The Lady in the Looking Glass

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1960

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Summary

Background

Story Analysis

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Discussion Questions

Essay Topics

“Through the Looking Glass” uses the motif of the looking glass to explore the theme of Perception Versus Reality. How does this motif explore the theme? How does a looking glass grant perceptions of reality? Does it make reality more clear or unclear?

It can be argued that the narrator is one of the story’s characters. How is the narrator a character? How does the narrator’s perspective shape the story? How would the story be different if the narrator were different?

Woolf’s trademark narrative style, stream of consciousness, is used to tell the story. How does stream of consciousness contribute to the story’s core theme of perception versus reality? How would the story be different if the narrative style was different?