The Mark on the Wall.doc

Mai 6 Mai JunhengProfessor Duncan LeesEnglish 130620th British LiteratureJune 9th , 2015An analysis of the Mark on the Wall From the perspective of feminismThe mark on the wall, Woolfs significant and first stream-of-consciousness novel, is highly valued in the circle of literature. The mark refers to a nail, a hole, a small rose leaf and a snail, etc. It is always characterized and analyzed as a stream-of-consciousness short story, but, in the meanwhile, we should also focus on feminism. Stream of consciousness, a creative writing technique, through which Woolf makes her novel more expressive and impressive. She indicates that equality, independence, perseverance, and self-improvement are of great importance and women should struggle for it. In the meanwhile, Woolf also indicates her detest to patriarchy and appeal for new, equal social system. In the Mark on the Wall, the narrator I associate the mark with nail, flower, tree, forest, snail, etc. these images are always seen in Woolfs works and endowed with female characteristics. Images Reveal FeminismFlower, no matter in the West or the East, is always associated with female and regarded as a representation of woman. They share common characteristics, for example, they are beautiful, pure, charming as well as persistent. “The three chrysanthemums in the round glass bowl on the mantelpiece. Yes, it must have been the winter time”(Woolf Para2) The chrysanthemums remind the author of the time, which means that women assume the responsibility of reminding and they are important in domestic life both for men and society. Afterwards, the author keeps imagining. “It may even be caused by some round black substance, such as a small rose leaf, left over from summer”(Woolf Para5). Rose is beautiful, charming, however, it has thorns, which represents womens awareness of struggling, fighting back against unfairness under their beautiful and tender disguise. “The seed, must have been sown in the reign of Charles the First”(Woolf Para7). How strong and persistent the flower is, so are women. Although they suffer a lot, they dont complain, instead, they lead a brave life and continue bringing happiness and beauty to others. Tree, a representation of perseverance and ever-lasting life, covering with green, associates with independent and persistent women. “Wood is a pleasant thing to think about. It comes from a tree; and trees grow, without paying attention to usthen the grinding of the storm; then the slow, delicious ooze of sap”(Woolf Para13). Isnt it coincidently a portrait of feminist? Women, regarded as weak individuals, grow gradually. They serve society, family, husband and children without any complaints, but it is satiric that their painstaking work isnt recognized and respected as described “without paying attention”. Even if suffering from discrimination, they keep working, facing and dealing with difficulties, and at last, they are to get what they want, such as respect, freedom, independence, etc. The snail, the real object on the wall, is very meaningful. It seems that Woolf ends the story hastily with concluding thats just a snail. The shell of a snail, which just like a house isolated from outside. The shell protects the women from being hurt and provides them a private place to live in. A Room of Ones Own, expresses Woolfs desire for a private place and this desire can be seen in many of her works. Being independent with men is a distinct characteristic of feminism. Traditionally, women are always deemed as subordinate to men, and women should be deferential, humble, however, as time goes by, their self-awareness arouse. They begin to struggle for individual rights, and they hope to be free from exterior interruptions that prevent them from thinking deeply. Flower, tree and snail are symbols penetrated with feminist features. They are endowed with good qualities, such as perseverance, independence, beauty, diligence, etc. Through these symbols, hatred to patriarchy and desire for independence as well as freedom, dignity, are obvious. Womens Appeal for Equal Social OrderWoolf, for a long time, hopes to overturn the patriarchal system that men take dominant position and women are born to be subordinate. This system is influenced by the binary system, and establishment of a new ideology is urgent as far as Woolf is concerned. In the Mark on the Wall, Woolf narrates the story in the first-person perspective. It has changed the traditional narrative technique that women are always turned up as narrative characters in literature works, besides, it also challenges the literary conventions under patriarchy. “I”, in the story, complain about the current standards, principles of patriarchy dominating the society. “Patriarchy in the West is a kind of culture fear, and the world will be chaotic, devastating without patriarchy”(Charlene). Woolf disdains this system, and she hopes to be in a society where female can be respected and treated equally. In the essay, several male characters turn up, such as nameless man, Shakespeare and a retired colonel. Actually, they are expelled from the context. They play roles in foiling to make feminism in the story more impressive. Take Shakespeare as an example. “To steady myself, let me catch hold of the first idea that passesShakespeareWell, he will do as well as another”(Woolf Para6). Shakespeare, an outstanding man, as far as Woolf is concerned, he is just a common man. Conventionally, Shakespearean writing techniques dominate literary creating for a long time, but, in Woolfs opinion, others will do as well as him. So as a woman, if she gets equal opportunity for education, she can also become a writer as outstanding as Shakespeare. Shakespeare, a talent, a male, can be compared to anyone, which indicates Woolfs detest to masculine consciousness. In A Room of Ones Own, an imaginary character, Shakespeares younger sister, who is as talented as Shakespeare, also suffers from unfortunate fate. It means in a patriarchal society, no matter how talented women are, they can not get as much success as men do because of social discrimination and pressures, and it proves that unless a fair social order is established, women can be as successful men. Woolf also insists that women should struggle for their own rights. “Hell and so forth, leaving us all with an intoxicating sense of illegitimate freedomif freedom exists”(Woolf Para7). In such a society, freedom doesnt exist, and the most effective way is to fight for it. “Men perhaps, should you be a woman; the masculine point of view which governs our live, which sets standards, which establishes Whitakers Table of Precedency”(Woolf Para7). Men, the rule-makers, still control the society, and women are currently suppressed. It is important to arouse womens self-awareness, after which can a new social order be established. Stream-of-consciousnesshelps to express feminismAs mentioned before, stream-of-consciousness is a creative writing technique to make the topicfeminism, more expressive. For example, inner world of characters are described in detail, namely monologue. Monologue, literally, is to express ones inner thoughts silently. In the Mark on the Wall, Woolf shows the heroines thoughts, consciousness directly, which presents the readers an undecorated, original sketch of her conscious activities. “A quiet, spacious world, with the flowers so red and blue in the open fields. A world without professors or specialists or house-keepersif it were not for Whitakers Almanackif it were not for the Table of Precedency”(Woolf Para9). As far as “I” am concerned, all the conflicts are caused by the table of Precedency made by men, however, “I” dare not speak it out, because women are living in a masculine society. These monologues are continuous, although they are unspoken, they strongly express Woolfs desires for an equal social order where women can get equal opportunities. At the risk of ascribing all the errors to men, Woolf makes feminism in her story more impressive. Women even cant express themselves openly, still less other opportunities. Through using monologue, it is easier to arouse womens awareness of fighting for freedom as well as equality, because many women suffer from being suppressed. They are too fear to speak out.All in all, writing techniques in the story intend to intensify the topi