Virginia Woolf's To the Lighthouse reflects on economic and national concerns in various ways to develop its themes. Let's look at this in more detail.

Before we dive into economics and nationality, let's review the novel's themes. We might point to art, war, perception, the transience of life, and philosophy. The characters reflect and expand each of these themes throughout the novel as Lily paints as a way to preserve her experiences, World War I breaks out, the characters look at life through different lenses, various character die, and Mr. Ramsay carries out his philosophical speculations.

Now we can turn our attention to the two motifs. As for economics, notice first that the characters in this novel are mostly economically independent and well-off. This gives them the leisure to attend house parties, paint, discuss, and practice philosophy. They are not focused on the necessity of earning a living. They are mostly upper middle class, and they often express the conventions of this group through their education, tastes, and manners. Financial worries do not seem to be part of these characters' lives, yet economics underlies their ability to live their chosen lifestyles.

In terms of nationality, the Ramsays and their guests are currently at their summer home on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. They exhibit pride in their nationality, but this pride is challenged and even threatened by the horrors of World War I, which takes the life of Andrew Ramsay. The world crashes in upon the characters in this novel and shakes them to their core, forcing them to adjust their perceptions and philosophy.

Their powerfully charged context rattles the peaceful contentment of their life. Unburdened by the demands of poverty, their national context heralds a different kind of horror, and the Ramsays and their guests must face the difficulties of a painfully real world their wealth often shields them from.