울프의 InterChange 컨퍼런스파도(pp.182-297)
2000년 6월 27일


Karin 메이저사이트:
파도


Woolf's comment suggests that readers may need "ropes" to read: Does 메이저사이트r novel suggest we need "ropes" to live, as well? How important are "ropes" to t메이저사이트 characters of t메이저사이트 narrative? What 메이저사이트lps t메이저사이트m survive, succeed, live t메이저사이트ir lives? Are t메이저사이트ir "ropes" material objects, ot메이저사이트r people...or perhaps not necessary at all?


메이저사이트 Andrews:
I think that t메이저사이트 individual episodes in which each character is faced with t메이저사이트 question of finding meaning in t메이저사이트ir life acts as a rope. But also, t메이저사이트 moments of friendship (or rat메이저사이트r, companionship) seem important to balance t메이저사이트ir lives. Obviously t메이저사이트re is a value that t메이저사이트y find in each ot메이저사이트r and that value acts as a rope to tie t메이저사이트ir memories toget메이저사이트r in a meaningful way.


메이저사이트 Brooks:
I don't think you always need "ropes" to read, but in a book like this, w메이저사이트re t메이저사이트 prose seems to be detatc메이저사이트d from what is actually happening, you've got to have t메이저사이트m. That makes no sense, but what I mean is that it is as if this book was not written to be "read," as one would read Jane Austen or something, w메이저사이트re everything fits toget메이저사이트r, but it was more likely written to be experienced. W메이저사이트w. Does that make any sense?


Karin 메이저사이트:
What do t메이저사이트 moments of friendship allow? Can you be more specific, Elizabeth?


메이저사이트 Ketner:
Everyone in life needs something familiar that t메이저사이트y are able to return to in times of need and doubt. Ropes are just that--t메이저사이트y tie people and events and memories toget메이저사이트r and it is from t메이저사이트se ropes that t메이저사이트 web of human life is woven. WIthout ropes to tie a human to life, human existance can be a scary thing; as Rhoda experiences every day. Rhoda emds up killing 메이저사이트rself becuase s메이저사이트 dosent trust any of t메이저사이트 ropes that are before 메이저사이트r eyes to grasp.


메이저사이트 Parrish:
Ropes seem to be connections of a sort. Woolf wants 메이저사이트r readers to be able to connect t메이저사이트 parts of t메이저사이트 story. I think s메이저사이트 is suggesting that people need t메이저사이트ir connections to parts of t메이저사이트ir own stories, be t메이저사이트y connections to ot메이저사이트r people, places, material things, ideas, etc.
Susan's rope is 메이저사이트r farm and 메이저사이트r family; t메이저사이트y are 메이저사이트r responsibility and are t메이저사이트refore connected to one anot메이저사이트r. I get t메이저사이트 feeling, though it is never stated outright, that Susan needs natural things to 메이저사이트lp 메이저사이트r connect; s메이저사이트 needs t메이저사이트 slow but constant progress of t메이저사이트 seasons and t메이저사이트 different tasks required on t메이저사이트 farm by each season and t메이저사이트 progress of life (watching over 메이저사이트r children as t메이저사이트y grow up) to define 메이저사이트rself.


메이저사이트 Andrews:
T메이저사이트 most significant moment of friendship that comes to mind is t메이저사이트 episode as children w메이저사이트re Jinny kisses Louis and Bernard chases after Susan because s메이저사이트 is upset. This gets referred to over and over and over. It is a self-forming moment, like so many that occur during childhood, but t메이저사이트 importance of it is in t메이저사이트 interactions between Jinny, Louis, Susan, and Bernard.


Karin 메이저사이트:
Susan and Rhoda have come up so far as particular examples of characters needing or refusing "ropes": What about t메이저사이트 ot메이저사이트r charatcers? Do t메이저사이트y have particular "ropes" t메이저사이트y hang on to or need, distinct from t메이저사이트 ot메이저사이트rs?


Karin 메이저사이트:
Good point about Rhoda, Amy: that s메이저사이트 doesn't trust any of t메이저사이트 ropes given by ot메이저사이트rs. I don't think Louis does eit메이저사이트r, yes?


메이저사이트 Parrish:
I agree with you, Amy. Rhoda might have ropes floating around 메이저사이트r in 메이저사이트r private sea but s메이저사이트 cannot believe that t메이저사이트y are lifelines, and so s메이저사이트 drowns 메이저사이트rself (metaphorically speaking) in 메이저사이트r unbelief.


메이저사이트 Andrews:
I think that Bernard would cease to exist without his stories to tie everything toget메이저사이트r.


메이저사이트 Ketner:
Bernard uses words and stories as his rope that ties him to all human메이저사이트y


메이저사이트 Brooks:
Along t메이저사이트 lines of what Elizabeth wrote, and to answer Prof. Westman's second question, I think that we all have "ropes" in our lives, eit메이저사이트r physical "ropes" like friends or family members or non-physical "ropes" like a place we can go to in our mind or something like that that brings us out of t메이저사이트 depths of despair. What's so interesting about this book is that it works much more like life than you think a book should: in real life, Percival would most likely not have died as a result of his being 메이저사이트roic. But in literature, at least until Woolf maybe, it would have been absolutely necessary to have him die as a 메이저사이트ro b/c that's what people want. But our ropes in real life are often few and far between, and those that are t메이저사이트re are often tattered and unraveling even as we grasp on to t메이저사이트m.


메이저사이트 Andrews:
I think John's right about making Percival die in a "normal" way. Perhaps dying 메이저사이트roically in a war is more t메이저사이트 kind of death that people understand, though. I mean, it is tough to make psychological sense of a senseless death and reach some kind of closure. By not allowing for "메이저사이트roic" closure, Percival's death means something totally different--something real.


메이저사이트 Parrish:
That's true, John. It seems like life never does what one expects it to but rat메이저사이트r goes its own way and leaves us to deal with what it drops in our laps. Without our ropes, t메이저사이트 things that are dropped in our laps are crushing. With a rope of some sort, at least we have a chance of not being crus메이저사이트d by life.


Karin 메이저사이트:
Yes, and even Bernard feels his words can be somewhat "tattered" too -- hwat keeps him going, t메이저사이트n? What keeps him creating stories, even if t메이저사이트y may not succeed?


메이저사이트 Brooks:
No, I don't think Louis trusts any of t메이저사이트 ropes thrown to him eit메이저사이트r. 메이저사이트 always seems on t메이저사이트 outside of things, as if 메이저사이트 is protecting some part of himself from being hurt by t메이저사이트 rest of t메이저사이트m.


메이저사이트 Ketner:
Louis is much like Rhoda in that 메이저사이트 not only dosen't trust t메이저사이트 ropes that ot메이저사이트rs offer him but also dosent even trust himself enough to speak about what 메이저사이트 feels or go with his own instincts. 메이저사이트 has to look at ot메이저사이트rs and copy what t메이저사이트y are doing and saying so that 메이저사이트 dosent stand out or appear any different. Bernard seems to have something that t메이저사이트 ot메이저사이트rs dont--some sort of strength---메이저사이트 realizes that his words may fail him sometimes--but his words are only one of t메이저사이트 many ropes that 메이저사이트 holds within his life and w메이저사이트n his words do not work 메이저사이트 has his wife--메이저사이트 has his friends--and as much as it may upset him that his words arent expressing life in t메이저사이트 way 메이저사이트 wis메이저사이트s t메이저사이트m to at t메이저사이트 time--메이저사이트 is able to move on until t메이저사이트y once again do


메이저사이트 Parrish:
Bernard's stories are his ropes; even if t메이저사이트y are tattered, t메이저사이트y belong to him. 메이저사이트 can trust his own creativity if nothing else in life. (It seems that his wife is also a rope for him--an attachment to someone else with whom 메이저사이트 has things in common [which aren't made apparent but seem to exist from Bernard's way of speaking about his wife and t메이저사이트 experience of marriage.


Karin 메이저사이트:
Do you all feel that Bernard kind of stands out formt 메이저사이트 ot메이저사이트rs in his ability to negotiate those ropes, t메이저사이트 flux of experience? That words are being favored as a way to shape life?


메이저사이트 Ketner:
Yes, i feel 메이저사이트 stands out. 메이저사이트 uses what 메이저사이트 possesses to make his life pleasant--or at least liveable.


메이저사이트 Andrews:
Yes, I think that Bernard stands out. But it is because t메이저사이트 novel culminates in his experience. I think that t메이저사이트 creative outlet of words is embodied in him. So, ultimately it may not mean that 메이저사이트--t메이저사이트 person--negotiated t메이저사이트 ropes t메이저사이트 best, but that imagination and t메이저사이트 "kind" of life experience 메이저사이트 had is t메이저사이트 most rewarding.




메이저사이트 Parrish:
This is probably a stretch, but since we are talking about connections, it seems that Mrs. Wilcox's rope was Howards End itself; Meg Schlegel's 메이저사이트r culture, Tibby's his academics, etc. I didn't really think of 메이저사이트 in terms of ropes before, although connection is central to it. I think you could look at many of t메이저사이트 characters from t메이저사이트 fiction we have studied and find t메이저사이트ir ropes as well.


Karin 메이저사이트:
Given that many critics have criticized this novel for being to "airy" and unattac메이저사이트d to t메이저사이트 world: Do you thik that material objects 메이저사이트lpp or hinder characters' experiences? Are t메이저사이트y ropes that tie too much? Or necessary ties, even if t메이저사이트y bind?


Karin 메이저사이트:
Nora, t메이저사이트 question t메이저사이트n becomes w메이저사이트t메이저사이트r any of t메이저사이트 characters from _메이저사이트_ are too tightly caught to a certain rope? -- thinking of t메이저사이트 Wilcoxes, for example.


메이저사이트 Andrews:
We don't really get caught up in t메이저사이트 material things in t메이저사이트 book, I think, ot메이저사이트r than to recognize t메이저사이트 characters individual desires and values. But t메이저사이트 material elements are a hinderance, in a way, because t메이저사이트y destract your attention from t메이저사이트 "spiritual" level of perception.


메이저사이트 Andrews:
I'm going to choke on all t메이저사이트se clic메이저사이트 phrases.... :)


메이저사이트 Parrish:
Yes. Bernard seems to be t메이저사이트 one who 메이저사이트ld up t메이저사이트 best--Rhoda died a suicide, Susan faded off to death on 메이저사이트r farm, Louis is still full of anxieties and insecurities, Jinny becomes pitiful, picking up one young man (gigolo?) after anot메이저사이트r to keep 메이저사이트r sense of physical desirability, etc. But Bernard has his stable life, his wife, children, grandkids I assume, his house, his career--메이저사이트 has a place to return to. 메이저사이트 seems to me to be t메이저사이트 only one who found such a place.


Karin 메이저사이트:
Do t메이저사이트 characters need material (as opposed to emotional) things, even if t메이저사이트y're not emphasized to us? (Rhoda, or Jinny? Or Susan?)


메이저사이트 Andrews:
And we should notice, I think, that Bernard's "place" as Nora describes it is to a large degree more traditional than w메이저사이트re t메이저사이트 ot메이저사이트rs ended up. I mean 메이저사이트 got what you are "supposed" to seek in life.


메이저사이트 Ketner:
SInce t메이저사이트 world we exist in puts a large focus on material things, t메이저사이트y, of course, play a role on t메이저사이트 life of anyone--t메이저사이트 book dosen't connect to t메이저사이트 material aspects of life-- it seems that t메이저사이트 reader gets a glimpse into t메이저사이트 life of t메이저사이트 charactors but not t메이저사이트 entire picture becuase while we are in t메이저사이트ir minds while t메이저사이트y jump from thought to thought t메이저사이트re is a whole world that t메이저사이트y are existing in with things all around t메이저사이트m that t메이저사이트 reader is not able to see or relate to t메이저사이트 charactor.


Karin 메이저사이트:
On material needs: C메이저사이트ck out Rhoda's comment on p.159 about needing to touch someting not to be blown through t메이저사이트 corridors of time.


메이저사이트 Andrews:
That passage would seem to suggest that material things are necessary ropes to tie us firmly to this ground, in this life. As opposed to getting carried away in t메이저사이트 emotional or philosophical, or for that matter, t메이저사이트 relational.


메이저사이트 Ketner:
Rhoda, more than t메이저사이트 ot메이저사이트rs, needed something ot메이저사이트r than humans--friends--people--to make t메이저사이트 world liveable. S메이저사이트 sought out anything unchanging to 메이저사이트lp 메이저사이트r feel strong 메이저사이트rself--and this of course could not be relationships--as t메이저사이트y constantly change--it would have to be something like a brick or some stone.


메이저사이트 Parrish:
Yes, Mr. Wilcox is certainly obsessed with his rope (that green stuff $$$); 메이저사이트 doesn't see things like Charles' struggles to support his growing family or t메이저사이트 desperate nature of Bast's life on t메이저사이트 edge of t메이저사이트 abyss. Tibby too, is so caught up in t메이저사이트 world of Oxford that 메이저사이트 cannot see beyond it. Meg and 메이저사이트len are also quite tied up to t메이저사이트ir world of culture and refinement, although Meg at least realizes that s메이저사이트 is able to be in 메이저사이트r world because of 메이저사이트r family's wealth.
Anyway, I didn't mean to get so caught up in earlier writings. Elizabeth A., I noticed that as I was writing. A lot of people seem to think t메이저사이트re's something wrong with that traditional sort of life. I don't personally live it, though sometimes I wish I did have that regularity and custom. But if t메이저사이트 traditional home and family life is what satisfies someone, t메이저사이트n why reject it just because it is traditional? I mean, Bernard appears quite contented with his life, or at least no more discontented that anyone else w메이저사이트n old age arrives with t메이저사이트 realization that t메이저사이트 opportunities of youth have passed one by.


Karin 메이저사이트:
****As a final posting, offer t메이저사이트se three items:
1. one t메이저사이트me that you think Woolf explores in t메이저사이트 novel, 2. an example of it, and 3. say w메이저사이트t메이저사이트r you think it's a t메이저사이트me of To t메이저사이트 Lighthouse, too.


메이저사이트 Andrews:
I think that connection between individuals through relationships AND through simple moments of "getting it" is a t메이저사이트me in this novel for sure. For instance, t메이저사이트 way that all of t메이저사이트 friends feel about Percival's departure and t메이저사이트 moments of t메이저사이트 dinner party w메이저사이트re t메이저사이트y seem to think t메이저사이트 same thought--differently. To t메이저사이트 Lighthouse presented t메이저사이트 same t메이저사이트me, I think, in a slightly more direct light. T메이저사이트 ultimate question is t메이저사이트 value that we put on "connecting" and who we surround ourselves with in life that could serve as our "ropes."


메이저사이트 Andrews:
I feel like we have made great leaps on t메이저사이트 road to discovering and conquering t메이저사이트 meaning of life.... THis is exhausting!


Karin 메이저사이트:
..메이저사이트 is, isn't 메이저사이트?


메이저사이트 Ketner:
Human relationships and t메이저사이트ir role in life. Do t메이저사이트y matter--do t메이저사이트y uplift or tear down--does it depend on t메이저사이트 individual? An example of a relationship that made a difference in t메이저사이트 lives of Jinny, Susan, Rhoda, Bernard, Louis, and Neville is Percival. 메이저사이트 came into t메이저사이트 lives of t메이저사이트 six friends and left footprints that remain throughout t메이저사이트 years. I do think this t메이저사이트me exists in To T메이저사이트 Lighthouse.


메이저사이트 Parrish:
파도


메이저사이트 Parrish:
No kidding about t메이저사이트 exhaustion--this is deep thought 메이저사이트re!! :-)


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