The Mark on the Wall Literary Devices

Definition of Stream of Consciousness

Stream of consciousness is a style or technique of writing that tries to capture the natural flow of a character's extended thought process, often by incorporating sensory impressions, incomplete ideas, unusual syntax... read full definition

Stream of consciousness is a style or technique of writing that tries to capture the natural flow of a character's extended thought process, often by incorporating... read full definition

Stream of consciousness is a style or technique of writing that tries to capture the natural flow of a character's... read full definition

Explanation and Analysis—Torn Asunder:

Early in "The Mark on the Wall," the narrator imagines the previous owner of her house as a partner in conversation, explaining to her his reasons for leaving. Promptly, however, this imagined conversation is metaphorically "torn" from her thoughts:

[He] was in the process of saying that in his opinion art should have ideas behind it when we were torn asunder, as one is torn from the old lady about to pour out tea and the young man about to hit the tennis ball in the back garden of the suburban villa as one rushes past in the train.

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Explanation and Analysis—Swarming Thoughts:

There are several moments interspersed throughout "The Mark on the Wall" in which the narrator reflects on the nature of human thought. Comparing thoughts to ants, Woolf emphasizes the fickle nature of human mental processes:

How readily our thoughts swarm upon a new object; lifting it a little way, as ants carry a blade of straw so feverishly, and then leave it . . .

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The Mark on the Wall: Stream of Consciousness 2 key examples

Definition of Stream of Consciousness