To the Lighthouse Gender Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #16

She’ll give way, James thought, as he watched a look come upon her face, a look he remembered. They look down he thought, at their knitting or something. Then suddenly they look up. There was a flash of blue, he remembered, and then somebody sitting with him laughed, surrendered, and he was very angry. It must have been his mother, he thought, sitting on a low chair, with his father standing over her. (3.4.13)

When James sees Cam’s expression, he is reminded of his mother’s expression ten years ago when Mr. Ramsay demanded sympathy and Mrs. Ramsay gave way. It’s a female expression.

Quote #17

Lily stepped back to get her canvas—so—into perspective. It was an odd road to be walking, this further, until at last one seemed to be on a narrow plank, perfectly alone, over the sea. And as she dipped into the blue paint, she dipped too into the past there. Now Mrs. Ramsay got up, she remembered. It was time to go back to the house—time for luncheon. And they all walked up from the beach together, she walking behind with William Bankes, and there was Minta in front of them with a hole in her stocking. How that little round hole of pink heel seemed to flaunt itself before them! How William Bankes deplored it, without, so far as she could remember, saying anything about it! It meant to him the annihilation of womanhood, and dirt and disorder, and servants leaving and beds not made at mid-day—all the things he most abhorred. He had a way of shuddering and spreading his fingers out as if to cover an unsightly object which he did now—holding his hand in front of him. And Minta walked on ahead, and presumably Paul met her and she went off with Paul in the garden. (3.5.8)

For William Bankes, womanhood is equated to cleanliness, civilization, and stockings without holes. This is quite a contrast to Mr. Ramsay, who might also add something derogatory about lack of intelligence to the mix.