An Essay on 'The Hours' by Michael Cunningham

A school assignment that I had much too much fun doing

 

The Hours essay

Effortlessly spanning the eras, Michael Cunningham’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel involves three different characters, separated by time and distance, each linked by one common artefact: Virginia Woolf’s ‘Mrs Dalloway.’

In London, during the 1920’s, Virginia Woolf is at work on her new book. In Los Angeles, during the 1940’s, a bemused soon to be mother of two is reading ‘Mrs Dalloway.’ In New York, at the end of the twentieth century, Mrs Dalloway is throwing a party for her sick friend.

 Virginia Woolf rushes from her house, fills her pockets with rocks and wades out into a river: a prologue not in sequence with the rest of the book.

The story begins as Mrs Dalloway leaves her apartment to buy flowers for the party she is hosting for her sick friend, Richard. Her real name is Clarissa Vaughn and on her way to the flower shop, she remembers the day when Richard christened her ‘Mrs Dalloway’ because (as he explains) Clarissa is clearly destined for Mrs Dalloway’s life of a hostess.

Virginia Woolf awakens and thinks about the story she is writing, concentrating on the first sentence. She goes downstairs and talks to her husband, Leonard, who insists on her eating lunch with him later. She agrees impatiently and returns to her room, careful to avoid her servants. Virginia ruminates on the absorbingly quiet country where she lives, pining for the fast pace of the city. She picks up her pen and writes the first sentence.

After reading the first couple of sentences of ‘Mrs Dalloway,’ Laura Brown remembers that it is her husband’s birthday. Continuing to read, Laura vows to make up for her being late by baking her husband a birthday cake. She reads more and wonders how someone who could have written with such insight could come to kill herself. Laura finally closes the book, heads downstairs and scolds her husband for buying her roses on his birthday.

Clarissa leaves the flower shop and walks to her friend, Richard’s apartment. She thinks of the award that Richard is receiving: the reason she is throwing him a party. Clarissa greets Richard and asks him whether his imaginary friends have visited. He answers positively and she reminds him of the party later that day. He seems rather disgruntled and confused; claiming that he is only receiving the award because of his sickness. Richard asks to skip the party but Clarissa persuades him to attend.

Virginia Woolf goes for a walk and plans her book. She knows already that the heroine, Mrs Dalloway, will die and decides to make it by Mrs Dalloway’s own hand. When Virginia returns she talks with Nelly, her housekeeper about lunch. During this placid conversation, Virginia mentally shrivels from her servant; imagining herself as an all-powerful Amazon at the behest of Nelly. Virginia reminds Nelly that Vanessa, Virginia’s sister, is coming later and requests that she travel to London and procure some ginger for their afternoon tea. She exclaims that she would give anything for a trip to London and returns to her room. Virginia contemplates her uneasiness when dealing with her servants and resolves to make Mrs Dalloway skilled with hers.

Laura is very disappointed with the cake she has baked. She had very high hopes for the cake and its imperfections upset her. Her neighbour, Kitty comes to her house and tells Laura that she is going to the hospital and Laura immediately begins comforting her. This raw emotion leads to a kiss initiated by Laura and ended by Kitty. Kitty quickly leaves, declining Laura’s offer to drive her to the hospital. Laura throws out her cake and resolves to make a new one.

Virginia’s sister, Vanessa, and her children arrive earlier than expected. Vanessa’s children find an ill bird and they prepare a funeral for it. As she watches the bird lying peacefully on the ground, Virginia wishes to be in the bird’s place.

Laura drives down a highway alone. She has just dropped her son off at a neighbour’s house, claiming a last minute errand. Earlier, Laura had baked another cake, better than the first but still not meeting her expectations, which is what triggered her resignation. She ends up at a hotel, checks into a room and continues reading ‘Mrs Dalloway.’ As Laura reads, she thinks about the possibility of dying, how easy it would be to die, especially in a hotel; so clean, white and impersonal. She contemplates the effect her death would have on her family and her unborn child and realises suddenly that she can’t. Laura is relieved; however, that it is would be simple to die.

 As Virginia and her sister sit in the kitchen, drinking their tea, Virginia decides that Mrs Dalloway will not kill herself. She resolves to have someone else die; someone with more brilliance and emotion. Nelly returns from London and when her back is turned in the kitchen, Virginia kisses her sister; chastely yet still feels as if she is partaking in a forbidden pleasure.

Clarissa’s daughter, Julia, arrives early and helps her mother prepare for the party. She tells Clarissa that her friend, Mary Krull, is smoking outside. Clarissa tells Julia to invite her in.

Vanessa and the children have left, Nelly is singing in the kitchen and Leonard is busy at work. Virginia is in her room, her earlier feelings of contentment evaporated so she quickly leaves the house. Virginia walks to the train station, intent on going to London. She spots Leonard striding towards her. Leonard questions her about her sudden disappearance and manages to convince Virginia to accompany him home for dinner, but not before she asks him if they can return to London. He tells Virginia that he will think about it.

Laura hurries home; late in picking up her son but refreshed by the time spent reading. Her son bursts into tears upon her arrival and rushes to greet her. As they drive home, Laura notices an odd look on her son’s face and answering her query, her son tells her he loves her.

Clarissa arrives at Richard’s apartment, intent on helping him get ready for the party but finds him straddling the windowsill. Richard apologizes; saying that he doesn’t think that he’ll make it to the party. Clarissa reassures him that he won’t have to attend the party if he will just get down from the window. He rambles about his sickness and the hours ahead of him that he can’t face. After telling he loves her, Richard purposely slips off the window. Afterwards, outside, amidst broken glass, Clarissa lays her head on his back.

Laura’s husband blows out the candles of his cake. A fury rises up inside of Laura when she sees that he has sprayed spit onto the cake but she quickly suppresses it. Laura’s son helps cut the cake and licks the frosting off the candles. She watches the picturesque scene and imagines a page in a book turning.

Virginia Woolf thinks of moving back to London and the book she is sure to finish there. She decides that although Clarissa won’t die, another will. A poet; strong of body but frail of mind will die. Yes, Clarissa will remain with her love of life; of London. A genius; deranged and impressive will be the one to go.

Laura Brown is getting ready for bed. Her husband is waiting; arms clasped behind his head. She thinks again how simple death would be; alone in a hotel room. What if that moment at dinner was enough? She thinks. What if you decided to stop wanting? Laura walks into her bedroom and pauses. Her husband asks if she is coming to bed. She answers accordingly. She stands there; still and thinking and feeling. Like a ghost, she identifies. Laura feels like a ghost; an impartial observer of her own life. Her husband asks if she is coming to bed. She answers accordingly. From far away, she hears a dog barking.

Clarissa leads Laura into her living room. Sally rouses a sleeping Julia and Clarissa introduces Laura Brown to her daughter. Clarissa offers the old woman refreshments and guides her to the sofa. Sally and Julia leave to make the tea. Clarissa remarks on Richard’s prowess as a writer. Laura answers accordingly; complimenting her son. They reassure each other that they each did the best they could. Clarissa watches the woman who fled her family; whose ex-husband died of cancer, whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver and whose son all too recently jumped out of a window. Clarissa excuses herself to check on the progress of the tea. She meets Sally in the kitchen and tells her she loves her. Thinking over the events of the last couple of hours, Clarissa exits the kitchen and returns to Laura. Laura: the freckled, traitorous retired librarian from Toronto. And her, Clarissa: not Mrs Dalloway anymore, there is no one to call her that. Clarissa tells Laura that everything is ready.

This novel is one of my favourites. I love the lucid, stream-of-consciousness method of writing that the author uses. The story just seems to flow naturally; effortlessly. I also like how he portrays Virginia Woolf. I must admit that I feared, even expected, the book to paint her in an unflattering light. I also thought that the character of Virginia Woolf might overshadow the other two characters but they were every part as much of the story as Virginia was. The book changes point of views quickly and frequently but it feels natural and not jerky. I have no criticisms for this novel (which is a rarity). Michael Cunningham has clearly created a work of timeless charm and appeal.

 

“But there are still the hours, aren’t there? One and then another, and you get through that one and then, my god, there’s another. I’m so sick,” –Richard Brown

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reviews

[TLK]

I had too much fun doing this too.