable to bear the spare stimulation. Death is like a shadow always following her. Through the writing process, Woolf does not merely play the god of the protagonist, Mrs. Dalloway, but discusses what being is, especially as a woman. “Someone has to die in order that the rest of us should value life more.” This is not the declaration for encouraging people to minimize the life. More precisely, it is a sincere announcement of Virginia Woolf that embracing dearth for her means the courage of facing life. Thanks to medicine developing, nowadays, people have known about the depression, finding ways to control; nevertheless, before 1940s, it is not well recognized. Within the situation of Woolf provides, Laura reads the lines “Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy flowers herself”, feeling languid to her surroundings. At the same time, to celebrate her husband’s birthday, she exerts herself to be a duteous wife/ mother, erasing the fact that she is just a woman. Even though Laura escapes from the family, she doesn’t acquire real freedom owing to guilty feelings. Regarding Clarissa Vaughn, as a semipublic queer, it is resembled that her life parallels to Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway for trying to conceal the solitude. While the preparation of the party, Vaughn jolts into her emotions and consciousness which disrupt her daily rhythm. Be dissimilar to Virginia Woolf and Laura Brown, Clarissa Vaughn adopts the optimistic attitude toward life even though she is in despair occasionally.
These are her stories; meanwhile, there are our stories. As Virginia Woolf says, "You cannot find peace by avoiding life. ”, people have their own circumstances which have to tolerate, confront, and deal with them in every period. The reason why people exist for or what people seek for is a joint quest. Possibly no exact answer is present during life. However, to appreciate the hours is what always be neglected and should be treasured.
2. The Reflection on “Pride and Prejudice” 2011/06/19 16:06
Pride and Prejudice, the classic novel written by Jane Austen, is the assignment in my high school times. Many classmates, including me, are crazily attracted by Mr. Darcy through the rationalization of his flaws.
The preconceived idea is that Mr. Darcy refers to “pride” while Elizabeth refers to “prejudice” or both Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth display pride and prejudice. More accurately, every role shows pride and prejudice in his/her way. The first sentence of novel says, “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” Even today, the notion is ironically accepted by some people. In “Pride and Prejudice”, Mrs. Bennet is the best instance, who urgently desires all her five daughters to be married as soon as possible. Her frivolous and narrow- minded behaviors always embarrass Jane and Elizabeth.
In addition to the topics of economy and inheritance, it always discusses love. Through different attitudes of love- Charlotte , Jane, and Elizabeth , women’s position can be seriously concerned with. Charlotte , taking account of her overripe age and a burden to her parents, surrenders herself to money and prospects. Jane and Elizabeth seem lucky relatively, but they cannot depart from economic reason as well. Jane, as Mr. Bingley vague figures, is a sweet but not clever girl who is shy for showing her feeling to Mr. Bingley. Be similar to the Charlotte , she easily hauls down her flag under the traditional codes and inferior birth, thinking she is not worthy to be Mrs. Bingley. Elizabeth , the most “pride and prejudice” girl has to seek helps to resolve the scandal of Lydia and Mr. Wickham. In the end of the story, it is like that all her pride and prejudice are dissolved by heroic action of Mr. Darcy. Although it has successfully drawn the women images and mental maturation, the dream of women independency is still on the road.
The widely recognized couple, composed of Elizabeth and Darcy, has been interpreted into three versions- Greer Garson and Laurence Oliver in 1940, Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth in 1995, and Kiera Knightly and MacFadyen in 2005. Each version has its own characteristics while all versions follow the original text that the plot and the development of other characters are almost unfolded by viewpoints of Elizabeth . In the 2005version, not only the words, but also the countenance of Elizabeth is emphasized in particular. However, though Jane Austen’s novels, which belong to the genre “novels of manners”, concern about manners and customs of middle and upper classes, it is hard to see the proper manner and affection characters act in caution. Besides, the dialogue, dress, hair style, etc. present the insufficient history inspection.
It is last summer that I threw myself to read Virginia’s Mrs. Dalloway, to challenge what stream of consciousness novel is, and to watch the adapted movie “The Hours”, based on the novel written by Michael Cunningham. In the beginning, I am totally falling into the plot-less plot. After the numerous approaching then, I detach from the self-built atmosphere, reading calmly again.
The movie, released in 2002, is structured of three parts about three women in different spaces and periods. “A woman's whole life is in a single day.” Just immersing in one day, three women see their fates, adjusting their decisions toward life. In 1923, Virginia Woolf, played by Nicole Kidman, writes her book Mrs. Dalloway in Richmond while she has endured the endless mental illness for long. In 1941, a California housewife Laura Brown, acted by Julianne Moore, reads Mrs. Dalloway, wandering what identity she needs. Though she seems to have a happy family, Laura stills feels restless, suffering from the pregnant depression. In 2001, living in Greenwich Village , middle-aged Clarissa Vaughn, performed by Meryl Streep, dedicates herself to preparing the party for her former lover, Richard. These stories are apparently respective independent, yet they are closely related to each other because of some mutual sentiments. The tricks of writer and director which can be detected in the end of the movie tie up their relationships tightly.
From three storylines, there are at least three dimensions can be issued - death, depression, and repression. Experiencing the WWI, Woolf has been unable to bear the spare stimulation. Death is like a shadow always following her. Through the writing process, Woolf does not merely play the god of the protagonist, Mrs. Dalloway, but discusses what being is, especially as a woman. “Someone has to die in order that the rest of us should value life more.” This is not the declaration for encouraging people to minimize the life. More precisely, it is a sincere announcement of Virginia Woolf that embracing dearth for her means the courage of facing life. Thanks to medicine developing, nowadays, people have known about the depression, finding ways to control; nevertheless, before 1940s, it is not well recognized. Within the situation of Woolf provides, Laura reads the lines “Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy flowers herself”, feeling languid to her surroundings. At the same time, to celebrate her husband’s birthday, she exerts herself to be a duteous wife/ mother, erasing the fact that she is just a woman. Even though Laura escapes from the family, she doesn’t acquire real freedom owing to guilty feelings. Regarding Clarissa Vaughn, as a semipublic queer, it is resembled that her life parallels to Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway for trying to conceal the solitude. While the preparation of the party, Vaughn jolts into her emotions and consciousness which disrupt her daily rhythm. Be dissimilar to Virginia Woolf and Laura Brown, Clarissa Vaughn adopts the optimistic attitude toward life even though she is in despair occasionally.
These are her stories; meanwhile, there are our stories. As Virginia Woolf says, "You cannot find peace by avoiding life. ”, people have their own circumstances which have to tolerate, confront, and deal with them in every period. The reason why people exist for or what people seek for is a joint quest. Possibly no exact answer is present during life. However, to appreciate the hours is what always be neglected and should be treasured.
2. The Reflection on “Pride and Prejudice” 2011/06/19 16:06
Pride and Prejudice, the classic novel written by Jane Austen, is the assignment in my high school times. Many classmates, including me, are crazily attracted by Mr. Darcy through the rationalization of his flaws.
The preconceived idea is that Mr. Darcy refers to “pride” while Elizabeth refers to “prejudice” or both Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth display pride and prejudice. More accurately, every role shows pride and prejudice in his/her way. The first sentence of novel says, “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” Even today, the notion is ironically accepted by some people. In “Pride and Prejudice”, Mrs. Bennet is the best instance, who urgently desires all her five daughters to be married as soon as possible. Her frivolous and narrow- minded behaviors always embarrass Jane and Elizabeth.
In addition to the topics of economy and inheritance, it always discusses love. Through different attitudes of love- Charlotte , Jane, and Elizabeth , women’s position can be seriously concerned with. Charlotte , taking account of her overripe age and a burden to her parents, surrenders herself to money and prospects. Jane and Elizabeth seem lucky relatively, but they cannot depart from economic reason as well. Jane, as Mr. Bingley vague figures, is a sweet but not clever girl who is shy for showing her feeling to Mr. Bingley. Be similar to the Charlotte , she easily hauls down her flag under the traditional codes and inferior birth, thinking she is not worthy to be Mrs. Bingley. Elizabeth , the most “pride and prejudice” girl has to seek helps to resolve the scandal of Lydia and Mr. Wickham. In the end of the story, it is like that all her pride and prejudice are dissolved by heroic action of Mr. Darcy. Although it has successfully drawn the women images and mental maturation, the dream of women independency is still on the road.
The widely recognized couple, composed of Elizabeth and Darcy, has been interpreted into three versions- Greer Garson and Laurence Oliver in 1940, Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth in 1995, and Kiera Knightly and MacFadyen in 2005. Each version has its own characteristics while all versions follow the original text that the plot and the development of other characters are almost unfolded by viewpoints of Elizabeth . In the 2005version, not only the words, but also the countenance of Elizabeth is emphasized in particular. However, though Jane Austen’s novels, which belong to the genre “novels of manners”, concern about manners and customs of middle and upper classes, it is hard to see the proper manner and affection characters act in caution. Besides, the dialogue, dress, hair style, etc. present the insufficient history inspection.
