Notes

Journal 9

Clarissa begins to calm down, seeing that her party might be a success after all.
Ellie Henderson takes mental notes of every detail and every guest. Richard is the only one who's friendly to her.
At all of her parties, Clarissa begins to feel out of sorts: not herself, almost unreal.
The hired butler, Mr Wilkins, announces the arrival of Lady Rosseter, who turns out to be Sally Seton. Sally has changed a lot, now a mother of "five enormous boys" (6.25), she tells Clarissa.
Just then, the prime minister arrives. Clarissa is distracted. A feeling of greatness fills the room, even though he looks strikingly ordinary.
Peter is disgusted by all of the snobbery. He sees Hugh and notes how fat that doofus and villain has become. Ouch.
Watching Clarissa stirs profound feelings for Peter: her green dress and earrings, her elegant ways; she embodies the exquisiteness of the moment. He still insists to himself that he’s not in love with her anymore. We're not buying it.
As Clarissa says good-bye to the prime minister, she thinks of how tepid (lukewarm) he makes her feel. The hatred she feels for Miss Kilman is a far more powerful and meaningful emotion to her.
Clarissa mingles with her guests, but they all seem mediocre in spite of their surface accomplishments.
Old Aunt Helena eventually shows up. She’s very old, but not dead, as some thought. Clarissa once again abandons Peter for a conversation with her. Aunt Helena wants to talk about Burma and orchids (naturally). Clarissa moves on to talk to Lady Bruton and has an awkward exchange with her. Then Lady Bruton sees Peter Walsh and thinks about his failures.
Sally and Peter are eager to talk to Clarissa, but she’s too busy with her other guests. Sally has changed a lot: she’s no longer a wild rebel and she no longer champions causes and dislikes men. But she still is charming, that's for sure.
Clarissa greets Sir and Lady William Bradshaw. The very sight of Bradshaw affects Clarissa physically. He deals with people who have profound mental problems. He makes the tough decisions.
Clarissa once asked for his advice, but the appointment was oppressive and she couldn’t wait to leave. She knows he’s competent, admired, and at the top of his profession, but something about him disturbs her.
Suddenly Lady Bradshaw blurts out that one of her husband’s patients just killed himself. Way to have some tact, Lady Bradshaw.
Clarissa is repulsed that death has been mentioned at her fine party. She walks into a room by herself, outraged that someone has "brought" death into her party.
She thinks about the young man who killed himself, threw it all away. She wonders why.
She’s never flung anything away – except a coin into a lake. (Not quite the same.)
Everyone had memories of Bourton all day, but they would grow old. By killing himself, the young man preserved something, found meaning, reached a "centre."
Clarissa thinks about Sir William Bradshaw and the sinister power he wields, how he must have ruined everything for this man. She understands the awful fear; she had felt it just that morning. She feels disgraced by Septimus' power to give it all up; it's something she could never do.
Clarissa walks to the window and sees her neighbor again. For once, the woman is looking straight back at her. Clarissa feels a deep connection to Septimus. "He made her feel the beauty; made her feel the fun" (6.92).
Meanwhile, Sally and Peter are talking on the couch, laughing and waiting for Clarissa. Peter thinks about how Sally used to be dressed in rags and is now a Lady.
They scoff together at Hugh Whitbread, but Peter thinks himself a failure compared to all of the dignified people at the party.
They talk about how Clarissa is a snob, though they both love her. Clarissa can be hard on people.
Peter confesses that his life has been difficult, but Sally reassures him that Clarissa never loved Richard the way she loved Peter. Peter watches Elizabeth talking to her father, noting the warmth between them. He concedes that Richard isn’t a bad man.
Sally goes to talk to Richard and Peter decides to join her, but a sudden feeling of terror and ecstasy comes over him.
Clarissa has returned.