A Room of One's Own Lesson Plan

When Woolf asks “Why do I feel that there are severances and oppositions in the mind, as there are strains from obvious causes on the body?”, what concepts or truths about the mind, the body, and their relationship, are implied or taken for granted in her question? Do we assume the same truths or use the same concepts today?

As students make a close analysis of the quoted excerpt, they will observe that Woolf’s question implies a separation of mind and body, also known as dualism. They might also see the themes of measurability and materialism here (perhaps noting that these themes also occur elsewhere throughout the essay). A follow-up question might be why are...