Candid

This week we were told to bring in a picture from our childhood that represented something. A birthday, christmas day, anything. When people began to show their photos to the rest of the class we began to realize that almost all of them were joyful and the occupants of the photos were smiling. We slowly realized that photos aren't always truthful in what they convey; life isn't always sunshines and rainbows and because of this pictures are not an accurate representation of life. Although, many people said "well what about the candid photos? the ones where no one is paying attention and it truly is real life". This presented a sort of gray area in the realm of photos. But from experience i can say that some "candid" photos aren't really candid. Ive seen the typical Best-friend-laughing-at-eachother-like-we-dont-have-a-care-in-the-world photo planned out to be "candid", creating a fallacy. Oh and we can't forget all the heart throbbing "relation ship goals <3" photos scattered across the internet. Because how can a single photo represent the perfect relationship that every person wishes to have? Pictures only represent a single perspective from which something is seen; and this perspective might not always be the truth.

typical

Money Hungry

I will never truly understand business men who pollute and destroy the earth. However, their is always a motive. Money. But what many people refuse to believe is that money can't solve all problems. When the oceans are polluted to a point where no life can live in them, what fish will you eat? because i can assure you that money is not edible, but you can test that if you'd like. When all of the forests are cleared for more important things like new amusement parks or new cities, how will you get fresh air? because last time i checked those unimportant trees that you are chopping down create the air we breath, but you can attempt to breath your money. Air isn't very important anyway. In fact, if you cut down all the trees what will you make your precious money with? When you kill animals like elephants or rhinos for their expensive ivory, what animals will you put in your zoos or display in your circuses? When you destroy our atmosphere to the point where no life form can exist, what will you do? Doesn't matter does it? because you'll still have your money to keep you company. "We won't have a society if we destroy the environment." (Margaret Mead).

Window Pane

We have associated windows with Virginia's work throughout class; and this is also relevant for the movie Hours. In one of the final scenes of the movie Richard slowly inches his way to the window as he speaks to Clarissa, the woman who he could never obtain, until he finally tosses himself off the window pane. Rapper Eminem has referred to a window as a passage for escape and the window pane represents all the pain that stands between this as he makes use of this pun; "Now you get to watch her leave out the window guess that's why they call it window pane". 

In Virginia's pieces many of the characters are seen looking through windows towards there dreams or aspirations. However, the window stood as a barrier between their dreams and reality. The scene where Richard commits suicide is representing that he has finally escaped the cruel reality of his life; he was never able to keep the woman of his dreams and used his writing to escape to a fantasy world where everything was perfect. Also, even as a young boy Richard was held back from what he wanted by a thin window as he called for his mother. Finally, the open window was simply the end of his escapade, it revealed his true future, suffering and ultimately death.

Parallel

She felt somehow very like him—the young man who had killed himself. She felt glad that he had done it; thrown it away. The clock was striking. The leaden circles dissolved in the air. He made her feel the beauty; made her feel the fun. But she must go back. She must assemble.

In this moment, Clarissa feels very similar to Septimus who she doesn't know. She views his life and struggle as a representation of her own hardships. "He made her feel the beauty"; Clarissa finds new light in the actions of Septimus. She is not only enlightened that he has found peace in death, but also sees it as beautiful how he could escape his life. In this novel, Clarissa and Septimus act as counterparts who may seem very different at first but in reality have many similarities in their thoughts. Both characters have thoughts and actions that resonate with eachother creating a symbolic outlook on death which they both view as freeing. Furthermore, his death "made her feel the fun" about being alive and having these extraordinarily complex thoughts. The stress of time is all around her as the party wages on and the clocks chime; however, in this "moment of being", Clarissa realizes that the time will not effect Septimus any longer. Also, like Septimus, Clarissa cites a line from Shakespeare's play Cymbeline "fear no more" portraying her realization that she shall not fear what is to come. Septimus choose not to be afraid anymore by freeing himself from his worldly ties.

Spontaneous

"Life itself, every moment of it, every drop of it, here, this instant, in the sun, in Regent's park, was enough." (Woolf, 79)
In this excerpt from Mrs. Dalloway, they explain that everything in life is something to remember. Each and everyday has something fulfilling and memorable in it. This novel displays that all the thoughts and actions of a single day are very significant. The very slow moving story conveys that within each hour there are numerous events that will trigger feelings and memories from other periods in your life, linking together your entire life. "Every drop" of life is unique and you should capture all them, because like Virginia Woolf explains in The Life of a Moth, life is fragile and can be taken from you at any moment. So for everyone reading this right now, YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE, I don't care how of a cliche you think this is. Because truly, make the best of your life; stay up until two on a school night watching your favorite tv shows; go to a concert on a Sunday night when you still have homework (like I'm currently doing). Enjoy your young years, eventually you will grow up and have to deal with grown up things. So for now just live. Ps: I wrote this while waiting for the concert to come on, so if that isn't a definition for living life as it goes than I don't know what is.