To the lighthouse / Virginia Woolf.

To the Lighthouse (1927) is one of Virginia Woolf’s most famous modernist novels. The story unfolds across three parts, primarily set on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, and focuses on the Ramsay family and their guests as they navigate personal relationships, memory, and time.

The first part, The Window, introduces the Ramsays, particularly Mr and Mrs Ramsay, and their eight children. Mrs Ramsay is a nurturing figure, while Mr Ramsay is more distant and philosophical. The family and their guests, including Lily Briscoe, a painter, are staying at their holiday home. A trip to the lighthouse is planned, but it is postponed due to poor weather. Throughout this section, there are deep introspections into the characters' inner lives, revealing their thoughts on marriage, ambition, and their place in the world.

The second part, Time Passes, is much shorter and spans a decade. During this period, World War I occurs, several family members die, including Mrs Ramsay, and the holiday home falls into decay. Woolf captures the passage of time through vivid descriptions of the changing house and nature, while human life fades away.

In the third part, The Lighthouse, the remaining family members return to the house after ten years. The long-awaited trip to the lighthouse finally takes place, with Mr Ramsay and two of his children, James and Cam, making the journey. Meanwhile, Lily Briscoe, now older, resumes her painting. As she works, she reflects on the changes in her life and the impact of Mrs Ramsay’s death, eventually achieving a sense of artistic completion.

The novel is deeply introspective, exploring themes such as the ephemeral nature of time, the complexity of human relationships, and the search for meaning in life. Woolf’s stream-of-consciousness technique allows readers to access the characters’ inner thoughts, offering a profound meditation on life, memory, and mortality.