English Writing-Katherine Mansfield
“The Garden Party” “The Doll’s House” “Bliss” “Miss Brill”
Katherine Mansfield, born in the country of New Zealand was said to be ‘the best short story writer of her time’.(1) The types of short stories that Katherine Mansfield wrote were mostly a ‘slice of life’, where she used real life experiences to express her themes and ideas. If you were to read one of her stories once through, in a way that you would read a whole book, you would surely miss out on the way Katherine Mansfield conveys meaning in her stories. Throughout her stories she uses every word for a purpose. I understand that economy of style is an aspect of the short story genre, but Katherine Mansfield sought to enhance this, and I believe she really used her writing as an art getting every detail right to make her short stories full and rich with meaning. I was engaged by the way she could take something so simple, such as objects, like lamps and hats and make it represent something so immense. Katherine Mansfield was born into the Victorian era, and was part of a middle classed family. During the Victorian time there was much distinction between the social classes. Katherine Mansfield however, was one who did not want to conform in order to please others, but saw the upper class as being devoid of warmth and feeling for humanity. This is revealed through some of her short stories, where her own life is seen through different characters. Her determined, self-willed, and challenging character confronts society and through her short stories Katherine Mansfield questions civilisation and its rights and responsibilities.
Symbolism
Symbolism is used to show us rather than tell us things of importance and meaning, and in all four short stories Katherine Mansfield communicates through the language of symbolism. At the beginning of the short story ‘Miss Brill’ the character Miss Brill takes out her fur piece to the park. She treats the fur with much
Katherine Mansfield, born in the country of New Zealand was said to be ‘the best short story writer of her time’.(1) The types of short stories that Katherine Mansfield wrote were mostly a ‘slice of life’, where she used real life experiences to express her themes and ideas. If you were to read one of her stories once through, in a way that you would read a whole book, you would surely miss out on the way Katherine Mansfield conveys meaning in her stories. Throughout her stories she uses every word for a purpose. I understand that economy of style is an aspect of the short story genre, but Katherine Mansfield sought to enhance this, and I believe she really used her writing as an art getting every detail right to make her short stories full and rich with meaning. I was engaged by the way she could take something so simple, such as objects, like lamps and hats and make it represent something so immense. Katherine Mansfield was born into the Victorian era, and was part of a middle classed family. During the Victorian time there was much distinction between the social classes. Katherine Mansfield however, was one who did not want to conform in order to please others, but saw the upper class as being devoid of warmth and feeling for humanity. This is revealed through some of her short stories, where her own life is seen through different characters. Her determined, self-willed, and challenging character confronts society and through her short stories Katherine Mansfield questions civilisation and its rights and responsibilities.
Symbolism
Symbolism is used to show us rather than tell us things of importance and meaning, and in all four short stories Katherine Mansfield communicates through the language of symbolism. At the beginning of the short story ‘Miss Brill’ the character Miss Brill takes out her fur piece to the park. She treats the fur with much