Woolf's+style+part+2

Bro Tom mentioned it a couple times in class, but have you noticed how Woolf drops hints to us readers in the context of her own novel about the style she uses? On page 21, she gives us a suggestion on how we should go about reading "Jacob's Room" : "It is no use trying to sum people up. One must follow hints, not exactly what is said, nor yet entirely what is done..." On page 52, she admits that she uses an overwhelming amount of details: "In short, the observer is choked with observations. Only to prevent us from being submerged by chaos, nature and society between them have arranged a system of classification which is simplicity itself." And there are other instances, but I don't want to bore you, so to my point: why do you think she does this? To brag about how revolutionary her style is and how difficult it is? To make her readers feel like incompotent fools as they struggle to dissect a book like this?/ Or maybe she is just trying to help us out? 1201575979

I think that the main purpose of these lines is to basically encourage the reader to continue reading and not give up because of the unorthodoxy of the book. A book written in the perspective of the acquaintances of the protagonist had never been attempted, so anyone--including us--who, after years of reading orthodox novels, attempted to read this book would immediately be thrown out of their comfort zone. Woolf realized this and, through the above mentioned hints, attempts to prod the reader along, assuring that there is a point to her method and that it should not be judged until the entire book is read. I just finished Chapter 14, and while I still do not enjoy the style of writing Woolf is trying to introduce, I am able to tolerate more than I did at page 21, or page 52. As i adjusted to it, it became easier to read and more cognizant, and I think that this is the result that Woolf wanted when she included those lines. 1201638594

I feel the same way as dsU that it did become easier to read as I read more and more of the novel. At the beginning it was hard for me to appreciate Woolf's style because I didn't really understand it but at the end I was able to understand more of what was going on throughout the book. Back to lma's question, I would have never been able to make all of the connections throughout the novel if they weren't pointed out to me. But by connecting points in the novel to other points, I think that this is another reason it was easier to read once I finished the book. I think they help the book all come together and give sort of an explanation of why things in the novel are in the novel. I don't think that she put these hints in the book to make her readers feel totally clueless. Although they were hard to point out, I think that in the end they helped me understand other points in the book. 1201640821

I also noticed many hints in reference to Woolf's style of writing. On page 98 she states, "Here is another scrap of conversation; the time about eleven in the morning; the scene a studio; and the day Sunday." She knows this is the only background we get, if we get any at all. Similarly, on page 102 she says, "Multiplicity becomes unity, which is somehow the secret of life." I think this can be taken as a theme to her writing style. Unlike other novels, we receive more in this book through the strings of information. Eventually, everything comes together and we can learn even more about Jacob's life. Another example I remember, is when Br. Tom mentioned on page 105 that the "links" may represent the structure of the book. All these references encouraged me to continue reading, because I realized that this is how I'm supposed to understand this book at this stage. 1201657514

Woolf's clues about her own style serve as almost a dare to her readers. We talked about this in class the other day. There is definitely a way that each reader grows accustomed to reading, but Woolf's style breaks almost all of these traditional styles. I think that she is aware of that, and thus, she dares us as readers to break out of our pattern and read in a new way. If we are to really appreciate her writing, I think we must take that dare. Woolf's comments are simply reminding us all throughout the novel that this is not the typical work of literature. We need to pay attention details and stay focused on what's going on when Woolf goes into her stream of consciousness writing. Woolf is almost telling the reader, "Yeah, I know that this is abnormal, but if you go about reading this book like you would read any other work, you won't get it." Her comments make me want to prove to myself that I can understand it even if it takes a couple of readings. 1201732639

Well Woolf is definitely aware of the hints she gives. She gives us little scraps of information, bits of conversations. She breaks up the narrative. But Woolf discovers that it is possible to write a book with this style--the readers can stay with it. I like how KHo said that she "dares" the readers with this style. It's definitely a challenge, but I think many people get defensive when reading this book and don't want Woolf to "win." It's like a game. Therefore, the dare she gives us is taken on by many perhaps merely for the feeling of victory over the book and Woolf. This way of testing the readers is what has probably kept a lot of the readers who have been discouraged. I know I have been discouraged when reading this book. But it seems as if Woolf is in my head telling me that I can do it--she knows it's possible. 1201750440

I think that these hints that she gives us are there for a reason, and that reason is that she knows it is difficult to read this novel. I don't think the language is the thing that makes it difficult, I believe that it is the style she wrote in. Therefore, these hints are very useful. I agree that as I read more, the easier it was to understand her style and comprehend the novel as a whole. But as I have discussed in previous posts, her style of writing, although difficult, was essential because it portrayed how Jacob thought, and how he processed thoughts and memories. I also agree with KGa in that it is a possible style to read, and the more we read it I believe that it makes more sense. It is so different because we are practically reading Jacob's mind, or at least reading his memories. But ultimately, I think it makes the novel more intersting. 1201831296

I kinda think her comments were two-pronged. She mentioned these things because she believed them about society in general, or that one could learn by paying attention to what was not spoken, etc. AND also to explain her writing, in a similar way to that which she inserted in "A Room of One's Own" although that one was intended to be a lecture. But I'm not sure you can read so much into them. Yes, she does sum up what you should do, but just once or twice, as is her habit, because she assumes the readers are wise enough to discover for themselves what they are to do to not find it a haphazard blend of events and descriptions, to a point where one would question if the work were even a novel. Yeah, I think she tells the readers to study what she writes, but it's also generalizations, because she assumes we're getting it. 1201836600

I tend to agree with ptr. I think that while Woolf's style is extremely different compared to most authors, it is actually pretty cool and intriguing because it isn't like any other author we have ever read before. And in reaction to AZU quote "she assumes the readers are wise enough to discover for themselves what they are to do...," I think this is exactly what Woolf wants. She wants us to think for ourselves and to use our own minds to discover things. Yes, I believe we all had difficulties at times reading this novel, but I rather read a book that makes me think and pause for a second to reflect on what the author was trying to say than read a book that is pure fact. I don't know if she exactly "assumes we're getting it," but I think she does assume that were are thinking on our own for a change, or at least trying to. She pushes us to the limit, to the book where no school books will help us, only our intuition and emotions. 1201842687

At the beginning of this novel I hated Woolf's style; I knew it was good and took a lot of talent to write that way, but I hated it nonetheless. However, after discussions in class and online I was able to understand what she meant and where she was coming from when she wrote something that at first seemed to make no sense. I think through these discussions I learned how to read her style and by the end of the novel I was able to decipher most of what she was writing; I was even able to find clues that she left.1201880223

I don't think that Woolf is a pompous person so that is why i never thought that she was leaving hints to make us aware of how smart she is and to say that we are incompetent if we cannot figure her out. Most writers understand that not everyone is going to understand their style and some will try to make the language more universal or some, like Woolf, will guide us through her own unique style to help us become more accustomed. The clues are very helpful to most of us and i can safely think that they are there as aides not boasts by Woolf. Reading the other posts it seems that most of us were benefited by these small clues and i think that Woolf accomplished her goal in us. 1201884882JJa-c

Well, I will agree that Woolf's style definitely takes some getting used to! Yet throughout all of the challenges we face in keeping up with the complexity of the novel, __Jacob's Room__ is a worthwhile experience/read in the end.

Concerning Woolf's style, I compare it to being inside a dream (or something along those lines). One moment the reader understands what is happening on a certain page and the next moment, a sudden shift comes as a surprise. It gives the reader a jolt because it is difficult to maintain a continuous train of thought. Reading __Jacob's Room__ is like being inside a dream... so much that readers probably start day-dreaming themselves! This effect on the reader is a true testament to Woolf's brilliant, unconventional writing style/ability. As soon as someone mentions Woolf's name, certainly people recognize and start discussing their opinions on her works; Woolf's style is thought-provoking... the best kind of style to engage in an AP Literature class! It definitely gets the ball rolling for discussions and differing opinions.

One aspect that sticks out in my mind is what Woolf said herself about this novel: that she hopes "One thing shall open out of another" from __Jacob's Room__ (Dover Introduction). The plot (or lack thereof) builds upon this notion of events opening out of one another; it is all connected.

Perhaps my favorite idea comes from Woolf herself as well: "I found out how to begin to say something in my own voice" (Dover Intro). Not only is Woolf starting to identify her style as a writer, she is also coming to terms with what exactly makes her style unique-- her voice. At times, Woolf inserts the first person "I" unexpectedly, adding her two cents, which is refreshing for readers. Overall, I think all readers can benefit from Woolf finding her voice in this novel because it is so important that people everywhere find their own voices themselves. 1201892069

I almost feel bad that everyone has been giving Woolf and her style such a hard time. Granted, I'm not a big fan of the whole stream-of-consciousness thing, but who are we to say that a person can only write a novel a certain way? Just because a lot of us don't like it doesn't mean that it's not an extremely impressive work of art. I know that I could never personally write something in the style that Woolf wrote __Jacob's Room__, but that's because, as AWr mentioned, Woolf was finally writing something in her own voice. It's obviously going to be unusual and unfamiliar if it's never been done before, which is why everyone was so shocked and/or confused by it. I agree with the point that's been made that it's a hard style to get used to and just a hard novel to get used to in general, but that doens't mean that it didn't take a lot of talent and concentration to write. 1201900656

I think Virginia Woolfe is doing this for several reasons. For one, she is lending a little reassurance to her readers that yes, this is a hard if not impossible writing style to follow. She is basically admitting that it is an experiment in literature and the study of our own consciousness. Why would she need to offer this reassurance? Because she knows that the people who would even attempt reading a novel like Jacob's room are going to be the smartest and most educated of the society, even more so in the times that she wrote. And smart people don't normally like feeling stupid. You saw our own AP class's response to this novel. We are some of the smartest and hardest working kids in the school, and how did we greet this novel after reading the first few chapters? From my class at least I heard the words "hate" and "atrocity" used a lot in the same sentence. Virginia is just trying to say "hey guys, you aren't a bunch of idiots, this book is hard even for me to understand." Once I understood that I relaxed and was able to read this book with much more ease and understanding.1201931798