Over the weekend I finished the novel Mrs. Dalloway, and I have to say it was definitely one of a kind. Its one of those novels that are bizarre and complex yet we manage to understand and connect with it. A quote on the very last page of the novel intrigued me: "what does the brain matter, compared with the heart?"
I laughed out loud when I read this quote because at that moment I thought to myself of how clever it was of Virginia Woolf to add a dismissive quote about the mind when all 194 pages of her novel were merely a day or twos worth of thought that travels through ones brain.
In all reality, what does the heart matter when compared to the brain? The human brain is such a powerful tool, enabling us to overcome fears and cross boundaries. However, this brain, this mind is what disturbed Septimus after his war experience and is ultimately what lead to his tragic suicide.
The brain is what Clarissa uses to compare her selves to other women, to think and over think her mixed, yet divided feelings for Peter and Richard.
The one thing that continues to surprise me is the fact that this book is just a book of thought process, streams of consciousness. The things that runs through ones mind finally put down on paper.
At first I thought Clarissa must be paranoid to think about everything so much and in so much detail, but are any of us really conscious of what we think about each second.
No.
Even as you are reading this you've already had several thoughts pass through your mind, but can you name each one of them?
Do you even remember what you were thinking about?
No, because right now you're thinking of something else of which you're not quite sure what it is while trying to remember what you were thinking about and also thinking of how annoyingly long this sentence is.
As I read someone else's thoughts I had thoughts of my own that led to other thoughts and memories and it never really stops.
We never ever really stop thinking. We may change what were thinking about but there's always something going through our minds: questions, sarcastic remarks, disapproval, fascination, food, everything.
I have to say I felt satisfied when I read the last page and also at a loss for a way to describe the experience that i just shared.
I love how your brought up the fact that the book is really just a bunch of thoughts put into a book. I wish my life was as interesting as Clarissa's life.
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