Lily resumes painting, only to be confronted by the stark white canvas. Her thoughts and emotions have left her depleted. As she contemplates the issue of connecting the lines in her artwork, she recognizes that this conundrum has twisted her thoughts into a complex knot. Over time, she has made sporadic attempts to unravel this mental tangle.

In her nervousness, she mistakenly grabs the incorrect brush and positions the easel at an improper angle. However, she soon rectifies her mistakes and starts working. As she releases her emotional distress, the thrill of the task takes over. She applies the initial brushstroke and quickly establishes a tempo for her painting. As she progresses, Lily contemplates the purpose of her art. To her, painting feels like engaging in a subtle battle. Her focus becomes so intense that she starts to lose awareness of her surroundings.

As she labors, the words "unable to paint, unable to write" echo in her mind. She recalls Charles Tansley uttering such a statement about women. She then remembers a blustery day on the beach with Charles and Mrs. Ramsay. When they spotted something in the water, Mrs. Ramsay wonders what it was; at that moment, Charles' defensive demeanor vanished, and he began playing ducks and drakes with Lily. Mrs. Ramsay, perched on a rock penning letters, seemed to be the key to dissolving the animosity between Lily and Charles. She realizes that the recollection of that day, so vividly etched in her memory, stirs emotions akin to experiencing a masterpiece. She reiterates this thought, recognizing that it was Mrs. Ramsay's presence that made all the difference.

Lily once more questions the nature of life and existence; Mrs. Ramsay once again rises to the fore of Lily’s consciousness, and the younger woman realizes that the matriarch of the Ramsay family had a particular knack for transforming a temporary instant into something beautiful and enduring. She managed to create structure amidst disorder and command life itself to halt. As an artist, Lily realizes that she strives to achieve the same. This insight might be the revelation she has been searching for—the possibility of discovering a form beneath the turmoil.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Lily exclaims, "Mrs. Ramsay! Mrs. Ramsay!" She believes she owes everything to her. Then, as she gazes into the distance, she observes a small boat speeding past the rest, heading out into the open sea.