To the Lighthouse Theme of Laws and Order

Mrs. Ramsay is extremely attuned to harmony and discord, and she also takes on the task of creating as much harmony as possible. This is a double-edged sword because she frequently sacrifices truth in order to preserve harmony. She adheres to a certain ideal of the world in which everyone is united and everything is at peace.

1. To what extent is Mrs. Ramsay’s preference for harmony positive?
2. What causes division among the houseguests in the first place?
3. How do Mr. Tansley and Mr. Carmichael play into the harmony vs. discord schema?

Characters in To the Lighthouse prefer Mrs. Ramsay to Mr. Ramsay because she values the promotion of harmony while her husband errs on the side of discord.