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Doris Kilman’s Exclusion and Faith

Mrs Dalloway

This flow traces Doris Kilman’s experience of social injury, religious conversion, attachment to Elizabeth, and renewed conflict with her own desires.

increasingupBearing stren­gth in each eventdowndecreasing
Professional ExclusionProfessional Exclusion from "Mrs Dalloway". Professional Exclusion Loss of position Doris Kilman loses her teaching post after refusing to echo anti-German sentiment.
Professional Exclusion Loss of position Doris Kilman loses her teaching post after refusing to echo anti-German sentiment. Her German connections and the death of her brother deepen the injustice she feels. Poverty endured She must accept work from wealthier families, including the Dalloways. Material dependence sharpens her sense that society has denied her the life she deserved.
Religious ConversionReligious Conversion from "Mrs Dalloway". Religious Conversion A church offers relief After hearing the Reverend Edward Whittaker preach, Kilman experiences a religious conversion.
Religious Conversion A church offers relief After hearing the Reverend Edward Whittaker preach, Kilman experiences a religious conversion. Prayer and belief temporarily quiet her anger and give her suffering a larger explanation. Relief with a cost Faith offers consolation but does not erase envy or loneliness. Kilman’s conviction can become a means of judging others as well as a refuge from pain.
Attachment to ElizabethAttachment to Elizabeth from "Mrs Dalloway". Attachment to Elizabeth Teaching becomes closeness Kilman teaches Elizabeth history and invites her into religious and political discussions.
Attachment to Elizabeth Teaching becomes closeness Kilman teaches Elizabeth history and invites her into religious and political discussions. She hopes the young woman will value learning and possibilities beyond the privileged life around her. Need complicates care Kilman’s affection is sincere, yet Elizabeth’s beauty and youth become objects of longing and possession. The teacher’s desire to help is entangled with her own unmet emotional needs.
The Failed ClaimThe Failed Claim from "Mrs Dalloway". The Failed Claim A request to stay Kilman asks Elizabeth not to forget her and tries to keep her from returning to the party.
The Failed Claim A request to stay Kilman asks Elizabeth not to forget her and tries to keep her from returning to the party. Her admission of unhappiness exposes the loneliness behind her sternness. A painful departure Elizabeth leaves, and Kilman feels the loss as a defeat. The episode shows how her search for attachment becomes self-defeating when it asks another person for exclusive loyalty.
Prayer and Recurrent AngerPrayer and Recurrent Anger from "Mrs Dalloway". Prayer and Recurrent Anger Seeking control Kilman turns toward prayer and thinks about suffering, the body, and the injustices that have shaped her life.
Prayer and Recurrent Anger Seeking control Kilman turns toward prayer and thinks about suffering, the body, and the injustices that have shaped her life. Her faith offers discipline without immediate peace. An unresolved self She remains caught between compassion and resentment, spiritual aspiration and bodily desire. Her day ends without reconciliation with Clarissa or freedom from the loneliness that drives her.
During the war
Two years and three months before the present day
Before the day’s shopping trip
During afternoon tea
After leaving the department store