Hours/Dalloway #1

“The rich benignant cigar smoke eddied coolly down his throat; he puffed it out again in rings which breasted the air bravely for a moment; blue, circular - I shall try and get a word alone with Elizabeth to-night, he thought - then began to wobble into hour-glass shapes and taper away; odd shapes they take, he thought” (56). 

Woolf uses the cigar smoke to make her point that it is impossible to stop time. The smoke begins as brave, blue circles and then fades into “hour-glass shapes” before disappearing altogether. The original blue color of the smoke suggests the smoke's calming effects but because it “[breasts] the air bravely,” the smoke is not only calm but strong. The smoke’s circular shape suggests its endless, continuing strength as it tackles the air. This is similar to a young person’s journey through life - young people more easily fearfully face life than those belonging to earlier generations. This explains why Peter’s thoughts about Elizabeth are placed here. She is still young and has her whole life in front of her. The interruption also helps to show the passing time before describing the smoke a few seconds later as it begins “to wobble into hour-glass shapes and taper away.” Woolf compares the smoke to an hour-glass to introduce the topic of time passing. Just as the smoke was once bold but is now fading, it is inevitable that time passes and humans will eventually one day die. Peter and Mrs. Dalloway were once young and strong but now time has passed and they no longer have that boldness.

Works Cited:

Bear, Jacci Howard. “Blue.” About.com. 2010. The New York Times Company. 25 Sept, 2010 <http://desktoppub.about.com/cs/colorselection/p/blue.htm>. 

Snyder, Ed. “Death Depicted in Cemetary Symbolism - Part I.” Stone Angels. 2010. WordPress and Hybrid. 25 Sept. 2010 <http://www.stoneangels.net/death-depicted-cemetery-symbolism-part-1/>. 

Photo Credit:

"Abstract Smoke Art Tutorial." 101 Prints. 2010. 24 Oct. 2010 <http://www.101prints.com/tutorials/abstract-smoke-art-tutorial/>.