Lily Briscoe is a passionate young artist who admires the work of Mr. Ramsay. She is self-conscious of her success and ability in the beginning of the novel, and feels confined by traditional gender roles. She receives much criticism of her work from Charles Tansley, a pupil of Mr. Ramsay, about how women cannot succeed in fine arts. This criticism creates much anxiety for her and halts her progress. She begins a portrait of Mrs. Ramsay and James in the beginning of the novel, however, she is skeptical about her work on it and has trouble attaining the vision and confidence to finish it. Her “lighthouse” is to become as respected and successful as Mr. Ramsay, but in her own field. However, her goal is merely a microcosm of her macrocosmic search for her identity. She admires Mrs. Ramsay and a role model, but rejects her image of femininity of motherliness. Through observing and learning from Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay, Lily Briscoe becomes more and more self confident and knowledgeably. Lily Briscoe comes back to the summer house after After Mrs. Ramsay has died. She returns to try and complete her “lighthouse”. By the end of the novel, she uses all the resources around her to create a painting of the bay and the lighthouse. This painting pleases her and confirms in her mind that she has become successful in her field like Mr. Ramsay as a woman.

James Ramsay is the youngest son of the Ramsay family. He spends the majority of the play wanting to visit the lighthouse on the horizon. Every day he asks for his mom to take him to the lighthouse, but his hope is always shot down by his father. He has a loving relationship with his mother who supports his every need, but hates his father. He hates his father’s insensitivity towards him, and loathes the almost joy it brings him when he shuts down the trip to the lighthouse. Finally, when the family returns to the summer house after ten years, James travels to the lighthouse with his father. By the time the boat lands on the island with the lighthouse, his attitude changes toward his father and feels a new connection to him. Once he fulfills his “lighthouse”, he also fulfills a subconscious macrocosmic goal; he sees his father in a new light, which brings prospects of a better relationship between them.