E.M. Forster on Individualism

I'll begin by saying that I find common ground with E. M. Forster, the individualist. He states "I hate the idea of causes, and if I had to choose between betraying my country and betraying my friend I hope I should have the guts to betray my country" (167). I certainly couldn't agree more! Before I continue further, I should briefly elaborate on the purpose of government as a foundation for my arguement. Man, as an individual, can be assumed to be totally free before joining a government. No act or desire is prohibited that cannot be acquired by force, guile, or other interaction. In this state of freedom, each Man is equally free and equally vulnerable to the cruelties of his peers. Government offers protection and order at the cost of certain liberties. If a man finds the cost to be outweighed by the benefit, he joins the government and obeys the rules. This is the purpose of government, to suit the needs of those who operate under its strictures.

Here's a fun question: what if the government you've supported no longer stands for what it once did? Such was the case in Germany, when Hitler dismantled a republic and replaced it with a dictatorship. A system that once supported free thought became one that squelched it, often violently. Patriotism is only valuable if the government you support is supporting you! Forster knew this, which is why he said what he did. Ultimately, all we have is ourselves and our loyal friends. We know them by face and name, just as they know us. Why trade that away to become another member of the faceless collective mob?

The workings of ants are remarkably impressive. They labor and travel in perfect lines and formations, operating with the greatest efficiency capable and constructing massive mounds that must seem as mountains to creatures so small. All this is done at the direction of a queen, so that the colony may continue to exist and thrive. Ants exist solely to continue thier own existence. humans, on the other hand, have the amazing power of creativity. This is a power that Forster treasures (along with myself I might add), and what seperates us from the more instinctive creatures of the world. When we sacrifice our individuality, for a nation or other cause, we regress back to being little more than really large ants led by a "dictator-hero" (172). Through criticism and free exchange of thought we can do more than mold stone and steel. We can explore the wonders of our existence more deeply than any ant ever could. Life is too short to be building someone else's grand dream. Forster knew this then, and I know it now.

Divided we stand. United we fall (backwards).

Lytton Strachey: Origins of a Man Bibliography

Michael Holroyd, . Lytton Strachey: A Critical Biography, Volume 1, The Unknown Years. 1st. 2
vols. United States: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1968. Print.

R. H. Vetch, ‘Strachey, Sir Richard (1817–1908)’, rev. Elizabeth Baigent, Oxford Dictionary of
National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004
[http://www.oxforddnb.com.ezproxy.tcu.edu/view/article/36341, accessed 24 Sept
2009 ]

S. P. Rosenbaum, ‘Strachey, (Giles) Lytton (1880–1932)’, Oxford Dictionary of National
Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 [http://www.oxforddnb.com.ezproxy.tcu.edu/view/article/36338, accessed 24 Sept 2009 ]

*Legacy of the Woolf*

In my reading of E.M. Forster's lecture on Viginia Woolf, I was left intrigued by his statement "I have not the least faith that anything which we now value will survive historically...and may be another generation will dismiss Virginia Woolf as worthless and tiresome" (205). I was left to wonder "Just what legacy has she left behind?" I am by no means and expert on Virginia Woolf, thus my examination of what she left behind will be pitifully amateurish at best. I suppose I'll begin by stating that I'd never once read any of her works prior to this course, however her name was familiar to me (much like Florence Nightnengale) though I couldn't tell you who she was. Despite my ignorance, the fact that her name persists is perhaps the strongest evidence of her modern relevance. When it comes to tangible remnants, it's easy to point to her body of works including: The Waves, The Voyage Out, and The Common Reader. Of course her novel Mrs. Dalloway proved the inspiration for Michael Cunningham's, The Hours, which has been made into a movie. However, Virginia Woolf's legacy does not end with her name and books. Something much more important remains.

We know from Vanessa Bell's elaboration of her and her sister's childhood, that Virginia was beautiful and brilliant (to the point of arousing jealousy) ever since she was young. Forster sums her up by simply saying "she liked writing" (205) and "frittered away her broader effects by mischievousness" (206). So, from just this information alone we can gather that this lady is rather out of the ordinary.

Behind the words penciled upon the pages there is a philosophy, a driving force, a passion, a goal. This is the real legacy, the one we have transferred to us secretly and invisibly as we read her works. Do I know what this legacy is yet? No. I've not the experience with her literature that esteemed individuals such as Forster possess. But I do know that her name lives on, giving her a kind of immortality. That can only mean that she left an impression on not just somebody, but a great many people.

The purpose of this entry is to ask a question.

What can we learn from the life and works of Viginia Woolf?

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So as not to look like a cop out, I'll answer my own question. Feel free to post your own unique responses in your comment.

As stated earlier I have only limited experience with Virginia Woolf, but I've been left with an impression that she wrote because she loved it dearly, devoting herself to her works entirely. Forster called her works "analogous to a sensation", which can only mean that she did a hell of a good job of generating emotion in her writing! When I see how enduring Virginia has become, along with the praise she recieves, I'm left with powerful message.

Do what you love. Do it well and make it your own. You'll be remembered.