Mr. Ramsay

1. Mr. Ramsay Madison Finlay Brya Vowels Jordan Rabold

2. Who is he? • Father of Ramsay household • Comes off mean but instead is insecure that his work will not make a difference • Existentialist • “He is petty, selfish, vain, egotistical; he is spoiled; he is a tyrant; he wears Mrs. Ramsay to death” (16).

3. Age • Old enough to have eight children (some being adults) • Group’s guess: 60-70 years old

4. Relationships • Married to Mrs. Ramsay • “He should have been a great philosopher…but he had made an unfortunate marriage” (10). • Craves her affection • Tries to coerce her into professing her love for him • A foil to Mrs. Ramsay • Father of eight • “The truth was that he did not enjoy family life” (51). • “‘But the father of eight children has no choice’”(44). • Dashes the hopes of James • “Her husband, with his caustic saying that it would not be fine, had dashed his [James] spirits she could see” (10). • Hates himself and takes it out on James

5. Profession • Philosopher • “To feed eight children on philosophy” (22). • Wrote something at a young age • Thinks he will die in obscurity • “Mr. Ramsay repeated never taking his eyes from her face, that he was a failure” (23).

6. Likes • Things that are black and white • Being in control • Sympathy for himself • “Nothing would make Mr. Ramsay move on. There he stood, demanding sympathy” (22). • Poetry

7. Dislikes • Socializing • He thinks it is a waste of time • “He hated everything dragging on for hours like this” (55).

8. Motivations • Self Motivation • His own letter system • “Z is only reached by one man in a generation. Still, if he could reach R it would be something”(34). • Receiving affection from Mrs. Ramsay • “He wanted something- wanted the thing she always found it so difficult to give him; wanted her to tell him that she loved him” (70). • Getting sympathy

9. Thinks of Others • Thinks everyone else is below him

10. Symbols/ Images • Knife • “standing, as now, lean as a knife, narrow as the blade of one” (4). • Poetry books