COMMONALITIES
There are several similar scenes between the two books. These scenes are mostly so Mr. Cunningham can stay true to the original novel, whilst making his own at the same time. They also serve a purpose of highlighting the most important aspects of the books, which convey an idea and the author's take on that particular idea. A couple are shared below.
Buying Flowers
Each Clarissa begins her day going out to the shops to buy flowers in. This scene is extremely similar in both books, as it begins the story. As Cunningham's novel continues, the story deviates further and further.
Clarissa Dalloway doesn't hide her happiness in going out and doing everyday errands in the beauty of a June day in London because of "how fresh, how calm, stiller than this of course, the air was in the early morning; like the flap of a wave; the kiss of a wave" (3). She moves along the streets, memories triggered at random moments (for who can truly follow the train of thought of another's mind?) and describes everything she sees. She knows many people, and stops to talk with them. She moves through the city, and people know she's important.
Clarissa Vaughan starts her day much in the same way. One subtle difference is that she "feigns exasperation" (9) when she goes out to do her errands. She also relays to readers what she sees as she goes about her day. An interesting difference is the fact Mrs. Dalloway is mentioned in The Hours during this time as a piece of fiction within the piece of fiction. Clarissa Vaughan allows her memories to run rampant in the present as well, "stepping out through glass doors into a day much like this one" (10), and returning back to reality when her attention is required. She walks and holds herself much like Clarissa Dalloway, walking in her "sandpaper" shoes, she is very distinguished, though she is not an aristocrat in this retelling.
Buying the flowers contrasts the simple things in life with the deeper meanings of life, which are explored in both books. Buying the flowers and preparing for a party is contrasted with death and suicide, both saddening topics, forcing both Clarissas to see beyond their small world and expand their minds. Cunningham keeps this scene to align the two novels, but then deviates from it in later chapters in order to make the book his own, as well as to show the connections between people who are both very different and very similar at the same time. The scene exemplifies how mundane life can be, and Virginia Woolf uses it to comment this exact fact. Cunningham, having kept the scene virtually the same, seems to agree. Both also go on to explore deeper meaning in life after this scene to represent humanity's desire for deeper meaning.
Clarissa Dalloway doesn't hide her happiness in going out and doing everyday errands in the beauty of a June day in London because of "how fresh, how calm, stiller than this of course, the air was in the early morning; like the flap of a wave; the kiss of a wave" (3). She moves along the streets, memories triggered at random moments (for who can truly follow the train of thought of another's mind?) and describes everything she sees. She knows many people, and stops to talk with them. She moves through the city, and people know she's important.
Clarissa Vaughan starts her day much in the same way. One subtle difference is that she "feigns exasperation" (9) when she goes out to do her errands. She also relays to readers what she sees as she goes about her day. An interesting difference is the fact Mrs. Dalloway is mentioned in The Hours during this time as a piece of fiction within the piece of fiction. Clarissa Vaughan allows her memories to run rampant in the present as well, "stepping out through glass doors into a day much like this one" (10), and returning back to reality when her attention is required. She walks and holds herself much like Clarissa Dalloway, walking in her "sandpaper" shoes, she is very distinguished, though she is not an aristocrat in this retelling.
Buying the flowers contrasts the simple things in life with the deeper meanings of life, which are explored in both books. Buying the flowers and preparing for a party is contrasted with death and suicide, both saddening topics, forcing both Clarissas to see beyond their small world and expand their minds. Cunningham keeps this scene to align the two novels, but then deviates from it in later chapters in order to make the book his own, as well as to show the connections between people who are both very different and very similar at the same time. The scene exemplifies how mundane life can be, and Virginia Woolf uses it to comment this exact fact. Cunningham, having kept the scene virtually the same, seems to agree. Both also go on to explore deeper meaning in life after this scene to represent humanity's desire for deeper meaning.
Visit from Former love
Visits from the past come up in both novels, but in different ways. This shows Michael Cunningham's deviation quite clearly, aside from the fact that he made nearly all of the characters in The Hours' 1990s New York City gay.
Clarissa Dalloway is visited by her former love, Peter Walsh, after she returns home from buying flowers for the party. She is happy to see him, though she finds him somewhat annoying, finding him "exactly the same...the same queer look... a little thinner, dyer perhaps" (40). He also plays constantly with a Swiss army knife. He's back from India, where he has found a young major's wife to chase after. This interaction with Peter confirms, for her, she was right not to marry him. They reminisce about old times (42), and Peter's search to rekindle the love they once shared is fruitless. Peter lives even more in the past than Clarissa, hopelessly doomed to try and bring it back to the present moment, when he can never undo all the changes time has knotted.
Clarissa Vaughan is visited by Richard's former lover, Louis, who shares similar traits with Peter, but is a much more sensitive character. Clarissa, have been a former lover of Richard as well, sees him almost as a rival, even though neither of them are romantically involved with Richard anymore. Louis has an annoying habit, to Clarissa, just like Peter's playing with his Swiss army knife: He touches his nose, "left side, right side" (126). Louis still loves Richard, but like Peter, he has returned from his trip to far off San Francisco, where he too is chasing after young love with a drama student of his named Hunter. Louis is sensitive, having to fight back tears ever so often in this one moment (133) of revisiting characters of his past.
The largest difference is that Clarissa Vaughan still feels connected to Louis while Clarissa Dalloway feels somewhat alienated y Peter, who is stuck in the past. Clarissa Vaughan feels sadly for Lois, stating she wants "a doomed love. I want streets at night, wind and rain, no one wondering where I am" (135). This is a parallel scene to Mrs. Dalloway, where Clarissa briefly wishes Peter would take her away with him. With Mrs. Dalloway, she feels her emotion "reached him doubtfully; settled on him tearfully; rose and fluttered away" (43). She realizes she no longer has feelings for him in the present, only those that she felt in the past.
Virginia Woolf's original message with this is that feelings change, but people never really do. Cunningham attempts to extend her sentiments, but adds his own, saying with Clarissa and Louis' tender moment that people can change, in a way. They turn over leaves inside them that were always there, and simply access them as feelings change and time goes on. Change is a heavy theme in both books, and all of the characters seem to dislike it, though they know they cannot escape it. The visit from old friends holds the expectation of change, but the host always finds that the person hasn't changed in the slightest.
Clarissa Dalloway is visited by her former love, Peter Walsh, after she returns home from buying flowers for the party. She is happy to see him, though she finds him somewhat annoying, finding him "exactly the same...the same queer look... a little thinner, dyer perhaps" (40). He also plays constantly with a Swiss army knife. He's back from India, where he has found a young major's wife to chase after. This interaction with Peter confirms, for her, she was right not to marry him. They reminisce about old times (42), and Peter's search to rekindle the love they once shared is fruitless. Peter lives even more in the past than Clarissa, hopelessly doomed to try and bring it back to the present moment, when he can never undo all the changes time has knotted.
Clarissa Vaughan is visited by Richard's former lover, Louis, who shares similar traits with Peter, but is a much more sensitive character. Clarissa, have been a former lover of Richard as well, sees him almost as a rival, even though neither of them are romantically involved with Richard anymore. Louis has an annoying habit, to Clarissa, just like Peter's playing with his Swiss army knife: He touches his nose, "left side, right side" (126). Louis still loves Richard, but like Peter, he has returned from his trip to far off San Francisco, where he too is chasing after young love with a drama student of his named Hunter. Louis is sensitive, having to fight back tears ever so often in this one moment (133) of revisiting characters of his past.
The largest difference is that Clarissa Vaughan still feels connected to Louis while Clarissa Dalloway feels somewhat alienated y Peter, who is stuck in the past. Clarissa Vaughan feels sadly for Lois, stating she wants "a doomed love. I want streets at night, wind and rain, no one wondering where I am" (135). This is a parallel scene to Mrs. Dalloway, where Clarissa briefly wishes Peter would take her away with him. With Mrs. Dalloway, she feels her emotion "reached him doubtfully; settled on him tearfully; rose and fluttered away" (43). She realizes she no longer has feelings for him in the present, only those that she felt in the past.
Virginia Woolf's original message with this is that feelings change, but people never really do. Cunningham attempts to extend her sentiments, but adds his own, saying with Clarissa and Louis' tender moment that people can change, in a way. They turn over leaves inside them that were always there, and simply access them as feelings change and time goes on. Change is a heavy theme in both books, and all of the characters seem to dislike it, though they know they cannot escape it. The visit from old friends holds the expectation of change, but the host always finds that the person hasn't changed in the slightest.
The Suicide
Do not read further if you haven't finished the books. Unless of course, you want spoilers.
Both Septimus and Richard leap from a window to their deaths. Though the scene is essentially the same, there are major differences. Septimus is alone in the room at the moment he decides he must end his life in order to avoid being taken from his wife and to a mental hospital. After looking around the room, Septimus decides the window is his best option, and as Dr. Holmes comes to take him away, Septimus chooses the window, the "rather melodramatic business of opening the window and throwing himself out" crossing his mind, but he does it even though "He did not want to die. Life was good" (149). Septimus "gives" his life away as he leaps to death, not wanting to die, and not yet ready. He wanted to face his problems because he wants to return to normality, but his sensitivity to emotion made it hard for him to do so.
Richard is not alone. Clarissa is there, attempting to talk him down, telling him "You haven't failed" (199). His circumstances are different. While Septimus cannot escape his tortured mind, Richard cannot escape his failing body, prompting him to believe he has failed. He enjoyed life, and currently is not. Both he and Septimus see suicide as the only way they can escape the troubles that plague them. Seeing as he has already set his mind to it, and wants to control his own life, ending it at the moment he chooses instead of letting his AIDS take it from him.
Both of them choose the window, the open window, from which to take their lives. This connotes a certain openness to death, as well as a desire not to close themselves off from life, seeing as neither of them wanted to die, but were forced to give up or take control of their lives. Neither wanted to go, but they had to because there was no way out for either of them, but leaving the window open allows both Clarissa Vaughan and Rezia know neither of them really wanted to leave.
Cunningham comments on death itself with this change. Since he allows Richard to take life in his own hands, he suggests humans always have a choice, and even when they believe things are beyond their control, there is always a way to influence the future. This adds to Virginia Woolf's view that people are vulnerable and helpless at moments. While her writing conveyed the idea that there are moments of helplessness, Cunningham adds that an individual can take it back for their own in some ways.
Both Septimus and Richard leap from a window to their deaths. Though the scene is essentially the same, there are major differences. Septimus is alone in the room at the moment he decides he must end his life in order to avoid being taken from his wife and to a mental hospital. After looking around the room, Septimus decides the window is his best option, and as Dr. Holmes comes to take him away, Septimus chooses the window, the "rather melodramatic business of opening the window and throwing himself out" crossing his mind, but he does it even though "He did not want to die. Life was good" (149). Septimus "gives" his life away as he leaps to death, not wanting to die, and not yet ready. He wanted to face his problems because he wants to return to normality, but his sensitivity to emotion made it hard for him to do so.
Richard is not alone. Clarissa is there, attempting to talk him down, telling him "You haven't failed" (199). His circumstances are different. While Septimus cannot escape his tortured mind, Richard cannot escape his failing body, prompting him to believe he has failed. He enjoyed life, and currently is not. Both he and Septimus see suicide as the only way they can escape the troubles that plague them. Seeing as he has already set his mind to it, and wants to control his own life, ending it at the moment he chooses instead of letting his AIDS take it from him.
Both of them choose the window, the open window, from which to take their lives. This connotes a certain openness to death, as well as a desire not to close themselves off from life, seeing as neither of them wanted to die, but were forced to give up or take control of their lives. Neither wanted to go, but they had to because there was no way out for either of them, but leaving the window open allows both Clarissa Vaughan and Rezia know neither of them really wanted to leave.
Cunningham comments on death itself with this change. Since he allows Richard to take life in his own hands, he suggests humans always have a choice, and even when they believe things are beyond their control, there is always a way to influence the future. This adds to Virginia Woolf's view that people are vulnerable and helpless at moments. While her writing conveyed the idea that there are moments of helplessness, Cunningham adds that an individual can take it back for their own in some ways.