The HoursThe Hours by Michael Cunninghamby Michael Cunningham The HoursThe Hours by Michael Cunninghamby Michael Cunningham

"To look life in the faith, always, to look life in the faith, and to know it for what it is. At last to know it, to love it, for what it is, and then, to put it away." - Virginia Woolf in The Hours

"To look life in the faith, always, to look life in the faith, and to know it for what it is. At last to know it, to love it, for what it is, and then, to put it away." - Virginia Woolf in The Hours

Presented by Eva, Emily & BrianPresented by Eva, Emily & Brian

Michael CunninghamMichael CunninghamMichael CunninghamMichael Cunningham

born in Cincinatti, Ohio, on November 6th, 1952

receive his B.A. in English literature from Stanford University, and his M.F.A. from the University of Iowa

other works:*White Angel*Specimen Days*Flesh and Blood*A Home at the End of the World

born in Cincinatti, Ohio, on November 6th, 1952

receive his B.A. in English literature from Stanford University, and his M.F.A. from the University of Iowa

other works:*White Angel*Specimen Days*Flesh and Blood*A Home at the End of the World

IntroductionIntroduction

Virginia Woolf tries to decide whether to have her character, Clarissa Dalloway, kill herself at the end of her book. Virginia eventually ends her own life, so her deliberations about Clarissa partly reflect her own personal struggle with the idea of suicide.

Virginia Woolf tries to decide whether to have her character, Clarissa Dalloway, kill herself at the end of her book. Virginia eventually ends her own life, so her deliberations about Clarissa partly reflect her own personal struggle with the idea of suicide.

Laura Brown feels trapped by the constraints of her role as a suburban housewife and sees suicide as a possible escape.

Laura Brown feels trapped by the constraints of her role as a suburban housewife and sees suicide as a possible escape.

Clarissa Vaughn dwells on the difference between her current life and the summer she spent in Wellfleet with her lover, Richard, at age eighteen.

Clarissa Vaughn dwells on the difference between her current life and the summer she spent in Wellfleet with her lover, Richard, at age eighteen.

Comparison between the movie and the novel

Comparison between the movie and the novel

In the novel, Laura is portrayed as having dark hair and eyes. (slightly exotic looking)

Laura is 4 years older than her husband, and she feels somewhat ashamed by this.

Laura’s family (her parents) failed to prosper in the US.

In the novel, Laura is portrayed as having dark hair and eyes. (slightly exotic looking)

Laura is 4 years older than her husband, and she feels somewhat ashamed by this.

Laura’s family (her parents) failed to prosper in the US.

Laura kisses her neighbor; is Laura a lesbian? Laura is portrayed as being

very confused about herself and her emotions. She keeps telling herself that she should not resent her husband or child. She is confused as to why she feels otherwise.

Laura kisses her neighbor; is Laura a lesbian? Laura is portrayed as being

very confused about herself and her emotions. She keeps telling herself that she should not resent her husband or child. She is confused as to why she feels otherwise.

Richard is a very sensitive boy and could feel his mother’s depression and perhaps

desperation for something more. In the novel he is only three, but in the movie he seems to be about eight. Even if the book follows the lives of each

woman in jumpy scenes, they are still quite specifically notated, which adds to the understanding of the novel.

Richard is a very sensitive boy and could feel his mother’s depression and perhaps

desperation for something more. In the novel he is only three, but in the movie he seems to be about eight. Even if the book follows the lives of each

woman in jumpy scenes, they are still quite specifically notated, which adds to the understanding of the novel.

Imagery in The HoursImagery in The Hours

Water Suicides is connected by water imagery and descents and books are always evident. 

The Dead BirdThe bird represents death and Woolf feels close to death at the moment, unable to fly and stifled by depression.

Water Suicides is connected by water imagery and descents and books are always evident. 

The Dead BirdThe bird represents death and Woolf feels close to death at the moment, unable to fly and stifled by depression.

Imagery in “The Hours”Imagery in “The Hours” Flowers The roses, in that they

speak both of life and death in their ephemeral beauty, are one of the most eloquent and most-oft repeated visual symbols of the film.

Kisses The kisses were the

symbol of an attempt and an outlet to look for love, vitality and life.

Flowers The roses, in that they

speak both of life and death in their ephemeral beauty, are one of the most eloquent and most-oft repeated visual symbols of the film.

Kisses The kisses were the

symbol of an attempt and an outlet to look for love, vitality and life.

Stream of Consciousness in The Hours

Stream of Consciousness in The Hours

Stream of consciousness It's a style of writing began at the early

20th century to express in words the flow of a character's thoughts and feelings and being inside the mind of the character.

The words often come together exactly how they do in the character or the authors’ head, they jump freely with no sense of time, space, or order..

Stream of consciousness It's a style of writing began at the early

20th century to express in words the flow of a character's thoughts and feelings and being inside the mind of the character.

The words often come together exactly how they do in the character or the authors’ head, they jump freely with no sense of time, space, or order..

Stream of Consciousness in The Hours

Stream of Consciousness in The Hours

It was made by three women’s completely separate stories taking place in different time periods. And these three stories were unexpectedly connected by the works of Virginia Woolf “ Mrs. Dalloway”.

The story is not told one at a time, but rather flashes back and forth between the three women and shows you exactly how they are linked.

Each of the three principal women is acutely conscious of her inner self or soul, slightly separate from the "self" seen by the world. For examples, contemplating suicide, unhappiness in a marriage, living with mental illness, and feelings of failure and so on.

It was made by three women’s completely separate stories taking place in different time periods. And these three stories were unexpectedly connected by the works of Virginia Woolf “ Mrs. Dalloway”.

The story is not told one at a time, but rather flashes back and forth between the three women and shows you exactly how they are linked.

Each of the three principal women is acutely conscious of her inner self or soul, slightly separate from the "self" seen by the world. For examples, contemplating suicide, unhappiness in a marriage, living with mental illness, and feelings of failure and so on.

ConclusionConclusion

Contrast-Leonard & Virginia vs Clarissa & RichardChildren vs Adult

Who’s suffering-Virginia & Richard or Leonard & Clarissa

Death & Life-Pains! Men’s or Women’s Pains! Men’s or Women’s responsibility?responsibility?

Contrast-Leonard & Virginia vs Clarissa & RichardChildren vs Adult

Who’s suffering-Virginia & Richard or Leonard & Clarissa

Death & Life-Pains! Men’s or Women’s Pains! Men’s or Women’s responsibility?responsibility?

Freedom!

Freedom!

WebsitesWebsites

The author and his works<http://literati.net/Cunninghamhttp://literati.net/Cunningham/>.

Questions for discussion<http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides/hours.asphttp://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides/hours.asp>.>.

comments on the film (Chinese) <http://www.gendereq.kmu.edu.tw/phorum/read.php?f=9&i=137&t=5>.

The author and his works<http://literati.net/Cunninghamhttp://literati.net/Cunningham/>.

Questions for discussion<http://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides/hours.asphttp://www.readinggroupguides.com/guides/hours.asp>.>.

comments on the film (Chinese) <http://www.gendereq.kmu.edu.tw/phorum/read.php?f=9&i=137&t=5>.