The Michelin Guide

Woolf uses the Michelin Guide as an example of how contemporary society has sidestepped using words to communicate certain ideas. She refers to the guide's use of symbols to indicate the quality of certain hotels and restaurants rather than using descriptive language. According to Woolf, the language of signs (rather than words) is useful, because it indicates clearly and plainly the singular meaning of each symbol. Words, on the other hand, are too laden with history, memory, and emotional attachment to ever be useful for communicating a single idea.

King's Cross Station

King's Cross Station is a train station in London with which many of Woolf's listeners would have been familiar. She uses King's Cross as the example of a location where one would find signs with words that might seem useful but actually are not. These signs include "Passing Russell Square" and "Do not...