Progress in Modernity in the Mark on the Wall-Samples for Students

Question: Discuss about the Lack of Progress in Modernity in the Mark on the Wall. Answer: Virginia Woolf is regarded as a major figure in the history of modern literature and is known for her innovative techniques in fiction and her literary contribution to criticism. In her short stories, she has explored themes like the reality and truth, portrayal of women in the society and the nature and techniques of storytelling. Her works are known to be highly subjective and detailed in addressing the perceptions and the workings of the mind. In The Mark on the Wall, Woolf has used the technique of the interior monologue to demonstrate the inner musings of the narrator. The Mark on the Wall is underlined with multiple layers of meaning especially when it comes to pointing out the problems within the society. The thesis statement of this paper is to state that Woolfs The Mark on the Wall has deep undertones of the problematic progress of the society in the modern age especially regarding the imposed gender roles and the treatment of women in a patriarchal society. Like most of the writers of the modernist age, Woolf had always favored the use of the stream of consciousness technique. The Mark on the Wall was published first in 1917, in the near end of the World War I, a year before the women in England were given suffrage. Woolfs short story explores in the midst of the hollowness of the war, themes like gender roles, religion, trust and uncertainty. The story revolves around the musings of the narrator who wonders about a mark on the wall of her drawing room. Even though she is able to resolve the issue of the mark on the wall as a snail, she contemplates on the other issues and problems of the society of which she is uncertain that they would ever be solved. The narrator is unable to find any logical reason as to why her world is dominated as if generically by men. Moreover, the narrator is deprived of any religious faith on male-dominated church especially in a hollow world that is cursed by the war. The fact that the narrator is so inclined on the belief that nothing ever happens demonstrates her disappointment in the fact that her position and role in the society as woman is permanent and would never change (Woolf, 1997). She will forever be stuck in the role of a dutiful wife that the society has decided for her and there will be no progress in her identity or state of being. The moral hollowness of the war has developed in her a feeling of paralysis. Her life and her role in the society is predefined and has rendered her in a paralytic state where she does not have any say or anything to do to help the cursed war to stop. Throughout the short story, the feeling of uncertainty for the hollowness of the war and the society lingers on. In fact, the feeling of uncertainty is evident from the very beginning of the short story when the narrator is uncertain about the time when the incident had occurred: Perhaps it was the middle of January in the present year that I first looked up and saw the mark on the wall. In order to fix a date, it is necessary to remember what one saw (Woolf, 1997). The Mark on the Wall establishes the foundation of Woolfs position as a feminist her views on the World War I, patriarchal order and Victorian conformism. Woolf is of the opinion that men set the standards of the social order. This is demonstrated through Whitakers Almanack metaphor. The Whitakers Almanack represents what Woolf calls the impersonal and impartial authority or a system that stands for the bias and prejudice of the patriarchy against the women in the professional sectors (Woolf, 1997). Woolfs narrator predicts that the war would soon triumph over the patriarchy since it had discredited the Whitakers Table of Precedency which she believes has degraded to being half a phantom from the time the war has begun (Woolf, 1997). In a moment of anticipation, the narrator opines that women would love to find the masculine point of view which governs our lives to be discarded into the dustbins where the phantoms go (Woolf, 1997). This she believes would lead to disappearance of the male traditions, power and religion and offer women an intoxicating sense of illegitimate freedom, if freedom exists (Woolf, 1997). Hence, it can be argued that Woolf finds the womans position as being confined only within a culture that is fundamentally dominated by the men. There are several other instances in the short story when Woolf had emphasized on the contradictory gender roles prevalent in the society: What now takes the place of those things I wonder, those real standard things? Men perhaps, should you be a woman (Woolf, 1997). The most evident reference of the conflicting gender roles in the short story is its ending where the thoughts of the narrator are interrupted by the male counterpart. He reveals the mark present on the wall to be a snail. The woman does not question the mans authority and simply accepts his perception. Woolf finds it vital to challenge and resist the oppressive source by confronting the designed modes of behavior for the women as stated by the patriarchal society. However, the problem is beyond just the rejection of the imposed gender roles of supreme masculinity. The story is not just the expression of the mind of one person but a revelation of the combined ethos and mentality of England at the time of the Great War. The traumatized world of England is ruled by the men, men of action men, we assume who dont think (Woolf, 1997). Woolfs short story ends on an abrupt note: Im going to buy a newspaper. Yes? Though its no good buying newspapersNothing ever happens. Curse this war; God damn this war!... All the same, I dont see why we should have a snail on our wall. Ah, the mark on the wall! It was a snail. (Woolf, 1997) The exclamations of the intruder on newspapers and the war demonstrate his rational and logical attitude. He wants to develop and enhance his knowledge even if the world is suffering a horrible phase. His logical outlook and perspective allows him to immediately recognize the mark present on the wall as a snail. Some critics believe that the intruder is not capable of comprehending the snails value, as he does not realize the essence and beauty of something that is a standout. Here, can be demonstrated the dichotomy of the antiquity of the male gaze and the modernity of the female gaze. The narrator, being a female can understand the pleasure and beauty of not knowing the source and identity of the mark. However, the man is stuck in his self-created world that is torn by war disconnected from the beauty of not knowing. The lack of progress in the mentality of the society especially in the modern era and towards the women can be supported by the honest lamentation of Woolfs narrator: Oh! Dear me, the mystery of life; the inaccuracy of thought! The ignorance of humanity! (Woolf, 1997). To conclude, Woolfs The Mark on the Wall is a demonstration of the lack of progress in the social ideologies and contexts based on a strong feminist discourse like most of Woolfs works. The story is Woolfs statement of resistance towards the rigid set of values and rules as demonstrated in the Whitakers table. Woolf strives for the morally hollow, airless, shallow, bald society to see people outside their shells and explore their depths (Woolf, 1997). To state the obvious, Woolf has always claimed a diverse role for the second sex to induce in men the sense and essence of life. Bibliography Woolf, V. (1997).Monday or Tuesday: Eight Stories. Mineola, N.Y.: Dover Publications.