The Voyage Out is a novel about self-discovery. By leaving the comforts of their homes in England, the English characters in South America challenge their understandings of the world around them, which in turn makes them rethink how they understand themselves.

One way in which identity is formed in this novel is through traditional 20th-century ideas of gender roles. Most of the female characters in this novel are either wives or women hoping to become wives. As such, they are under societal pressure to be ideal domestic partners. Although the characters Woolf presents are intelligent and adventurous, they put themselves aside for the men in their lives. The male characters in this novel are highly educated, intellectual, and driven by ego. Evelyn is one of the female characters who defies these gender roles and searches for her own version of self-discovery. Evelyn is in courtship with different men, but she ultimately rejects all proposals of marriage in favor of her desire to pursue a life as an activist. Evelyn discovers that she appreciates her independence and doesn’t appreciate the moods of men enough to sacrifice her own happiness for a husband.

Rachel is the character who undergoes the most significant process of self-discovery.