Orlando, written by Virgina Woolf, is a humanties piece, as is all of her work, because of the artistry she uses to portray
her characters in real life situations. Their rises and falls in society and the symbolisms of society itself. Orlando as a young man is brought to the queens attentions and into her home and brought to the statis of the rich. He quickly falls from grace and is thrown into poor regions of society where he becomes bored. When he returns he becomes engaged in society life again and is once again thrown out. This is so true of society today and our upper and lower classes. We strive to fit into a certain group which is where we think we want to be and we try so hard to stay there and pretend who we are instead of realizing where we should be and who we really are. This book
symbolizes our desires to be in a certain place in society, and the
struggles we go thru to get there. The way Orlando struggles with what he really loves and where he thinks he should be symbolizes the struggles we have, even a whole society, trying to be ahead or on top, wanting to be known or famous. The rich and the poor, the division of classes, this book symbolizes that struggle and war to bring them together. Where are we really happiest? When we are rich and well known or poor and unnoticed? How does being famous or rich affect who we are? This book brings up so many points that it would make a good discussion book. It compares how Orlando feels when he is with the upper class and when he is with the lower class. It really makes you think about the division and which side you would like to be on. Would you rather be rich and feel one way or poor and feel another? I don't want to give away the book, but if you are a Virginia Woolf fan you probably already know how Orlando turns out. Definately a good reader for any type of person or class.