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=Katherine Mansfield's Short Story 'Bliss'=

What do you think about it?

The story is set in a middle class suburban home, at a fashionable Hampstead address in London. Bertha has 'help' in the home, suggesting a relatively privilaged life, and has her home furnished elaborately - with 'new carpet' and thoughtfully presented fruit. She takes great effort to provide an atmosphere of elegance and charm - so that her life may seem on the outside to be perfect. However, this stands in contrast to the 'cracks' that become evident in her personal life, showing that her life beneath the surface is anything but 'Blissful' as she wishes it to appear. - Mr Hodder
 * Setting...**

Style-Jess&Shae

Written in the form of stream of consciousness, this technique helps the reader feel and envision Bertha’s emotions as she experiences them. It helps the reader to make a more personal connection towards Bertha, as by hearing her emotions, the reader can relate to them by sympathising or empathising. “What creepy things cats are!” she stammered, and she turned away from the window and began walking up and down…How strong the jonquils smelled in warm afternoon.” It is also written in an autobiographical way which enhances the effect of the use of the stream of consciousness. Conversation is also used in the writing style which establishes personality and class structure between the characters. She uses repetition to emphasise the dominate theme; Berta’s subconscious choice of remaining ignorant to things around her. Emotive language is also used, such as “delightfully”, and “passionately”. The effect of this is that on the surface, we think that Bertha’s life is very happy, due to all the positive emotive language, but deeper down, we realise she is in denial that her life is anything but perfect, and certain symbols used represent this, .i.e. the pear tree. Bliss is written in 1st person which helps the reader see the world from Bertha’s point of view. The effect of Mansfield’s style is that the reader feels that lots of things are happening very quickly, due to the abrupt change of Bertha’s thoughts throughout the story, however at the end of the story, the reader realises that not much has actually happened.

STORYLINE - Mabel and Casey 1. Bertha Young arrives home and takes her baby daughter from the Nanny and feeds Little B, despite the Nanny’s objections 2. Bertha receives a phone call from Harry informing her that he will be late to the party 3. Bertha and Harry have a conversation about Pearl Fulton where we see that Bertha admires Pearl, while Harry appears to have a cold opinion. 4. She stands by the window in the drawing room and sees the tall, slender pear tree in full bloom, and a grey cat being trailed by a black one. 5. Guests arrive, and try to have polite and sophisticated conversation. Then Harry arrives, and she realises Pearl Fulton is not there. She shows up late just after Harry. 6. Guests move into the dining room and have dinner, where they continue their conversation. 7. Bertha thinks that Harry dislikes Pearl Fulton from the rejection and the tone between Pearl Fulton and Harry. 8. Bertha says that she desires her husband for the first time. Norman Knights leave, and then Pearl Fulton goes to leave but Harry goes to help Pearl Fulton. Eddie and Bertha are left by the fire, Bertha then witnesses the intimate moment between Pearl Fulton and Harry and realises that Harry has been cheating on her.


 * THEME** - Brendan and Kevin
 * Living in her own world
 * In the story, Bertha seemed to be happy about her own world. She thought everything in her life was perfect. But she was not aware of the relationship between her husband and Pearl. In fact, it was the first time she ever desired for her husband so much for a sexual lust. This suggests Bertha filled her cup of bliss with only material perfection.
 *  Hypocritical of rich people
 * The conversation between Mr and Mrs Noman Knight, Eddie Warren and Pearl Fulton was particular shallow and vain as it was about little things and the topics were changed throughout the dinner. This shows that the dinner guests tried not to be stodgy as the middle class. But in fact, they did not really match with the upper class and they were as stodgy as the middle class. They were simply trying to reach the boundary of the upper class

Symbolism and imagery 1. The pear tree 2. Cats 3. Hot and Cold
 * the pear tree may represent the relationships in the story, it may refer to pearl and Harry, who Bertha can clearly (as clear as the pear tree in through the window) see is having an affair but just sits around like the blossom flowers, pretending what's going on below her (the tree roots entwining, being harry and pearl) isn't really happening. It may also represent her sudden sexual desires with her husband whom she claims to be "madly in love with" suddenly blossoming, which in real life tends is a symbol of sexual maturity. It may even relate to her desires to presuse homosexuality with Pearl, which is a new idea and something that is starting to blossom
 * the cats in our opinion represent Pearl and Bertha. We think that the main cat is Bertha whilst Pearl sneaks around in her shadow, the metaphor that Bertha is the main grey cat who thinks that everything is perfect is to nieve to even consider/recognize that what she knows but wont admit is her actually reality. This meaning that event though she knows that Pearl is having an affair with her husband she just pretends she doesn't and never looks back into her 'shadow'.
 * This refers to the way she is feeling, for example: "that bright glowing place...that little showers of sparks were coming from" This represents her nieve emotions and her overwhelming feelings about how perfect she thinks her life is. However when she walks in the door and removes her coat: "... The cold air feel on my arms.." which may represent her reality which she pretends is fiction (Harry and Pearls affair) suddenly dawning on her which she repetely avoids thinking about

//Exemplify Mansfield’s views of ‘Middle Class ‘life. What are they like?//
 * CHARACTERS: **


 * Bertha:** 30 years old, over thinks things, worried about the party being perfect. She has big dark eyes and has quite a lonely life filling it with social events such as dinners and classes at the club. She is being cheated on by her husband and her friend. She loves her daughter but sees her as an accessory; she only goes to her when she feels like it. This is shown at how happy the baby is to see her, it shows that her visits are a treat and not the normal activity.


 * Harry:** Married to Bertha and they have a child (Little B) together. Wealthy, immoral, dramatic, attractive, has a zest for life. Harry and his wife have not had intercourse for a while now since the baby because Bertha has not desired him. They are more pals than a married couple. He is cool and collected, he doesn’t feel remorse for cheating on her.


 * Nanny:** Acts like Little B’s mother, very protective of the baby. Doesn’t consider Bertha a good mother but due to her social status she is restricted from speaking her mind and can only do what bertha tells her to.


 * Little B:** dark fine hair, loves her mum, recognises her. Harry (the father) doesn’t have much to do with her. “i shant feel the slightest interest in her until she has a lover”.


 * Pearl:** Bertha met pearl at the club. Bertha thinks pearl is unusual and frank which she loves about her. She is a rare “find”. Very beautiful with blonde hair. Never looked at people directly. Lives by “listening rather than seeing”.


 * The Norman Knights:** He was about to start up a theatre and she liked interior decoration. They are called face and mug when with friends which shows what they think of Bertha and Harry and the current environment they are in.


 * Eddie Warren:** Just published a book of poems, very popular at dining parties. Lean and pale.