The one that I want to focus on first is the storyline with the modern day Clarissa who lives in New York. She very much channels the aura of the Clarissa in the book. New York Clarissa seems to be very confident on the outside. She mentions to Louis how she has been taking care of Richard for many years and she is very adept at planning parties. This seems identical to the Clarissa Dalloway in the book who is also confident and very social. However, both Clarissas also exhibit a weak side, one that they try hard to keep it to themselves. New York Clarissa tries really hard to keep it together when she's taking care or Richard while Clarissa Dalloway has her own moments when she is afraid of what will happen in the future.
What was strange and confusing to me was the portrayal of Richard. In the book, Richard is shown to be a healthy politician who seems both physically and mentally strong. In the movie, Richard is sickly and a writer (poet?) who doesn't seem similar at all compared to the Richard in the book. In fact, I thought he seemed so much more like Septimus, who we knew was suffering from PTSD and once was considering to become a poet (wrote poetry at least). Seeing Richard in the movie gave me a sense of what it would be like if the Clarissa in the book knew Septimus intimately and provided a different view of Clarissa.
Louis seems to be most like Peter. He seems to be very laid-back and does things on a whim. He even falls in love with a person who he probably shouldn't be thinking about having a relationship with. What was interesting was that Louis was once in a relationship with Richard (at least that's what I picked up). This is radically different from what happened in the book. Richard was fine with Peter but Peter didn't seem to like Richard that much. To put Richard and Peter in a relationship is something that I couldn't see.
In the other storylines, there weren't as many connections that I could make to the book. I think the biggest similarity that I saw was that both Virginia and the other lady (I forgot her name) seemed to be conflicted with life and death. This is really similar to Mrs. Dalloway as both Clarissa and Septimus ponder about the meaning of life. In Virginia's case, I could see why her thoughts at the time lead her to write Mrs. Dalloway. Clarissa Dalloway seems to have aspects of Virginia Woolf that I could see better through watching the movie. Both Clarissa and Virginia are wealthy people who hide most of their feelings on the inside. Septimus also seems to be influenced by Virginia Woolf. I can see why Virginia Woolf portrayed the doctors as the "villains" in the book because Virginia Woolf herself dislikes the way the doctors treat her. I'd like to hear what everyone else has to say about the similarities between the two.
What was strange and confusing to me was the portrayal of Richard. In the book, Richard is shown to be a healthy politician who seems both physically and mentally strong. In the movie, Richard is sickly and a writer (poet?) who doesn't seem similar at all compared to the Richard in the book. In fact, I thought he seemed so much more like Septimus, who we knew was suffering from PTSD and once was considering to become a poet (wrote poetry at least). Seeing Richard in the movie gave me a sense of what it would be like if the Clarissa in the book knew Septimus intimately and provided a different view of Clarissa.
Louis seems to be most like Peter. He seems to be very laid-back and does things on a whim. He even falls in love with a person who he probably shouldn't be thinking about having a relationship with. What was interesting was that Louis was once in a relationship with Richard (at least that's what I picked up). This is radically different from what happened in the book. Richard was fine with Peter but Peter didn't seem to like Richard that much. To put Richard and Peter in a relationship is something that I couldn't see.
In the other storylines, there weren't as many connections that I could make to the book. I think the biggest similarity that I saw was that both Virginia and the other lady (I forgot her name) seemed to be conflicted with life and death. This is really similar to Mrs. Dalloway as both Clarissa and Septimus ponder about the meaning of life. In Virginia's case, I could see why her thoughts at the time lead her to write Mrs. Dalloway. Clarissa Dalloway seems to have aspects of Virginia Woolf that I could see better through watching the movie. Both Clarissa and Virginia are wealthy people who hide most of their feelings on the inside. Septimus also seems to be influenced by Virginia Woolf. I can see why Virginia Woolf portrayed the doctors as the "villains" in the book because Virginia Woolf herself dislikes the way the doctors treat her. I'd like to hear what everyone else has to say about the similarities between the two.
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