Thesis: The Mark on the Wall is a riddle, the reflection on which stimulates associations and feelings about gender politics and identity, thus forming a continuous stream of consciousness shifting in the direction of displaying ideational phenomena.
Consciousness constructs bizarre structures; however, whether this process is part of identity construction is a question that requires an answer. The Mark on the Wall by Virginia Woolf is a stream of thoughts reveals a person’s inner world. The heroine sees the unknown stain as an opportunity to delve deeper and achieve self-awareness by discovering that the mark is a snail. In the beginning, the narrator states: “how readily thoughts swarm upon a new object” (Woolf 196). Not constrained by the boundaries of information, the intertwined associations allow the imagination to uncover the truth. She begins with the nail, which “swarm upon” symbolic reflections on the essence of life (Woolf 196). The narrator doubts whether people understand each other despite the shell that hides their identity. Non-disclosure leads to a world “not to be lived in” (Woolf 198). The inner life of the house’s occupants is likewise unexplored, since everyone sees the shell. Even Shakespeare and other historical figures can be fiction, far from the absolute truth. The narrator shapes identity, moving from insecurity to self-awareness, comprehending the illusory nature.
The flow of the author’s thoughts on identity is closely intertwined with feminism, as through the heroine’s self-discovery process, she critiques the diminished significance of women. The sign on the wall has no shape and symbolizes skepticism which forces the heroine to reflect on questions regarding the limitations of the individual, particularly the female gender, in society (Neverow 59). The narrator’s uncertainty about the world during World War I leads her to look at the world from an unconventional perspective and become aware of the unrealized rights that are hindered by imposed stereotypes. An illustration is a passage demonstrating the narrator’s frustration with dictated standards: “I would like to stumble into a pleasant train of thought” (Woolf 197). Moreover, after some time of reflection, the author’s skepticism increases. For example, the author notes: “Men, perhaps, should you be a woman”, redefining gender constructions and demanding an equal society (Woolf 197). Therefore, the author is mindful of the common intimidation in this society, contemplating it through metaphorical components, thus emphasizing the urgent need for transformations.
Thus, the shifts in the narrator’s reflection enable her to see the genuine essence of the world order and transcend the boundaries of space and time, thus creating a unique flow of consciousness. This discharge represents questions, associations, and feelings which has shifted a reflection on abstract phenomena (Goldmane 81). It began with a stain on the wall that prompted thoughts of identity, the illusion of the world, and gender roles. These examples are stable concepts, but they all were interpreted in a way that demonstrates the inner world of a human (Goldmane 81). All these elements are the same parts of the thought process, which permits one to realize the obsolescence of the existing world order. After the interpretation, every reader can realize the value of reflection and understand how the flow of thought can affect identity and insight into the world.
Works Cited
Goldmane, Jane. “Virginia Woolf and Post-Impressionism.” Virginia Woolf: Critical and Primary Sources, vol. 3, 2021, p. 81.
Neverow, Vara, Susan Wegener, and Amanda Golden. “The Virginia Woolf Society.” Virginia Woolf Miscellany, vol. 97, 2021, pp. 59-60.
Woolf, Virginia. The Mark on the Wall. Thornwillow Press, 1917.