Why Does Clarissa Give Parties?
In Mrs. Dalloway , Clarissa spends most of her day preparing for her party. At first, it’s not very clear why this event matters so much to her. The novel even begins with Clarissa deciding to get the flowers herself instead of having Lucy get them (Woolf 3). One can say her parties are a bit shallow: Clarissa’s lifestyle seems to revolve around hosting guests and keeping up with the social expectations of the London upper class. Peter Walsh, who wanted to marry her, even calls her the “perfect hostess” because he thinks that she mainly cares about social appearances (9–10). So, what’s the point of gathering a bunch of wealthy people for an evening? Why does she host these parties, as Peter asks (72)? As the novel progresses, it becomes much clearer that Clarissa is giving this party to serve a specific purpose—something that Peter doesn’t notice. Clarissa views parties as a method of bringing people together, at least temporarily. When reflecti...