Question 47
GCE_MODEL_QUESTIONS_VOL1
•
2022
•
LITERATURE_IN_ENGLISH
•
objective
In Virginia Woolf's *Mrs Dalloway*, the narrative frequently shifts between free indirect discourse and stream‑of‑consciousness. Identify a passage where this shift occurs, describe the technique used, and evaluate its effect on the reader's perception of Clarissa's inner life.
Answer Options
Correct Answer
A.
The passage in Chapter 3 where Clarissa looks at the lilies illustrates the shift. The narrative starts with free indirect discourse - "She felt a sudden pang of nostalgia" - and then flows into a stream‑of‑consciousness run that records her thoughts without conventional punctuation. This technique pulls the reader into Clarissa's mind, making her memories and present sensations feel simultaneous and intimate, and thereby heightening the psychological depth of her character.
B.
The effect of the shift is to create confusion; the reader is left uncertain about whether the thoughts belong to Clarissa or to Peter, which undermines the psychological depth of the novel.
C.
In the passage where Clarissa prepares the party, the text uses only free indirect discourse - "She thought the guests would arrive on time" - without any stream‑of‑consciousness, so there is no shift in technique.
D.
The shift occurs in Chapter 5 when Clarissa hears the church bells; the narrative moves from third‑person narration to a direct dialogue, which isolates the reader from her thoughts rather than immersing them.
Correct Answer
A
Correct Option:
The passage in Chapter 3 where Clarissa looks at the lilies illustrates the shift. The narrative starts with free indirect discourse - "She felt a sudden pang of nostalgia" - and then flows into a stream‑of‑consciousness run that records her thoughts without conventional punctuation. This technique pulls the reader into Clarissa's mind, making her memories and present sensations feel simultaneous and intimate, and thereby heightening the psychological depth of her character.
About This Question
This is
Gce Model Questions Vol1
2022
Literature In English
Question 47.
It is one of the
objective
questions from the
2022
Gce Model Questions Vol1
Literature In English
examination.
Difficulty level:
Medium
.