The Party In Margaret Drabble's The Radiant Way

Margaret Drabble’s novel The Radiant Way begins at the end of a year. At this time, the main character, Liz, decides to throw a massive New Year’s party, hoping to begin this new year with both grace and the excitement for impending change. Ironically enough, it is at this New Year’s party that Liz is forced to come to terms with the fact that this party not only ends the year but the end of the Era that was her prior life. Further, as this novel was published at the beginning of a new era in Britain, it is not only representative of the desires of this ‘new era,’ but each of the characters moves through transitional phases through the novel. Through this, the reader understands the importance of the party in the first scene, and how it pertains

No, one has to deeply study the similarities between main characters in order to gain a further understanding of the importance of the party in The Radiant Way. This is because Woolf sets up the event as an incredible way to celebrate great change and bring supreme irony to the main characters. Through this, the reader can begin to understand the similarities between these two novels. However, although it can be argued that Liz is very similar to characters in Mrs Dalloway, most commonly, Clarissa Dalloway, the main character of the novel. This is furthered by the events that take place, rather than the party itself. Although the party did indeed create great change for Liz, it is ironically exactly the opposite change that she expected to happen. This is because she is soon to discover that her husband is not only having an affair but intends to leave her. This is similar to the mental chaos that occurs in Virginia Woolf’s novel, Mrs Dalloway. In Mrs Dalloway, the main character Clarissa Dalloway is reflective upon herself and begins to question major issues, such as whether or not happiness actually exists. Clarissa is also experiencing romantic turmoil, as she often questions if she chose the right husband for