Neel Baxi Maizy Brewer Suvir Copparam The Basics Mr Bankes is a childhood friend of Mr Ramseys Currently summering alongside the Ramsey family in the Isle of Skye Lily muses he was old enough to be her father too a botanist a widower smelling of soap very scrupulous and cle ID: 467772
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Slide1
William Bankes
Neel Baxi, Maizy Brewer, Suvir CopparamSlide2
The Basics
Mr. Bankes is a childhood friend of Mr. Ramsey’s
Currently ‘summering’ alongside the Ramsey family in the Isle of Skye
Lily muses “he was old enough to be her father too, a botanist, a widower, smelling of soap, very scrupulous and clean” (21).
Botanist
Elder middle-agedSlide3
Personality
“For him to gaze as Lily saw him gazing at Ramsay was a rapture, equivalent Lily felt, to the loves of dozens of young man.” (48)
Mr. Bankes is well-liked by Lily and the other characters in the novel. He likes Mrs. Ramsay, “an ideal housewife” a lot.
Wants to be a helpful and pleasant figure to his friendsSlide4
Personality
“William Bankes remembered, by a hen, straddling her wings out in protection of a covey of little chicks, upon which Ramsay, stopping, pointed his stick and said "Pretty—pretty," an odd illumination to his heart, Bankes had thought it, which showed his simplicity, his sympathy with humble things; but it seemed to him as if their friendship had ceased, there, on that stretch of road”
Believes his friendship with Mr. Ramsay ended long ago, but still supports himSlide5
Relations to Others
LILY BRISCOE:
Close friend
“she was aware of someone coming out of the house, coming towards her; but somehow divined, from the footfall,
William Bankes, so that though her brush quivered, she did not,
as she would have done had it been Mr Tansley, Paul Rayley, Minta Doyle, or practically anybody else, turn her canvas upon the grass, but let it stand.
William Bankes stood beside her
.” (18)Slide6
Relations to Others
MR. RAMSAY:
Old friends (no longer as friendly)
“it seemed to him as if
their friendship had ceased
, there, on that stretch of road. After that, Ramsay had married. After that, what with one thing and another,
the pulp had gone out of their friendship
.” (20)
“he maintained that
his affection for Ramsay had in no way diminished
” (21)Slide7
Opinions of Others
MR. RAMSAY:
Jealous
“Ramsay lived in a welter of children, whereas Bankes was childless and a widower...
he had dried and shrunk
” (21)
(
In pondering the Ramsay family/their children)
“he weighed Ramsay’s case, commiserated him,
envied him
” (22)
Recognizes him still as one to look up to/give praise to
“he maintained that
his affection for Ramsay had in no way diminished
” (21)Slide8
Opinions of Others
LILY BRISCOE:
Appreciative of their friendly, comfortable relationship
“
he liked Lily Briscoe
; he could discuss Ramsay with her quite openly” (45)
MRS. RAMSAY:
Beautiful
“Or was there nothing? nothing but an
incomparable beauty
which she lived behind, and could do nothing to disturb?” (28)
“And he thought of Mrs Ramsay as he looked at that stir among the unfinished walls. For always, he thought, there was something incongruous to be worked into the
harmony of her face
.” (29)Slide9
Opinions of Others
RAMSAY CHILDREN:
Thinks of them almost as burdens (possibly out of jealousy)
“There was education now to be considered...let alone the daily wear and tear of shoes and stockings which those "great fellows,"...
ruthless youngsters
, must require.” (22)
“
He called them privately after the Kings and Queens of England
; Cam the Wicked, James the Ruthless, Andrew the Just, Prue the Fair—for Prue would have beauty, he thought, how could she help it?—and Andrew brains.” (22)Slide10
Images and Symbols
LILY’S PAINTING
Bankes and Lily share a moment of creative immersion when Lily shows Bankes her painting
Shows how art can be
viewed differently
by different people
Relates to
people’s understanding of each other
- different personalities/tendencies bring different natural perspectives)Slide11
Images and Symbols
Power/effects of WOMANLY BEAUTY (
esp. in regards to Mrs. Ramsay
)
Mrs. Ramsay’s beauty is
enough to excite “rapture”
in Mr. Bankes
Her aesthetic appeal offers Bankes
comfort/relaxation/reprieve
from tensions at Ramsay dinner
“But was it nothing but looks, people said?
What was there behind it—her beauty and splendour?
...Or was there nothing? nothing but an incomparable beauty which she lived behind, and could do nothing to disturb?” (28)