The novel is structured through passage of time. However, Woolf examines the aspects of human and family life through: the image of the house, the way the characters react to the aspects of life, reaching to a higher level and the change in ideas of society.
To begin with, the image of the summer house is a very important aspect as its state helps emphasise the time passing. This is because it grows older and dustier which creates an image of abandonment. In the first section of the novel, the house has an image of reunification, people living together however when by the end of the section all the "lights are switched off, except for Augustus Carmichael" indicates that something negative is about to happen, something that will change the lifes of the characters. Which is later confirmed as the war was around the corner. The passage of time is illustrated by the visual change and image of the house, as by the end of the novel, when the Ramsay family come back the house wasn't in the same state as years back which emphasises the rough time the Ramsay family has gone through throughout the Second World War.
Moreover, another factor that illustrates the passage of time is the way in which James views his father at the beginning of the novel in contrast to the end of the novel. At the start, he never questions why his father does such things such as say "No, there isn't going to be a trip to the lighthouse" but decides to hate him more than anything in this world. However as a contrast, by the end of the play he does question himself the reason for his father's actions as the reason behind Mr.Ramsay wanting to make a trip to the lighthouse. The way of thinking about aspects shows the passage of time as it takes James maturity to another level which I believe was possible because of Mrs.Ramsay's death because without Mrs.Ramsay dying the Oedipus struggle would have still been presented.
Furthermore, Woolf uses the passage of time as a method in order...