In The Hours, Cunningham
plays with time, challenging the reader to make his or her own connections
between the characters. At the beginning of the novel, it is rather impossible
to make a real and meaningful connection between Laura Brown and Virginia
Woolf, for example. First, because of the epoch that each of them was living,
and second, because the only connection that the reader could make, was that
Laura was reading Ms. Dalloway. But I would like to go beyond the superficial
connection.
Do you think Michael Cunningham was original? do
you think he did a great job by connecting three different realities?
In my opinion, Cunningham saw the opportunity to do
something great, and he took it. He saw that there was something intriguing
about how these three realities were connected. Was it that the protagonist of
each reality was a woman? Was it the contrast between those people's
relationships? Was it... time?
I think that Mrs. Brown is the reader/character
that connects both realities: she is Richard’s mother, who connects with
Clarissa’s life (the other reality) and she is reading Mrs. Dalloway; she is
the one feeling like Mrs. Dalloway, and is tired of her role as a mother and a
wife. But on the other hand, Clarissa is feeling pressured by the past: her
romance with Richard and a very important and special moment between them.
This novel is trying to tell us that we, as human
beings, are time-dependent, and that there is nothing that we can do about it.
Memories from the past are always present and they shape our actions and
emotions. By reading this novel, we become aware of our nature, and how bounded
we are to time, even if we do not notice that. Time is inevitable, and more
hours will come, and with that, the same routine. Just as in Mrs. Dalloway:
showing us the whole life of a woman in only one day.
These three realities in The Hours show a
particular moment in time of each of these women, and every detail of their
lives has a consequence and a cause for their actions.
Do you think we are tied to time? Do you think
Laura is an underrated character in the novel? I would like to read your
comments!
Hello Loreto:
ResponderBorrarI'd like to point aout two things:
- I really liked your post because it is very similar to what I posted in terms of connections. The same connection that you present can be applied to the relationship between the author, the character(s), and reader of any book.
We, as readers, may feel represented by the characters in a book, therefore, by the author's perception of life and literature.
- And secondly, I'd like to answer one of your questions and say that we are tied to time.
As you insinuate, past determines our life whether we want it or not. Phrases like "I have never let my past determine my present" are no true at all. If we want to change something in our lives is because we did not like something of our past; and if we want to keep doing something is because we actually liked it. It is simple: we may change, hide or keep something, but always because it had a role in our past.
So yes, we are tied to time.
Hello Loreto,
ResponderBorrarThanks for your entry! I found it quite interesting in terms of our understanding certain aspects of life, and also helpful when reading the novel.
I think that having these ideas you talk about on mind we can have a better understanding of the novel and this way we can enjoy it better.
I personally think that time has a huge influence on our lives. All we do is related to our experiences the past and decisions are made considering things that have happened to us. Future is also influencing us too. It motivate us to do things and to get involve in new activities. For example, we study because we know that although it is a sacrifice to spend years doing it, we will have a "reward" in the future and so on. I must say that we are tied to time.
Thank you,
Edu.
Hi Loreto,
ResponderBorrarI really enjoyed your entry, as you, I think that The Hours is a masterpiece. It is quite ineteresting how the author links this three stories into one, how he tells us about one day in the life og this three women. For me, it was quite enjoyable since I believe that we as human beings tend to live in the past, and that past is huge influence in all the decisions that we make, in the way we live, even in our behaviour. The good and bad past experiences shape our decisions and as a consquence: what we are today.