Which text in these excerpts from Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway deal with the motif of water?

How fresh, how calm, stiller than this of course, the air was in the early morning; like the flap of a wave; the kiss of a wave; chill and sharp and yet (for a girl of eighteen as she then was) solemn, feeling as she did, standing there at the open window, that something awful was about to happen; looking at the flowers, at the trees with the smoke winding off them and the rooks rising, falling; standing and looking until Peter Walsh said, "Musing among the vegetables?"—was that it?—"I prefer men to cauliflowers"—was that it? He must have said it at breakfast one morning when she had gone out on to the terrace—Peter Walsh.

(June had drawn out every leaf on the trees. The mothers of Pimlico gave suck to their young. Messages were passing from the Fleet to the Admiralty. Arlington Street and Piccadilly seemed to chafe the very air in the Park and lift its leaves hotly, brilliantly, on waves of that divine vitality which Clarissa loved. To dance, to ride, she had adored all that.)

I believe the answers are "the air was in the early morning; like the flap of a wave; the kiss of a wave" and "on waves of that divine vitality" because they both mention waves (water) let me know if thats correct hope it helps!

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Loxia Loxia · Answer 2 · 2018-09-28T11:31:02+02:00

Excerpts from Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway deal with the motif of water is

"The air was in the early morning; like the flap of a wave; the kiss of the wave"

"on waves of that divine vitality."

We see the image of water as grim, as Virginia Woolf herself committed suicide by drowning herself. The imagery of water is left ambiguous, suggesting a lack of boundaries and control. As Septimus stood near the river is discussed committing suicide.

Water also signifies as serenity and clarity. The idea of water is also depicted through Clarissa's party dress as of mermaid's. Such motif of water with a dress depicts that she feels natural in it.

Another motif of water is implied when Peter sits in the park and thinks "Sirens lolloping away on the green sea waves."

Here wave can symbolize memories which are coming and going and is not still. Also, such memories are over Clarissa in the opening scene:

How fresh, how calm, stiller than this of course, the air was in the early morning; like the flap of a wave; the kiss of a wave; chill and sharp and yet (for a girl of eighteen as she then was) solemn, feeling as she did, standing there at the open window, that something awful was about to happen.