Wednesday, May 27, 2009
The Lady in the Looking Glass
Oh! I love this piece. I love reading it over and over. It talks to me, personally. I wonder if you can understand it at all - I mean connect to its ideas at all, being so young. It is not about getting old, but more about getting nowhere. Tell me your impressions - QUIZ GRADE!!!
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Danielle Mahoney
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning i found the lady in the looking glass sort of confusing, but towards the end I began to understand the meaning of Isabella's life within the house. In the house, Isabella has objects that may symbolize specific characteristics of her life, such as letters or collected furniture. Because of these objects, people assume she has many friends, and has had many adventures while collecting her furniture. When Isabella is in the garden and cuts a branch of traveller's joy, she begins to think about her life. She goes back inside, and when she sees herself through the looking glass, she is not the person she has always pictured herself to be. In the looking glass, she does not see her possessions, only her naked self. She realizes that these possessions do not represent her life or show that she has lived a good life. Isabella finally understands that although she has gone through a long life, the possessions she has acquired do not define her or the life she has lived. She begins to see that she has nothing to show about where she has gotten in life, aside from her possessions.
When I first read this short story I was confused about a couple of things. However when I reread it and looked up who Virginia Woolf was; it made all sense after. At the end of everything, the only things “Isabella” had was her possessions and nothing else except bills. In this case, the quote “Artists use lies to tell the truth” rings true here. For example, the lies that Isabella tells herself tell the truth to the reader about Isabella’s personality and situation at the end of the story when she looks into the looking-glass finally seeing her true self. The story also reminds me very much of Araby when it comes to the ending when both characters have that moment of realization. It also makes me wonder whether another lie in this story about the character being named “Isabella.” Looking up Virginia Woolf online, I read about her long bouts with depression due to the various tragedies early in her life, which eventually led to suicide twelve years after this story was written/published. Knowing that information, I wonder whether Isabella was merely a substitution for Virginia seeing her own looking glass by writing this story at this point in her life.
ReplyDeleteThis story obviously continues the themes given in the previous short stories we’ve read including how hopeless things seem to be. It’s not surprising that Isabella wanted to imagine her life differently since it seems to not have turned out the way she wanted in the end. As stated earlier, it’s very similar to the end of Araby with both characters having their own certain dreams/fantasies until the end of the story when they both face the reality of their situations.
- Robert Santurri
Just as the others, this short story has multiple meanings and themes as well. This story can come off confusing, but when looking at each piece, there are hidden messages and typical life-lessons that come together and make sense in the end. The broad interpretation may be that things are not always as they seem. For in the mirror (the first time) and on the exterior, we see Isabella to seem wealthy, important, and interesting, due to the specific objects and possessions around her. She let her frivolous things and wealth define her. However, in the end, she finally sees herself for who she really is. She is not extravagant, or even very significant. Isabella is ordinary. When she finally reflects and looks through her own looking-glass, she recognizes this. Its as though she was leading a double life, the life she wanted everyone else to think she had, and the one she actually lead. That is why, the story mentions that people should not leave looking-glasses hanging in their rooms, because she doesn’t want others to see her true self, or how ordinary she really is. The same thing applies to today. On the outside, some may seem so desirable, interesting, and attractive. But strip them of their cell phone, expensive car, designer clothes, and gang of followers, the person is just as normal and standard as you and I. So why spend life striving for these things when they really get you nowhere?
ReplyDeleteThe theme the stands out to me here again is the idea of materialism. This story shows that the objects and possessions that one owns does not define you as a person. Isabella is surrounded by costly and rare objects. This infers to others that she is of wealth and of interests. In reality though she is just plain and ordinary. This theme is also relevant in todays world. I feel as though many people have the misconception as to a persons identity from what clothes they're wearing or even the house that they own. As the world becomes more greedy and set around tangible items, the more people are losing them true selves. One cannot be defined by an object that they own, I hope to believe that the world and our society is better than that.
ReplyDeleteMichael Canaan
ReplyDeleteThe theme of materialism stands out to me in this one. Although Isabella was fancied with great, and luxurious objects, she was not a greater person because of it. You can also compare this to people in today's world, because wealth and fancy objects do not make you a better person. Of course first impressions/opinions are inevitable, especially looks, but that is not what you should base your respect for them for.
The theme in most of these stories is materialism, but it is mostly shown in this short story. In this short story Isabella is surrounded by nice things and this shows to others that she has money and that she likes that she has nice things. She doesnt want people to judge her by her positions because this doesnt describe her personality or her intrests. In todays society most people are judged by their home or clothing that they might wear, i believe that you shouldt be judged this way and people should not always think on what they see.
ReplyDeleteIsabella lives in a nice house and has nice things but this does not show her personality. In today's world people judge one another based on materialistic things. Isabella realizes that her possesions do not show where she has gotten in life or define her as a person.
ReplyDeleteFrom the reader's point of view, this story has many confusing elements. The way things were described and what Virginia Woolf was illustrating through her words did not assist the reader that much. Though after reading the other short stories and this, I would have to say that this story was based around materialistic ideas. Her luxurious house, her beautiful furniture, and her letters meant nothing in the end. They were were only items. None of it described who she was and what was truly inside her. I have some doubts with my interpretation of the book, but this is how it depicted itself to me.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first read the story and I was very confused. After I reread it I realized what was going on. Isabella has loads of possessions in a very nice house. Judging only from her possessions you can assume she is pretty well off and well liked. You could also assume that she may have gone on some interesting adventures to compile her furniture collection. Then, after she looks in the looking glass, she can no longer see her possessions but only herself and the person she has become. After taking a good look at herself she realizes that she has never really done anything with her life. All she has is some nice things and a pile of bills. I think this also has a deeper meaning about being materialistic. You may judge people on what they have or who they are wearing but in the end you need to look in the looking glass and realize what you have actually accomplished in your life.
ReplyDeleteJP
i beleive that the lady in the story wanted to stay in the past. she was happy and did not want anything to change from when she was young. she had freinds, money, and letters of her happiness. but when she grew older she changed, still beleiving that she was young, kept every letter that she had, but all of the letters that she kept in her later years were all bills, she kept the letters beleiving that they were love letters or something like that. as far as i know this is what i get from the story.
ReplyDeleteAll of the posessions that Isabella has aquired mean nothing! It is all just a facade to cover up all of the things that she hasn't done in her life. That fact that she had to actually look through this looking glass to see the real person she was inside seems to imply that not only did she have everyone around her fooled into thinking she was someone really sultured, but she had herself fooled. At the end when she says that no one should leave a looking glass lying around, she's showing that, to her, it would have been better to just keep fooling herself and to never have looked into the real her.
ReplyDeleteRachel Palmisciano
ReplyDeleteThis story is haunting in its saddness, and truthfullness. When someones life is void of interesting events and people, they may live in their own world in their mind. They may make ordinary things extraordinary. Isabella's life had no substance, there was nothing to her, but it was too late in her life to fix that. Yearning for something that is not there is painful, and she concealed her anguish by pretending to have more. She hoped others would see a different person than who she actually was.
this story is about hiding behind a facade. The lady Isabella had many possessions, but she could only see her true self in the mirror. She didn't like what she saw, because all she had in life were materialistic possessions that she hid behind. She had 'no thoughts. She had no friends. She cared for nobody.'
ReplyDeleteand although it might seem like she had friends on the outside, all her letters were actually bills, and she couldn't hid this from herself.
Sharlene Doran
ReplyDeleteAt first i found this story to be kinda of confusing but as i began to read further I found the Lady in the looking Glass rather said. the main character isabella has many possessions but none othem reflect her true self. the only time she ever saw herself was when she looked at the mirror.With that you realize that there is no substance to her.Everything she is,is fake.
This piece is about a woman who has lots of money and lots of things, but she does not have everything she needs to be happy. Just having all those nice things and the luxury does not mean she has the best life. After looking in the looking glass and seeing herself for what she really is she is disappointed and realizes who she really is or who she really is not.
ReplyDeleteThis story portrays a person who is so concerned with their possesions that they lose focus on what they are. A person can easily get caught up in a materialistic lifestyle and lose sight of the important things in life, such as who you are as a person and what accomplishments you wish to complete. In this story the woman is so set on having a solid, wealthy appearance, yet when she stares into the looking glass she finally realizes that she has not really accomplished anything in life and becomes disappointed.
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of the stroy when you thought of Isabella you thought of a women who had alot of friends and alot of adventure in her life. As you got deeper into the story you realized that was not true. She imagined back into her life through the looking glass and realized that most the possesions that she had did not really represent any special or important thing that has happened so far in her life. Wen she realizes this she becomes depressed and disappointed. She knows that everything in her life is meaningless and unimportant
ReplyDeleteLike in the story Araby, the main character has a realization that everything in life does not go perfectly. Isabella likes others to think of her as wealthy, well-liked, and elegant. She dreams of living the life of luxury. When she looks back, and see's her true self in the looking glass she realizes the fantasy she has of her life is unrealistic, but does not want to accept it.
ReplyDeleteJillian Orabone
ReplyDeleteIn the begining of this story I was confused about the main character Isabella. However after finishing the story I realized that this may have been done purposely by Virginia Woolf. In the story Isabella has worn a "mask" her whole life, not letting others into her life, shying away from who she really is. I feel that Woolfe may have wanted to confuse the reader about who Isabella is to prove this point. It isn't until the end of the story when Isabella looks into the looking glass and her mask is unveiled and there she sees the person that she has been hiding throughout her whole life even to herself.
I found the theme of this story to be very dark and depressing, (which also coincides with Woolf's life). It is a scary thought to think of living your life only for superficial pleasure instead of doing what you want to do. It also relates back to the theme of disappointment as we learned from the other short stories.
This story, once again, follows the continuing theme of materialism. When someone else looks into this looking glass and sees Isabella, all they see is a perfect woman in a perfect world. She has traveled many places and bought expensive goods. She is beautiful, wealthy, and smart. She always receives letters from a multitude of people. However, when Isabella cuts a piece of a plant off, she begins to think about how life would be if she was just cut off from everything and no longer had anything to impress people with. Upon coming back inside, she looks into this looking glass, and realizes that this is precisely what has happened. All Isabella sees is this illusion of herself stripped away; she has to possessions, wealth, beauty, or letters. All that she has to show others is a large stack of bills and a plain and boring person that would not stand out in the crowd.
ReplyDeleteAs everyone has said above me, this story is a great example of how materialism has taken over our community in modern times. The main character is worldly but at the same time has a lot of money and many expensive things. People from the outside that don't know her personality look at her and see a rich woman, and expect that that's what her personality only consists of. If they had gotten to know her, they would know that Isabella has many different aspects and layers to her personality. In today's society, this is prevelent. People judge you by how much money you have, or what kind of cars you drive.
ReplyDeleteFrom the outside it would seem as if Isabella has lived a great life. She has traveled and she has been blessed with having money. However, when she finally looks into the glass she realizes all of her expensive possessions do not mean everything. She has just hid behind them and used them to define her. None of these objects could help explain her or let anyone understand her.
ReplyDeleteI was sort of confused at the beginning. Throughout the story materialism was the main focus and money was the root of life. But by the end of the story she realizes that all of the expensive things and money didn't mean anything at all. Also seeing Isabella one would think she is a snob. But she really had many good qualities.
ReplyDeleteThe beginning of the looking glass was confusing. When i started to understand it, i really began to enjoy the piece of literature. This story was another about materalism and i wish i read it before i wrote my paper that is due tomorrow which i wrote on materialism. Through the story the main focus is money and how it can take you anywhere in life but by the end the characters realize that money isnt that important and it dosent mean much at all. After she looks through the looking glass she realizes that just because she has all of the luxaries it dosent mean that she has the best life and she is disappointed when she realizes who she really is.
ReplyDeleteAngelica Ferra
ReplyDeleteThis story shows that although you may have everything but no one to share those things with, a person really has nothing. Isabella travels, receives letter from friends, has a huge house and equsitie items that fill the house. But Isabella has no one to share it with and she realizes that although it may seem she has lived a wonderful life, she really has not because she is not happy in the end.
The theme of this story is very clear, materialism. Materialistic things in the world do not make you completely happy because if you have nobody to share your objects with, then you will always have that empty space in life and that is the moral behind this story. This is also very true in the world today, money is not everything it is only a small part of a whole that will give you happiness.
ReplyDeletejared DiBiase
ReplyDeletethis story was confusing
in this story isabell has many great items in her house. Material possesion dont make poeple happy or better than other people are and it relates to todays world because poeple with money think that they are better than everyone else but they arent.
Jerred Jordan,
ReplyDeleteThis story seems to start out slow, a great thing that this story did was show how at the end of your life the things that you have don't nessicarly make you great. When material objects are gone, only the love of other people and the love that you have for yourself reamins ... or doesn't. The other great thing was the descrptions of the scenery and objects, the prescion and detail that went into the background and objects I feel makes the story able to prove it's point.