Flowers

"On the tabletop, a dozen white roses offer their... beauty."

Flowers show up time and time again in The Hours and Mrs. Dalloway. In keeping with the theme of time, age and beauty, flowers are a disposable representation of beauty that fades quickly. There is nothing lasting about a flower's beauty. Its sentiment has also become shallow and unfeeling. Spouses often buy their significant others flowers to show appreciation and even love, but in today's society, they have become a trite symbol of love that has no real depth. In this scene, Lauran's husband Dan has bought her a bouquet of white roses. Laura married Dan because she felt it was the right thing to do but has no real love for him. Dan may love Laura, but since he doesn't know her, he really only loves who he thinks she is.