The Hours

Michael Cunningham

January 15, 2000

The Hours, by Michael Cunningham, is a novel about three women living in different times but bound together by circumstance and their respective struggles. The novel tells the story of Virginia Woolf as she writes the novel Mrs. Dalloway in post World War I London, Laura Brown preparing to throw a party in 1950s LA and Clarissa Vaughan living in the present day New York City. The intertwining story line shows how these women are attempting to piece together their lives as they explore their struggles with identity and purpose.In Woolf's narrative, readers explore how a woman can find her true self in a time of oppression and patriarchy, Laura Brown's struggle to situate her emotions in a post war society, and Clarissa Vaughan's search for relevance in her life. While the characters are quite different in the settings of their stories, there is an underlying element of loneliness and the need to feel connected that runs throughout.The Hours captures the struggles of the three women through a complex and visually captivating language. With its contrasts of time, imagery and a subtle poetry, the reader is able to understand each character and their motivations as the story progresses. The book is creative, intense and thought provoking, while also offering unique insights into life and the need to find a sense of peace and assurance. It is a great read and is engaging and enjoyable from the first page to the last.