Art and inspiration
Without a doubt, these stories are about passionate characters, many of whom consider themselves artists of some kind. For instance, Rhoda struggles to understand herself, so she turns to poetry, identifying with Shelly's lack of identity. She views herself like Shelly's bouquet, a lovely gift, but to whom? Taken independently, the stories might seem less like narrative and more like vignette, but taken together, the point is clear: Artists struggle through their young lives, but that's part of where their inspiration comes from. And artists come in all forms: Jinny is even an artist in her own way—her art is social success.
Self-worth and the art of loving one's self
The characters are like half-baked cookies when we meet them. They talk to us about their lives, but from their own limited point of view. As the author, Woolf's own admiration and love for the people she crafts these people to mimic (many critics note that the characters are astonishingly similar to her closest friends and family). Since they are young and changing when we see their stories, the characters all share something in common—they have not learned to love themselves successfully. The motif of shame and self-hatred is strong throughout the novel, and in every case, the answer is time. They become more competent and accepting as they express themselves to us.
The need for stability
The characters are crying out for compassion in a universe that left them all feeling alone and lacking. They ask us for our sympathy personally, and Woolf helps them to do it. Plus, they seem to represent people in her own life. So what is the thread that holds these narratives together? It is the shared realization that what they need most is a sense of stability and purpose in life, but since they have to find it somewhere in their own identity, each character must strive for stability in their own way.
