The preparation of such an event provides a glimpse into the lifestyle of the upper-middle class that the main character is a member of. The lifestyle appears to be somewhat superficial to many readers however the story also involves various political and cultural changes that Britain is experiencing at the time. The country is struggling with a shifting political power structure from one that is highly concentrated to one that is more populist in nature. The bourgeoisie or middle class is gaining more power in the political system which is upsetting the traditional social structure that is portrayed in the novel. Woolf's dislike of the lower classes was illustrated through her protagonist...

Virginia Woolf herself was a member of a group known as the "Bloomsbury Group" which among other things discouraged sexual exclusivity. Woolf is believed by many to have a bisexual orientation that is something of a contentious issue for the period. Woolf's bisexual position is illustrated in the novel with the protagonist having a relationship with a member of the same sex. Woolf's appreciation of woman was most likely some response to the level of the male domination in the society. The to portray all of these different themes that Woolf herself is dealing with, the novel focuses more in the realm of the inner mind, not by the character's actions. It is this unique perspective that gained Woolf her acclaim and was able to illustrate her talent…