FILLING IN THE BLANKS: PERCEIVING SPACE THROUGH GENDER IN VIRGINIA WOOLF’S “THE MARK ON THE WALL”

Recognized as one of the major figures of modern literature, Woolf is highly regarded both for her innovative fiction techniques and insightful contributions to literary criticism. In her short fiction, she explored such themes as the elusive nature of storytelling and character study, the nature of truth and reality, and the role of women in society. Like her novels, these highly individualized, stylistic works are noted for their subjective explorations and detailed poetic narratives that capture ordinary experience while depicting the workings and perceptions of the human mind. Written in an elliptical and impressionistic style, Woolf's brief, apparently plotless stories are considered to have significantly influenced the development of modern short fiction. In “Mark on the Wall”, Woolf employs interior monologue to impart the musings of a narrator who, in speculating about a small detail on a wall, ponders a variety of topics, including personal reminiscence, history, and nature. Every rumination returns to the mark only to stray anew into reverie, as each of the narrator's seemingly meandering thoughts builds upon one another to create an intricate discourse on the nature of reality and truth. Much scholarship has been devoted to exploring Woolf’s ”The Mark on the Wall", yet the text continues to reveal layers of meaning and resonance to yet another generation. This study seeks to interrogate the nature, function, and interpretation of space in relation to Woolf's feminist stance and to _ quoting Lefebvre's remark _ Woolf's use of an acute sensitivity to show the subtle richness of everyday life.