The garden party - A successful text helps us to think but it doesn’t tell us what to do PDF

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An essay on the short story "The Garden Party" by Katherine Mansfield written about the question 'A successful text helps us to think but it doesn’t tell us what to do'...

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Katherine Mansfield - The garden party A successful text helps us to think but it doesn’t tell us what to do. Katherine Mansfield once said, “Short stories can be like photographs, catching people at some moment in their in their lives… and behind those smiles and those frowns lie all the experiences of life.” ‘The Garden Party’ written in 1922 by Katherine Mansfield is a photograph, a snapshot of life and a memory of a civilisation. Following the story of the protagonist Laura, ‘The Garden Party’ tells a harsh truth about our society and while it does not tell us what to do, this successful short story helps us to think greatly about the messages being conveyed. There are three key ideas ‘The Garden Party’ helps to us to think about and explore a deeper understanding of. Firstly, the idea of extravagance of the upper class in comparison to the lower class who must find joy in the simple things of life. Secondly, the way our society has made a conscious effort to divide ourselves into two separate groups of the lower and upper class. And lastly, the idea that death is the “universal equaliser” that obeys no one and is the master of all. A significant event that Katherine Mansfield has used in ‘The Garden Party’ to help us think about the extravagance of the upper class in comparison to the lower class is near the beginning of the short story when a group of decidedly lower class workmen are setting up a marquee for the Sheridan’s (Laura’s rich upper class family) garden party. Laura noticed that one of the workmen stopped and “snuffed up the smell” of a lavender flower. Struck by the simplicity of caring for something essentially so small and insignificant, Laura commented on her own social standing by wondering “how many men she knew would care for such a thing?”, in comparison to the “silly boys” of the upper class. The way Katherine Mansfield used Laura’s first person perspective contributed significantly to the way this short story helped us to think, as by allowing an insight into Laura’s head it connected the two passageways of thought. Therefore while it did not tell us what to do, it provided us with a way to think for ourselves. Shortly after Laura made the first comment about the workmen that initially helped us to think about the different values of the upper class, she made a second comment in her head thinking she “felt just like a work-girl”. In a critical analysation of ‘The Garden Party’ by Neil Hayman he said of this event “By putting herself in the same category as the workmen Laura is breaking the barrier between the social classes…” ‘The Sitting Bee’ also commented on this significant event, saying “This line is significant as it suggests that Laura is connecting with the workmen and if anything she is disregarding the perceived differences between classes.” I believe these ideas strongly makes the reader think about the unnecessary different values in the way of extravagance and simplicity of the lower and upper class and how easy it is to overcome these social barriers. In a separate critical analysation of ‘The Garden Party’ it was commented that Laura Sheridan is “endearingly naive” and “pampered and petted, she is accustomed to the privileges and comforts associated with the upper class and yet she is eager to prove how pragmatic she can be. In comparison to her siblings Laura tends to favour the simpler pleasures of life unlike her mother who is noted for her extravagances.” Katherine Mansfield has used the values of upper class Laura well to make us think, as the common idea of the rich valuing what money can buy you over the simpler pleasures of life like the lower class who cannot afford “such luxuries as garden parties and lace frocks” is not reflected in Laura’s thoughts. Essentially I strongly believe that through significant events and the character values of the protagonist Laura, Katherine Mansfield has truly made the reader of ‘The Garden Party’ think, yet has not told us what to do. The second idea from ‘The Garden Party’ that Katherine Mansfield has used to make the reader think but not tell them what to do is the idea that our society is making a conscious effort to divide ourselves into two separate groups of people who are in essence the exact same, despite class distinctions and social status. This idea is initially introduced at the beginning of the story when it is stated that the Sheridan’s live “on a hill above”. What this idea portrays is that not only are the Sheridan’s physically “above” the others in their society but they are above in social standing as well, highlighting the obvious efforts made to separate the two classes and helping us to think about this idea. Setting further contributes to this idea with the mention of the “broad road” that separates the upper class residence of the Sheridan’s and the lower class residence of the

workmen and their families, as it serves as a clear reminder that there is a barrier between these groups of people. A significant event in ‘The Garden Party’ that again portrays this idea about society is when Laura’s sister Jose immediately dismisses the death of the workman, calling him a “drunken man”. This really helps us to think about society’s idea of social differences as it shows the blatant stereotyping involved in the two groups of people essentially determinedly alienating themselves from each other. It does not tell us to think about this idea the event only portrays it, therefore helping us to think but not outright telling us. In a strong contrast to Jose, Laura is distraught by the death and insists her family cancels their garden party that they had been planning. This is only met with remarks such as “don’t be silly” and “people like that do not expect sacrifices from people like us.” These kind of reactions to Laura genuinely caring about the death of a neighbour help the reader to think about the way tragedies are something that is kept within the confinements of social class groups, as it is a common reaction from the reader to share Laura’s opinion on this issue. “Laura’s reaction to the death of a lower class workman that lives close by yet again reinforces the differences in values she has in comparison to the rest of her family” is a quote again from Neil Hayman, commenting on the idea that the character of Laura continues to help us think by showing her differences from her upper class family. “It was all the fault… of those absurd class distinctions… how she despised stupid conventions” again significantly helps the reader think about the negative ideas surrounding consciously separating ourselves into two separate groups of people when we are essentially all the same underneath, yet it does not outright tell us that. “We’re all human aren't we? Every human life is worth the same.” J.K. Rowling. Thirdly, Katherine Mansfield uses the idea that death is a “universal equaliser” to again make us think, while not telling us what to do. A significant event used to help the reader think about this idea is the journey of great transition and growth Laura has when she visits the lower class residence following the death of a workman. Setting is used to strongly portray the class between Laura and the workmen and their families, even down to the fine details such as the smoke. “Great silvery plumes that uncurled” in comparison to the “little scraps and shreds of smoke” and the “smoky and dark” residence of the lower class. As well as this idea, Laura’s dress (“if only it had been another dress” and “how her frock shone”) stood out significantly in the sea of “tweed caps and shawls”. What this conveys is that again there is a stark difference in the social class of these two separate groups, helping us to think about the conventions of society. However, the moment Laura sees the body of the deceased workman this is all trivial. He is “beautiful, wonderful… a marvel”, “What do garden parties and lace frocks matter to him?” A comment from a critical analysation on ‘The Garden Party’ reads “Death… often acts as a catalyst, prompting other characters to revaluate their own lives. True to form, Laura has an epiphany of sorts while staring at Mr. Scott’s peaceful face. She sees herself as she truly is: frivolous, naïve, and wonton.” This moment of self reflection truly makes the reader think, as it strongly portrays the idea that death is the “universal equaliser” and that we are all the same underneath. “For a moment Laura is envious of the man… he escaped society’s conventions” is from the same critical analysation and is again reflective on the idea that death is the master of everyone and escapes the class distinctions and conventions of society. When Laura is finally able to speak and show some sort of sympathy for the death of the man, all that comes out is “forgive my hat”. This is one of the most significant moments of the whole story. It helps the reader to think as it does not tell us exactly what Laura means by this comment, it carries a very significant hidden meaning. She is apologising for everything; for her inappropriate attire, for the life of the man being taken too soon, for her naivety and most of all she is apologising for society for allowing such a rift to come between two groups of people who are in essence the exact same. Katherine Mansfield strongly helped us to think about those ideas, and while she did not tell us what to do she allowed us to make our own conclusions about these harsh realities of society. Death is answerable to no-one and obeys no-one. Laura was exposed to this “forbidden knowledge” for the first time and as a result she grew significantly as a person. The upper class cannot avoid these realities of life with extravagant garden parties and other expenses, as death cannot be escaped. When Mrs Sheridan sent Laura to the lower class residence she did not anticipate that she would begin to understand far beyond the comprehension of her “narrow minded” mother which truly allows us to think, while not telling us what to do, about the idea of death as a “universal equaliser” that does not answer to social class distinctions.

Katherine Mansfield was born in 1888 in a rich upper class family into a society with clear class distinctions similar to those examined in “The Garden Party”. “Laura Sheridan is a parody of Katherine Mansfield growing up as an idealistic socialite” a quote from a critical analysation states perfectly how Laura’s character is very likely to be based off of Mansfield as a teenager. Mrs Sheridan and her highly class conscious views (“People of that class are so impressed by arum lilies”) can be easy linked to Mansfield’s own mother who she spoke of as being “constantly suspicious… constantly overbearingly tyrannous”. The way that “The Garden Party” is based on personal experiences and values makes the short story all the more powerful and heartfelt. This idea also makes us think as it puts it into a real life scenario with real life people being affected. As well as this idea, the idea that “The Garden Party” was written many years ago in 1922 yet still remains prominent in society today makes the reader think about these ancient values that our people still possess, while not telling us what to do. In conclusion, Katherine Mansfield used three significant ideas, the extravagance of the upper class in comparison to the simplicity of the lower class, the idea that society is consciously dividing itself in two for unnecessary reasons as we are all the same underneath and lastly that death is the universal equaliser, to make us think about our society today. It is clear Katherine Mansfield used her own experience growing up as inspiration for this story, as herself and her mother are strongly reflected in the characters. Through the use of character, events, settings and symbolism the reader was helped to make their own conclusions as they were not told what to do. Essentially what we need to understand is that we cannot separate ourselves from each other as we are all one human race, and it is love, death, joy and beauty that bind us together, not tear us apart....