“. . .an omnibus. . .” (131)

An omnibus is like any other type of mass-transit vehicle: a cheap, easy way to get around. In Elizabeth’s waiting for this mode of transportation, she immediately becomes a member of the common class. Without a personal mode of transport, it is implied that her family lacks the financial position to make this possible. This impression leaves Woolf’s reader assuming things about her characters that cannot be fully known – fitting, given that so much of the novel focuses on outward appearances, while keeping innermost feelings, thoughts, and situations hidden.

Source:

"Omnibus - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary." Dictionary and Thesaurus - Merriam-Webster Online. Web. 30 Sept. 2009. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/omnibus.

Picture Credits:

Omnibus. Digital image. Transit Museum. Web. 30 Sept. 2009. http://www.transitmuseumeducation.org/images/vocab/photo_omnibus.jpg.