An unstable woman unsure of her life and the meanings it provided, Virginia Woolf brought to her writing some of the frustrations of her reality. As To the Lighthouse progresses, elements of Woolf's struggle appear. The slow progression of characters begins to pick up speed, and the pace at which the book proceeds begins a harmonic, oscillating movement. As the characters' actions and feelings reflect the meaning Woolf hopes to convey, time becomes a major motif in the novel. By changing the perspective, making sudden changes, and providing a sporadic pace to complement the changing emotions of the characters, Woolf shows time as an imperative function of life.

As Woolf introduces Mr. Ramsay, it becomes apparent that his obsession with time is not exclusive to him. The surrounding characters face similar conflicts internally with time. Woolf uses personal perspective to show Mr. Ramsay's struggle with...