There isn't a lot of speech in 'To the Lighthouse' because the book largely concentrates on the inner lives of the various individuals. The characters are still connected even though they aren't shown interacting much in the present because they make references to the same people, places, and events in their inner monologues and they repeat certain philosophical notions that are stated by those around them. 'To the Lighthouse' does not have a lot of action or a plot, it instead emphasizes form and style.