Monday, April 01, 2013

Solid Objects, by Virginia Woolf


 Spoilers... But it's hard to talk about Solid Objects without spoilers.  It's a very short, short story. 

A piece of green glass made John go crazy! He gave up everything. To collect rubbish. I actually barely noticed the Stream of Consciousness style, because everything following John, moved so fluidly. Solid Objects might be my new favourite of Virginia Woolf's short stories (sorry A Hauted House). I went in expecting at least some extra concentration needed, that I often find with Woolf's work. I didn't get any of that.

The plot was clear and engaging. The characters were interesting. I wonder, perhaps, if this isn't some kind of commentary on British society at the time... On politics or politicians? Maybe it was about the power of change. One tiny, insignificant object, garbage, really can change a person's entire life. There are levels to Solid Objects, while also being one of the most accessible of Woolf's stories. I've always thought that starting with Flush, Woolf's short novel, was a good place to begin when venturing into her work, but Solid Objects might have just changed my mind.


Short Story Monday is hosted by The Book Mine Set.

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