To the lighhouse

Question

The window chapter VIIt was a splendid mind. For if thought is like the keyboard of a piano, divided into so many notes, or like the alphabet is ranged in twenty six letters all in order, then his splendid mind had no sort of difficulty in running over those letters one by one, firmly and accurately, until it had reached, say, the letter Q. Till the end of the chapter.What is Q, R and Z here in the novel? Secondly, I couldn't understand the significance of the simile of alphabet in this chapter, please somebody explain it.

Enoon · Accepted Answer

She is an experimental writer. Understand what you can, and just read on. Nobody will get it all. I see her alphabet as progressively more difficult answers to progressively more difficult questions about the mystery of life, about how to conduct one's affairs, what to do. Q is sixteenth out of twenty-six, a little more than halfway. Not bad.

Sundarnaz · Answer

Yes, you are right. She is amazing. Simple in style, diction and simile but a bit difficult to get. Even then not boring

. I read each paragraph at least twice only then I got her.
Thanks for your reply.I will wait may be someone else also reply and explain the paragraph more.

An0nymous · Answer

Here's how I look at it.  As a purely practical matter, a novelist must include a mass of "filler," in order to fill the 500 or so pages of a typical novel.  This novelist, and others too, has chosen to use sometimes barely intelligible "stream of consciousness" babbling as filler, as is evidenced here, with the Q, R, etc. "metaphor."  That it is barely comprehensible apparently does not concern the writer.  I'm surprised that other things in this chapter don't equally puzzle you, like:  "A shutter, like the leathern eyelid of a lizard, flickered over the intensity of his gaze to obscure the letter R."  Why the lizard eyelid metaphor?   Filler.

CalifJim · Answer

sundarnazWhat is Q, R and Z here in the novel?

Each successive letter represents a deeper level of understanding of the philosophical problems that Mr. Ramsey deals with in his career. Recall that he writes books on philosophy.

The deeper your understanding (and the more skillfully you can communicate this in your writings), the more successful you may consider yourself. Ramsey's mastery of his subject to this point in his life is such that he has reached "Level Q". We may assume he is struggling with the step from Q to R at this point in the narrative. In other words, he wants to spur his career forward by building on what he has accomplished so far, but he is faced with some sort of barrier. Is he losing his ability to think through these problems? Is he getting too old?

He dreams of being able to solve philosophical problems of greater and greater difficulty, represented by R, S, T, U, V, and so on. He hopes he will reach the full understanding of the entire world of philosophy, represented by Z, before he dies. How famous he would be if he could do that!

It looks, however, like that is not going to happen. He tries to console himself with thoughts that it may not be so dishonorable to slacken in his ambitions. He thinks of himself as the leader of a doomed expedition. Maybe no one can solve these philosophical problems. If that's the case, no one can blame him for giving up. He has done his part just in accomplishing "Level Q", and he has somewhat of a right to feel proud that he has got that far. Now it may be time to retire from all that and turn more of his attention to his family.

CJ

CalifJim · Answer

An0nymousHere's how I look at it. As a purely practical matter, a novelist must include a mass of "filler," in order to fill the 500 or so pages of a typical novel. This novelist, and others too, has chosen to use sometimes barely intelligible "stream of consciousness" babbling as filler, as is evidenced here, with the Q, R, etc. "metaphor." That it is barely comprehensible apparently does not concern the writer. I'm surprised that other things in this chapter don't equally puzzle you, like: "A shutter, like the leathern eyelid of a lizard, flickered over the intensity of his gaze to obscure the letter R." Why the lizard eyelid metaphor? Filler.

Well if you take out all the artfulness of the work — what you call "filler" — there's not much left, is there?

The boy wanted to go to the lighthouse with his dad. He didn't get his wish until years later, as a nearly grown man.

Or does that have too much filler for you as well?

CJ

Sundarnaz · Answer

Mr. Anonymous I don't know what to say to a person who speaks so blunt about art. How will one flourish if one does not read and understand the FILLER? One need a better outlook. Which is gain mostly through literature containing FILLER.

Sundarnaz · Answer

Thanks sir thank you so much you really cleared the whole thing.

To the lighhouse

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