“Stream of consciousness” is a narrative technique used in literature to depict the continuous and often chaotic flow of thoughts and feelings passing through a character’s mind. It aims to provide a direct insight into a character’s internal experience, often bypassing traditional narrative structures and logical progression.

A quintessential example of this technique is found in Virginia Woolf’s novel Mrs. Dalloway. In this novel, Woolf delves deeply into the minds of her characters, particularly Clarissa Dalloway and Septimus Warren Smith, by presenting their thoughts and perceptions as they naturally occur. The narrative shifts seamlessly between different times and places, reflecting the characters’ memories, sensory experiences, and associations in a manner that mimics the actual workings of the human mind.

For instance, as Clarissa Dalloway goes about her day preparing for a party, her thoughts meander through a myriad of memories and sensations. She recalls her youth, past relationships, and her existential reflections on life and death. Woolf writes these thoughts in a flowing, uninterrupted manner, often without clear punctuation or transitions, to mirror the non-linear and spontaneous nature of inner consciousness.

Similarly, Septimus, a war veteran suffering from shell shock, experiences a fragmented and tumultuous stream of thoughts, which reflects his mental instability and distress. Woolf’s use of stream of consciousness here serves to convey the depth of his psychological turmoil and his alienation from the world around him.

By employing this technique, Woolf breaks away from traditional, linear storytelling and instead immerses the reader in the subjective, internal experiences of her characters. This method allows for a more intimate and comprehensive understanding of the characters’ inner lives, revealing their complexities and emotional depths in a way that conventional narrative techniques might not capture.