Symbolism In Katherine Mansfield's The Garden Party

This book has a really ambiguous ending, meaning, you’re sorta left a cliffhanger. And quite frankly, throughout the book, you'll most likely wind up being truly baffled at Laura's naivety and the characters' lack of development. But don't fret, as there are a sequel and trilogy to this book. In addition, the story doesn't concentrate excessively on the letters even if it were the cause of the conflict. But don't fret, as there are a sequel and trilogy to this book.

In conclusion, Katharine Brush uses literary devices such as point of view and irony to describe an evening at dinner with a married couple. A carefully planned surprise birthday cake and song cause the evening to take an unexpected turn. The birthday celebration quickly took a tragic turn and ended the evening in tears and anger. The short story“Birthday Party” examines how life is not always how it seems and does not always end up the way we had

Laura replied with,” I’m Laura and this is Carmilla, my little sister.,” Then after they were invited to stay with them in the woods to be taken care of and fed. As they were all eating Laura decided to take it upon herself to ask the king if she could join the group to help and protect the poor.

Gwendolyn Brooks' "a song in the front yard" (rpt. in Thomas R. Arp and Greg Johnson, Perrine's Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense, 11th ed. [Boston: Wadsworth, 2012] 682) tells a story about a young girl who lived a sheltered life and is curious about how others live their lives. This poem shows the difference between the the refined and wealthy life experience and the poor, troubled life. The narrator's transition to another way of life ultimately shows the flexibility of society.

He seemed to be feeling down and depressed for Laura. He describes how there is a “spindly geranium plant” in the window of Laura’s room and how “the blowing snow hits the panes and blurs the dirt” (Kozol 3). It just seems that the reality and sadness of the situation are really setting in.

Jasper says that he found Laura hanging there earlier in the night, and went to Charlie for help because he believes that Charlie is wise, trustworthy, and loyal. Charlie, horrified by the sight of a dead body, says to Jasper

At the start of her journey, Alice’s blunt and direct form of speech drives the animals away in either offence or wariness. In a state of excitement, Alice inflicts this upon herself while exclaiming, ‘“Dinah’s our cat. Why, she’ll eat a little bird as soon as [she] looks at it!’” (Carol 38). Because of Alice’s little knowledge in social norms, she immediately frightens the party of birds as she talks about her cat. While she is perplexed at the animal’s offence in her words, she is contingent on their guidance in navigating the foreign wonderland. After several failed interactions, Alice develops the inclination of social awareness in her speech as she begins to stop herself when talking with the mock turtle quipping, “‘and perhaps you were never introduced to a lobster-’ (Alice began to say, “I once tasted-” but checked herself hastily)” (Carol 94). Alice’s growth in social awareness stopped her from saying anything offensive, giving her the benefit of stable, though not always helpful, dependency on the animal’s

Before they even leave their apartment, they argue over a hat that Julian’s mother bought. She is convinced that she must return it so the money spent on it could be invested in paying off bills, but Julian tells her to wear it and compliments her on it even though he secretly thinks it is hideous. This hat is a symbol of the conflict that exists between the two. Julian sees the hat as another relic that his mother holds on to, and as an additional form of shame that he must endure from his mother. On the other hand, Julian’s mother sees the hat as an object that defines her status in society, but she is willing to sacrifice it if it will help her son get ahead in life.

Everyone both young and old knows that the years of childhood can be difficult to all. However, in some works, the message of growing up isn't always clear. Symbolism is often used in fiction, such as in the story "Marigolds". The story is centered around the idea of growing up and finding yourself within the years of one's youth. The entire piece of literature tells the story of Lizabeth.

In the beginning of the play, Laura sees herself as “crippled” and not “expecting any gentlemen callers,” for she is extremely shy and unconfident. Furthermore, she embodies her collection of glass menagerie, for when Tom hurls his coat across the room “It strikes against the shelf of Laura’s glass collection... [and] Laura cries out as if wounded.” Laura’s action in this scene symbolizes her frailness and how she is a piece of the glass menagerie. Being part of the glass collection, Laura is confined to the shelf which the collection is on. This metaphorical representation of Laura depicts how she prefers to stay inside rather than going out into the world and becoming truly independent. Nonetheless, when Jim, the ticket to break out of this confinement, arrives, there is a shift in Laura’s character. As Jim talks to Laura, her “shyness is dissolving in his warmth.” Moreover, the unicorn piece which is symbolic of Laura and was once addressed as “lonesome” loses its horn in an accident. When its horn is gone, Laura states, “The horn was removed to make him feel less - freakish! Now he will feel more at home with the other horses, the ones who don’t have horns.” (Scene 7:6-9) Laura has lost her metaphorical horn and therefore she fits in with the rest of the world. For once in her life, Laura feels normal and her shell is broken as she dances and engages with Jim. However, Laura’s escape is not complete liberation, for even though Laura has liking towards Jim, the so thought gentleman-caller, Jim is engaged and has a fiance. This shows that Laura and her family will not truly escape from their setbacks even if a glance of hope, such as Jim, arrives for a moment in their lives. Therefore, at the end of the play, Laura’s “silliness is gone and she has dignity and tragic beauty” for “glass breaks so easily. No matter how careful you

The main family in this story lives on the upper end of a neighborhood with a noticeable gap in lifestyle. This gap is represented by a hill, with the poor near the bottom and the rich near the top. These differences in social class come with a drastic difference in quality of life and appreciation of all life. After a tragic death in the poorer community, Laura delivered leftover food from the party to the devastated family; "This was the house. It must be. A dark knot of people stood outside" (Mansfield). The support shown from the people of the same lower class reinforces that people from the upper class don't respect or care about the problems the lower class faces. Numerous people outside the grieving woman's home were all there for her, since she did not have the means to support for her family anymore. This reaction, is one of people who are caring and loving. In contrast to this, when the mother of a rich family throwing an extravagant garden party received the news, all of her worry was directed towards the garden party continuing. The lack of immediate pity establishes that the mother's belief involves no compassion or reaction unless it is directly affecting her spoiled

Mama even goes as far to say that “it is not just a yard,” “It is like an extended living room” (Walker 1). The yard is very comfortable and relaxing, as opposed to the stuffiness and constraint of the house, and invokes a sense of much needed freedom. While their current house bares a painful reminder of the burning of their last house, the yard frees them from the constant reminders of the regrets in their lives. In the house, conflict arises when

In this quote, it becomes evident that Amanda is in denial of Laura’s popularity (or lack thereof) with “gentleman callers”, thus solidifying the concept that Amanda is in denial of the state of her family. She instead chooses to endlessly relive her youth as a southern belle, but this time, through Laura.

This passage is one of the most memorable passages in Alicebecause it so resembles the typical conversation that young girls often have with their dolls at imaginary tea parties. Imitating what their own mothers say to them over and over again – “Don’t speak unless you’re spoken to,” “Don’t shift in your seat while your elders are talking to you,” “You must be a proper young lady” – these young girls try to come to terms with all of the social restrictions that are placed upon them and to

            Laura appears to be the most important character in the play, perhaps the main character intended by Williams.  Although she also engages in a world of illusion, hers is much different then Amanda's.  She has no pretenses, no real faults to speak of.  She is who