Characters: the character’s name is the same and so is the work she has to do, event the actions they do (e.g. watching out the window) are the same. However, Cunningham ‘s character, despite Woolf’s one, has no servants to help her in her work. There is a direct connection between the two characters because Cunningham takes inspiration from Woolf’s novel. In addition to that, in Cunningham’s work, there are several references to Woolf’s novel.

Setting: Cunningham’s extract is set in the end of twentieth century in New York, while Mrs. Dalloway is set  in 1923 in London.

Narrator and language: Third person omniscient narrator is present in both the text, using free indirect style. However, the narrators are eclipsed but we notice them for the use of words such as “for” and “then” so the reader feels to be in the character’s mind. The difference between the narrations is the use of tenses: Virginia Woolf uses simple past while Cunningham uses simple present to achieve immediacy in narration. However there are examples of progressive tenses in both texts to express movement. Indeed, both the main characters are dynamic. Another common point is the beginning in medias res.

Carlo Mauri
Daniele Sorrenti