As people age, many feel trapped in their lives due to decisions made in the past. Because of regret in their decisions, people often become unhappy and feel stuck in the life they have chosen. The character Clarissa in Mrs. Dalloway does just that. In the novel Mrs. Dalloway, Clarissa becomes a prisoner in her adult life due to her upbringing, need for social status, and relationship choices she has made in the past. Clarissa Dalloway's childhood was the foundation of her lavish lifestyle as an adult. His childhood influenced his thoughts on social class and position. Clarissa grew up in a middle-class family that always valued social status. As a child, Clarissa spent a lot of time with her family. Her experiences on her uncle William Bourton's estate exposed Clarissa to ideas of social norms. (2 Worst) These family influences taught that social status was necessary for security and happiness in the future. Unlike most women of her era, Clarissa was aware of the life paths she might take, when most women of that time were unaware of the choices they had regarding their future lifestyle. (2 Worst) Clarissa's upbringing gives her the belief that you must be rich and have social status to be important in life. This is later proven false in the novel, as Clarissa becomes apparent that the comfortable and extravagant lifestyle she has chosen is not all it seems. Worster shows in her literary criticism, “The Self Imprisoned Clarissa Dalloway,” that Clarissa struggles with her identity due to the manipulation of the truth in her own mind. While "Clarissa Dalloway ruefully examines the conditions of her life and resignedly dives beneath the superficial facade of the perfect housewife." (1 Worst......middle of paper......, which is the part where Clarissa is trying to perceive Clarissa's comfortable life doesn't require the need for intelligence like Mrs. Kilman, so Clarissa can't gaining respect from her husband or daughter Clarissa gains respect from her family, which insulates her from becoming further educated and respected "She has failed to achieve this type of status. This contributes to her overall sense of failure for it to be her husband that her daughter sees her as an ordinary housewife." (Worster) The novel "Mrs in her youth has led her to be a prisoner in her adult life Because of her relationship choices, her upbringing, and the need for status social, Clarissa's decisions make her feel trapped in an unworkable situation. Because of Clarissa's remorse for her decisions, she never becomes truly happy with the choices she has made.