Norman Friedman. The Waters of Annihilation: Symbols and Double Vision in To the Lighthouse - Essay Example

The first objective is an attempt to illuminate one of the main themes of the book, which is indicated in the phrase “The Waters of Annihilation.” The phrase is a quotation from chapter seven of the novel itself, describing the thought processes of the character Lily as she reflects on how her attitudes are changing towards Mrs Ramsay. The second objective is a more detailed analysis of specific symbols and instances of double vision which contribute towards the novel’s overall theme. The opening sentence of the article concedes that in the fifty years since the novel’s publication, there have been many studies of To the Lighthouse .

Nevertheless, little consensus has been reached on identifying some key ideas in the novel. It is generally agreed that Woolf tends to arrange these ideas in a kind of “thematic conflict” (Friedman, 1975, p. 1) so that abstract concepts stand in opposition to each other. Friedman maintains, however, that despite this agreement on fundamental ideas in the novel, critics disagree on the methods that Woolf uses to trace out these ideas through the development of character and storyline in the narrative as a whole.

It is this gap in the overall understanding of the novel that Friedman’s article seeks to address. Friedman suggests that it is incorrect to view To the Lighthouse as a linear narrative which presents two contrasting dimensions and charts the way one is selected in favor of the other. This is because Woolf insists on presenting “a multiplicity of points of view” (Friedman, 1975, p. 1). . This leads Friedman to suggest that the reader should not try to impose some heavy, absolute meaning on the text, but instead he or she should look for connections and interpretations which stem from inside the novel itself.

By examining the fluctuations in mood that the characters display, the reader is able to trace subtle, emerging lines of character and plot development. A number of the novel’s characters are discussed one by one, and Friedman points out that each character is presented through the eyes of one or more of the other characters. He shows how it is possible to trace the evolution of these characters singly, and together, showing a kind of composite group character which carries the main line of plot development.

Through this group dimension, Friedman explores the relation of self to other, the relation of man to nature, and the relation of art to life. Lily’s painting is a key feature of this last point. This representation of reality reflects, in turn, the actual presence of the lighthouse which sheds light on the various characters both literally and symbolically throughout the book. Another major source of symbolism in the book is water, whether in the form of the fountain, which is linked in Mrs Ramsay’s case with the generous, giving nature of the female, or the sea, which is a powerful and dangerous force that one exploits at one’s peril.

Mr Ramsay is portrayed as a stake set in the sea to stand as a lonely guide-point for ships while water for Lily plays the role of both preserver and destroyer and incidentally also the inspiration which feeds her artistic work as a painter. Clearly these symbols have multiple meanings, even for each individual character. After this