Abstract This essay offers an analysis of gender roles as revealed in Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse. Through both extensive textual analysis and reference to scholars, Woolf's perceptions about her own parents and the roles of males and females in general are discussed. The essay shows how the characters of Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay in particular embody societal attitudes of male worldliness and intellectual superiority as opposed to female emotionality and nurturing qualities. Also included is an analysis of how Woolf artistically formats her presentation on gender roles through her use of the stream of consciousness narrative technique.
From the Paper "In the novel, To the Lighthouse, Virginia Woolf explores the nature of gender roles as various characters in stream of consciousness narrative style reveal the inner workings of the minds of the members of the Ramsay family and their guests at their summer home in the Hebrides Islands. Mrs. Ramsay, wife of a scholar and mother of eight children, is central to the book, becoming, for the author, the embodiment of the concerns and cares of a nurturing female who is incessantly taking care of others at great cost to herself. Her husband, Mr. Ramsey, a philosopher, is the detached, intellectual male, leader of imaginary mental troops, fighting the great battles of the world, while his wife attends to lowly social details. Both these characters are deeply rooted in Woolf's own parents, Julia and Leslie Stephen."
Abstract This paper reviews Em Griffin's book "Getting Together: A Guide for Good Groups," which discusses setting up and leading groups from a Christian worldview. The writer categorizes three types of groups, and explains how Griffin draws on his many years of experience in small groups to give the reader insight as to the process by which a group becomes what Griffin considers to be good, or effective. The writer discusses some of the tools that Griffin advocates and explains why psychological techniques in the group process should be used in the church community, contrary to the beliefs of some. The writer concludes that Griffin has succeeded in writing a useful guide for creating what he believes is a good group and given the reader practical methods for meeting those goals.
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From the Paper "The atmosphere that the writer created in the construction of this book can be described as honest self disclosure. Perhaps due to the extensive reliance on personal experience, Griffin seems to bare his soul on many occasions. His honesty concerning failure, vulnerability, personal growth, and self disclosure leave the reader trusting him in a way that he could not have accomplished with a theoretically oriented book. The reader can relate to his shortcomings, and successes, and picture himself at some point along Griffin's spectrum of personal growth. It is almost as if he creates a roadmap to being a better group leader."
