Introduction: The Eternal Question in the Chimes of TimeVirginia Woolf structures Mrs. Dallowayaround the chimes of Big Ben, expanding a single day into a profound meditation on life's meaning. In an era obsessed with productivity, the novel reminds us that true existence stems from perceiving the depth of time, not from racing against it .I. The Authentic Yearning Beneath Social MasksClarissa Dalloway's party serves as a microcosm of upper-class social order. Yet, her memories of youth and fantasies about an old lover during her flower-buying errand reveal a soul starving beneath her role. This mirrors the modern "identity anxiety" where job titles and familial duties often obscure authentic desires. Through Clarissa's dilemma, Woolf suggests that only by acknowledging the performance can we approach authenticity .II. Rethinking the Boundary Between Madness and RationalityThe suicide of Septimus Warren Smith, a war veteran with PTSD, contrasts starkly with Clarissa's party. His "madness" is ultimately a consequence of a society unwilling to confront trauma. In today's world, where depression and anxiety are still stigmatized, Woolf's century-old warning resonates: dismissing psychological struggles as mere "abnormality" is society's self-deception. A healthy society should accommodate diverse life experiences .III. The Female Condition and Modern EnlightenmentClarissa finds social value through hosting parties, yet must suppress independent thought. Her daughter Elizabeth's path towards becoming a professional woman hints at intergenerational progress. Woolf's portrayal of women's predicaments still reflects contemporary issues like the glass ceiling and the motherhood penalty. However, she also points the way forward: economic independence and spiritual autonomy are the twin engines of female liberation .Conclusion: Reconstructing Meaning from FragmentationLearning of Septimus's death, Clarissa experiences an epiphany: "she would not fear the heat of the sun anymore." This courage in the face of mortality offers a modern survival strategy: by accepting life's finitude and contradictions, we can weave a personal web of meaning through art, empathy, and introspection, even in a fragmented age