Self-realization in The Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf A lighthouse is a structure or tower that emits light to guide people, mainly sailors. Virginia Woolf uses meaning as a hidden symbol to guide readers to the deep, unresolved feelings conveyed by the novel's distraught characters. As the novel progresses, the meaning of the lighthouse is slowly revealed. The reader receives an insightful glimpse into the complex daily relationship of Mrs. and Mr. Ramsay as they raise their eight children and time passes. Therefore, the reader realizes how important an individual is to the lives of others, or, more figuratively, how a bright and powerful beam of light can guide a fleet to port. At the beginning of the novel, the path is based on Mrs. Ramsay and her children wanting to go to the Lighthouse. They find it very exciting and look forward to the event. However, Mr. Ramsay estimates that the weather will not allow them to leave tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. This has a negative effect on Mr. Ramsay's character, even though the rest of the story and these words reflect their consequences: "...it won't go well" (p. 4). In reference to their son, James, Mrs. Ramsay believes: “…he will remember it all his life” (p.62). This foreshadows what will happen later in the novel, as the children never forget and hold a grudge against their father for his past actions. Likewise, Mr. Ramsay does not forget to prevent them from going to the Lighthouse, because this is what prevents his conscience from being free. With each turn of the page, the author invites the reader to open the window into Ramsay's complex life and connect it to the meaning of the novel as a whole. Virginia... middle of paper......achieve what was long overdue in their lives, 'we' means more than 'one' and 'one' doesn't always have to be alone, ' …everyone seemed to move closer together to feel each other’s presence, which they had almost forgotten” (p. 183). Once this is found, they reach the lighthouse and find the light that Mrs. Ramsay had been leading them towards all this time, "...the light seemed to reach them in that airy, sunny garden where they were sitting" (p.186) Works Cited and Accessed From Salvo , Louise. Virginia Woolf: The impact of childhood sexual abuse on her life and work. New York: Ballantine, 1989. Temple, Ruth. “Never say “I”: at the lighthouse as vision and confession. » Virginia Woolf: A Collection of Critical Essays. Claire Sprague, ed. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1971. 90-100. Woolf, Virginia. At the Lighthouse. New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1989.