As in other novels, Woolf is primarily concerned with rendering the quality of inner life, but in each novel the inner life is presented in different way. In Mrs. Dalloway we know all the attitudes, thoughts, memories, hopes and fears of Clarissa Dalloway and Septimus Warren Smith. However, the character of Clarissa is not given to us as a whole. The portrait of hers is shown very slowly, through little touches created by her memories, speeches, feelings etc. Other characters of this book are introduced to the reader through many social interactions and chance meetings. In the novel The Waves the quality of inner life is presented in highly stylized, unrealistic way. While the voices uttering the monologues have different names, sexes and histories, the similar language of their monologues often seems more like different aspects of the same consciousness.
Another interesting fact that is typical for many Woolf’s novels is the lack or the absolute absence of the plot. The principle of organization of Mrs. Dalloway is created by events that Clarissa experiences in Westminster and West End. Chance meetings of various characters are important. Most of these people participate in Clarrisa’s party in the evening, although they do not have to be present physically. Some of them are present only as the object of dialogue. In her other novel, The Waves, no plot or story can be found either. The only principle which unites the novel together is the theme of passing time.
As we have already said, both the novels deal with the time and inconstancy of it. In Mrs. Dalloway we perceive the memories of different people, their present life, the mingling of their lives and their hopes. It is important that the hopes and desires are not fulfilled. Most of the characters make compromises. At the end of life they are not sure that the compromise is the right think to do. They are evaluating their lives. In the novel The Waves, different episodes of the life are presented to us from different points of view, but they are expressed in the absolutely same language. This fact is very striking. We would say that a lot of dissatisfaction can be found here. Although these characters are presented as friends, they are jealous to each other, when they speak to each other they pretend that they are different, they feel themselves to be completely misunderstood. One minute they love each other and then they hate each other. Although their relationship has changed a lot in the course of time, they try to pretend that nothing changed. Is this the real reflection of human's thoughts? Virginia Woolf brought into this book the characters whose difference can substitute the plot.
It is very interesting how Virginia Woolf chooses characters for her books. In The Waves and Mrs. Dalloway there can be found characters that represents the opposite pole of personalities. We have already mentioned Clarissa Dalloway and Septimus Smith. We can find similar facts in The Waves. Rhoda is the opposite of Susan, Percival of Neville, Bernard of Luise. However, in The Waves the characters are not absolutely on the opposite pole. They have different aspects of personality, but they have something similar as well. They are of the same social class, they study at the same school, know a lot of things about the others, have feelings connected with the others. It is important as well, that they know each other. In Mrs. Dalloway completely different characters are introduced. Characters that even do not know each other, that never met. One of them having almost everything and the other having just fear. Septimus sees the terror of life, Clarissa the beauty. They are two aspects of one personality. Clarissa is more complex person that her passions for parties would indicate. She is complex in her sensibility, her love of the beautiful. Septimus is a vivid study of madness, something that Virginia Woolf knew about. These two characters can be taken as the criticism of society of that time. Clarissa as the representative of the people who lives empty life of upper-middle class and Septimus as the representative of the generation as a whole. The generation which suffers because of the war. This is shown by his surname as well. Septimus Warren Smith. Smith stands here for something common.
When speaking about the language, Virginia Woolf is considered to be a master. In both these novels we find vivid, imaginary language. We would compare it to the paintings. Woolf is able to describe the scene so perfectly that it is possible for reader to imagine all the tiny aspects of the moment. All the feelings of the character connected with the situation described, all the shades of colors, all the smells of nature etc. She knows how to get into the soul of character. Her manipulation of language is extraordinary. It is very interesting how she uses parataxis in her works. People really think paratactically, so why not to write in this way? The Waves as more experimental work have even more imaginative language. It is full of unexpected combinations of words and rare metaphors.
Aspect connected with the language is the use of symbols in books of Virginia Woolf. In her works we can easily find the motifs of Big Ben, especially striking of Big Ben, Buckingham palace with the queen and, of course, flowers. In Mrs. Dalloway flowers are introduced in the opening scene of this book. All the characters of Mrs. Dalloway hold the flowers in his or her hands. Difference of Sally Seton, her non-conform way of behaviour, her feministic ideas are reflected in the way how she arranges the flowers. On the other hand, Miss Kilman, the teacher of Clarissa’s daughter, cannot arrange them well. In this sentence, all the negative feelings to Ms. Killman are expressed by using this symbol of hideous flower. Mr. Dalloway buys to his wife flowers of red and white roses to tell her how he loves her. On the other hand, Peter Walsh has no sense of beauty. The flowers are for him same as vegetable. There, the difference between Mr. Dalloway and Peter Walsh is shown.
In both her novels there is one question asked. The question important for Virginia Woolf. What is love? Or to say it more precisely: What is real love? In her novels we can see how the author is trying to find the answer. In Mrs. Dalloway there is problematic and very intensive relationship between Clarissa and Sally Seton, in The Waves of Bernard and Percival. Virginia Woolf tries to introduce all the aspects of love as well as these ones that were forbidden.
To sum up, we would like to say that in these two novels of Virginia Woolf, many similar facts as well as the different ones can be found. However, Mrs. Dalloway is easier to read; it is easier to understand. We would say that Mrs. Dalloway is the real masterpiece of Virginia Woolf. In The Waves Virginia Woolf shows us that no rules must be followed. It is pure experimental work and the reader of this novel must be more experienced.