Introduction

Virginia Woolf was born in 1882 and grew up amongst the most influential intellects
of her time. She was a descendant of Englands most impressive literary family, so
talent obviously ran through her blood. She was one of the most successful and
prolific authors of her time, with strong connections to the famous post impressionist
Bloomsbury group. To the lighthouse is one of her most successful novels that
established her as a leading feminist and modernist writer and is famed for its
experimental stream of consciousness writing. To the lighthouse is divided into three
powerful sections, The window, Time passes and The lighthouse. Many were
interested to see how such a novel could be adapted into a film, as many techniques
that Woolf uses (such as acceleration and compression of time, and free indirect
discourse) had only been used within writing and could not possibly have the same
effect on the audience on the screen. Adaptations have always had mixed reviews
as it is argued that many films do not do justice to their novel counterparts. According
to Hutcheon, (p8) Many professional reviewers and audience members alike resort
to the elusive notion of the spirit of a work or an artist that has to be captured and
conveyed in the adaptation for it to be a success. However, some writers thought
that not only were adaptations all too easy to produce, the resulting products were
an inferior form of art that deserved nothing but scorn (Cartmell, p54). Adaptation
has various definitions, but can be described as An acknowledged transposition of a
recognizable other work or works, A creative and an interpretive act of
appropriation/salvaging or An extended intertextual engagement with the adapted
work (Hutcheon, p8). Either way one views an adaptation, it is clear that it is a
derivation that is not derivative, it is a work that is second without being secondary
(Hutcheon P9).

Modernism and stream of consciousness

During the 19th century, realism revolted against the exaggerated emotions of
romanticism, in favour of more typical real life situations, and it often reflected
changes brought on by the industrial revolution. Therefore, the writing in this era
was more focussed of social and political problems. The early 20 th century brought a
new movement in, one that reflected the new culture of its time. At this time there
were new scientific discoveries, such as the discovery of the atom, Einsteins theory
of relativity, Freuds theory of the unconscious and Bergsons duration (time as a
flow). New theories on colour and perception had artists experimenting with light,
lines dots and colour, linking their works to the structure of the atom. It is no wonder
intellectuals began questioning time and order, and this is evident in To the
lighthouse as it uses relative time rather than the historical time of realism. Woolf
had rejected the techniques of realism in favour of what we now know as
modernism. It has been said that modernism is a breaking away from the established
rules, tradition and conventions, and is an artists freedom from realism, materialism,

traditional genre and form. More precisely, each account defines the Modern as
taking an active role against tradition. Whether it is abandoned, broken from, freed
from, revolted against or rejected, it is clear that there is no place for tradition in
Modern culture (Cartmell, p53). The main characteristic of modernist writing is
stream of consciousness and playing with stretches of time, such as devoting a long
section of the text in a short period of the story, we see this example in When time
passes in To the lighthouse.
According to Hawthorne, Modernism typically focuses far greater attention onto the
states and processes inside the consciousness of the main characters than onto
public events in the outside world... Modernism has a profound effect on the
novelists conception of character. (Hawthorn p.60) Along with James Joyce and
Joseph Conrad, Woolf was one of the first revolutionary modernist writers of her
time, using stream of consciousness techniques such as interior monologue and free
indirect discourse within her writing. Modernist writers were more interested in the
form of writing rather than the content or plot, and the use of motifs, symbols and
landscape to represent emotions are apparent throughout. Unity and space is
unimportant to the modernist writer. The study of modernist concepts, especially
stream of consciousness in To the lighthouse is so interesting because it deals with
the characters most personal and private thoughts, ideas and feelings, meaning the
focus is more on the inner self than the outer self, which helps the reader connect
more personally with the various characters, especially Mrs Ramsey. Each
characters inner thoughts and feelings can change at any moment, and with multiple
viewpoints of individual consciousnesses, it is difficult to imagine how this could be
adapted into film. The flow of thoughts is easily written on paper, though not so easy
to convey on the screen. So How does the film depict the consciousness of
characters and stretches of time in to the lighthouse? Firstly I will examine the
opening scene of the film in comparison to the novel, how Gregg conveys free
indirect speech within the dinner scene (chapter 17), I will then look at the
complicating factor of incorporating post impressionist techniques into the film, and I
will also look at how Lilly Briscoes characterisation in regards of gender is built in the
film in comparison to the novel, and Woolfs own ideas on cinematic adaptations.
The opening scene
The opening sentence of the novel is Mrs Ramsey replying to James, her son about
going to the lighthouse. Yes of course, if its fine tomorrow said Mrs Ramsey, but
youll have to be up with the lark (p.7) It takes straight into the middle of a
conversation between two characters. This technique is Woolfs way of questioning
order and structure, and presenting characters through their discourse. Then enters
Mr Ramsey and dashes James dream of visiting the lighthouse. It then goes onto
building some lengthy characterisations of Mr Ramsey, What he said was true, it
was always true. He was incapable of untruth; never tampered with a fact, never
altered a disagreeable word to suit the pleasure or convenience of any mortal being,
least of all his own children, who, sprang from his loins, should be aware from

childhood that life is difficult; facts uncompromising; and the passage to that fabled
land where our brightest hopes are extinguished, our frail barks founder in darkness,
(here Mr Ramsey would straighten his back and narrow his little blue eyes upon the
horizon), one that needs, above all, courage, truth, and the power to endure(p.8-9.)
This is one long, flowing sentence in third person narration gives the reader a clear
indication of the masculine character that is Mr Ramsey. It gives the stark contrast of
gender and power between Mr and Mrs Ramsey, which would be difficult to catch on
screen. This is the first instance we see that Mrs Ramsey is more of an emotional,
mothering type towards James, whilst Mr Ramsey is more of a stern, disciplinary yet
truthful character. It would be difficult to transfer the beginning of this text on the
screen and this is apparent because the beginning is entirely different. The opening
scene begins with a shot of James looking towards the lighthouse, paired with
emotive music. The words Cornwall, 1912 appear at the bottom of the screen. We
can then understand that the plots setting has been changed from the novel, where
it is set off the coast of Scotland. Though relatively insignificant, this change of
location makes the film more autobiographical than the novel, since Woolf spent her
childhood summers in Cornwall (Lothe, p.205).The viewer then witnesses James
already upset and crying, with Mrs Ramsey comforting him, assuring him that he can
visit the lighthouse another time. It does not include James asking the question Can
we go to the lighthouse tomorrow? and it does not give us Mrs Ramseys answer, or
Mr Ramseys interjection. Mr Ramsey is first introduced at the head of the table,
talking directly and philosophically to the rest of his peers. This does keep in with the
characterisations of the novel, but portrayed in a very different way.

GENDER
Gender roles are a major theme running throughout the novel, and the dinner scene
(chapter 17) refines these characterisations of Mrs Ramsey who is the main
character in it. Here, it is clear that Mrs Ramsey is the social glue that holds the
family and friends together, and her dinner party to celebrate their friends
engagement could be Woolfs representation of Mrs Ramseys patriarchal family
values. Greggs design of this scene is inspired by the following passage in the novel
Now all the candles were lit, and the faces on both sides of the table were brought
nearer by the candlelight, and composed, as they had not been in the twilight, into a
party round a table, for the night was now shut off by panes of glass, which, far from
giving an accurate view of the outside world, rippled it so strangely, that here, inside
the room, seemed to be order and dry land; there outside, a reflection in which things
wavered and vanished, waterily. (P.131-132). This is a classic example of Woolf
using landscape to convey emotions and feelings. This is also keeping with the
theme of light/dark and inside/outside that is apparent throughout the novel. Gregg
conveys this by shifting from the dark, wet outside to the warmth of the dining room
several times throughout the scene, and the diegetic sound of thunder and lightning
is in the background. As the dinner party progresses, we get these shifting
focalisations of free indirect discourse in the form of a voice over. Charles is thinking
What am I doing here? Were pretending to have a banquet but really were sat in a

shabby old house whilst the wind howls outside. This keeps in theme with the sense
of isolation and loneliness of the characters. The focalisation and voice over then
shifts to Lilly who think Charles is clamouring for attention, she then goes onto
ponder how men need a rein of sympathy. It then shifts focus once more, to Prue
who is questioning herself and questioning marriage. As Charles is talking aloud,
Lilly thoughts are about her painting and it is as if she has an epiphany on how to
finish it and she moves the closest contents of the table as if she is rearranging her
painting. This could represent an alternative, creative path for women, rather than
the role set out in a patriarchal society. This is all keeping in with the theme of
gender. It is also a good technique used by Gregg to show how the inner dialogue
and flow of thoughts is happening around the dinner table in the various characters
minds.
Post impressionism
As Lily struggles to compose her painting, her concerns and methods mirror those of
Woolfs composition of the novel. Woolf uses the techniques used by Post
impressionist artists to try and convey her characters and produce a plot. Woolf
attempts to depict the characters this way has proven very difficult to be captured on
the big screen by Gregg. There are always these blurred lines between art and
literature in her novels that we can only assume are created with her close
connection to the Bloomsbury group. This small group of philosophers, artists,
writers included intellects such as John Maynard Keynes, E.M Forster, Vanessa Bell
and Roger Fry. They got their name because they used to study together near
Bloomsbury, London. They studied literature, aesthetics and criticism, as well as
having modern attitudes towards sexuality and feminism.(The literature network,
2000). Woolfs painterly techniques are intertexualised in To the lighthouse through
Lilly, who is attempting a post impressionist painting throughout the novel and in the
film. This painting could be a symbol of the abstract flow of thoughts we see in
Woolfs work, and tt is a parallel to Woolfs own struggle with the novel in general.
This idea is backed up by literary critic Goldman, who also says it serves as a
symbol of Lillys struggle for independence and her right to femininity. Lily Briscoe,
hemmed in by patriarchal contempt for womens artistic abilities, and by Mrs
Ramsays forceful marital ideology, attempts a painting, which serves as selfreflexive reference point for the novel itself. Indeed, it closes with an account of her
final visionary brushstroke in an elegiac moment of lyric consolation. Lilys rejection
of Mr Ramsays amorous approaches, combined with his childrens defiance,
suggests an unsettling, if not an overcoming, of (his) patriarchy. (Goldman, p1) The
idea that Woolf incorporates art into her work has further evidence from the woman
herself. When questioned on her writing, Woolf describes her novel as an
impression not an argument The use of poetic prose gives her work a rhythm, and
this is backed up when as she claims I always think of my books as music before I
write them (Woolf, Letters, 6)

conclusion
Woolf has never been fond of adaptation, and she expressed the concern in her
essay, The Cinema, in which she laments how Anna Karenina translated to screen
is barely recognizable. (Cartmill p.2) The films attempt to re-create literature,
according to Woolf, not only is a disservice to literature but also to film. She
personally claims The alliance is unnatural. Eye and brain are torn asunder
ruthlessly as they try vainly to work in couples (Woolf, 1950: 168, in Cartmill p.2)
So many would agree that Gregg did the unthinkable and Woolf would be turning in
her grave. The overall argument is that modernist concepts such as post
impressionism and stream of consciousness cannot be adapted fairly to the big
screen, just to the very intricate nature of these techniques. Although voice over is an
interesting way to convey free indirect discourse and the flow of thoughts, it is near
impossible to get the same effect as the novel itself does.

References
Cartmell, D (2012) A companion to literature, film and adaptation. Chichester:
Blackwell publishing,

Goldman, 2006, the Cambridge introduction to Virginia Woolf, Dr Michelle Denby,

seminar materials.

Hawthorn,(2001) 4th ed. studying the novel London: Arnold.

Hutcheon, L (2006) A theory of adaptation. New York: Routledge.

To the lighthouse (1983) Directed by Colin Gregg. 114 minutes. IMDb [video]

The literature network, (2000) The Bloomsbury group Jalic Inc [Online.] Available
from:
http://www.online-literature.com/periods/bloomsbury.php [accessed 14th May 2015]

Woolf, V (1927) To the lighthouse. Oxford: Oxford university press.