The short story has invariably become regarded as a conservative form of literature given its often rigid, and basic plot dimensions focused on narrow plot and character development. However, with different writers come different experimentations within the short story. This is especially true with the modernism movement in mind. One modernist writer in particular, Katherine Mansfield, was indeed conscious of the possibilities that existed within the form of the short story as is evidenced in The Garden Party and Other Stories, Mansfield’s most prolific collection of short stories. Just as James Joyce sought to innovate the long-standing traditions of the novel, Katherine Mansfield placed her efforts in revolutionizing the short story. Such …show more content…
What separates free indirect discourse from stream of consciousness is the use of the third person narrator, who becomes more prevalent in the mode of free indirect discourse along with the shifting of personal pronouns. As Josefina Pereyra writes in her essay on Mansfield’s short story, “In the case of free indirect discourse, the technique oscillates between narrative comment and character’s consciousness, in this way the author gains access into the characters thoughts in a third person reproduced monologue.” While the effects of this mode of writing are technical, free indirect discourse helps deliver a form of immediacy that had not been seen in writing prior to Mansfield’s work. The most prominent example of free indirect discourse comes as Constantia and Josephine recall their previous encounter with their nephew Cyril. The instance of free indirect discourse first appears as Mansfield writes, “Josephine made no reply. She had flown off on one of her tangents. She had suddenly thought of Cyril. Wasn’t it more usual for the only grandson to have the watch…” (9). The usage of this mode continues throughout the next two chapters as the two women recall their encounter with Cyril as they pestered their nephew about his father’s fondness for meringues. As opposed to solely relying on the thoughts of a character, here, the status of the narrator is exploited to reach into the thoughts of the two characters as well as using dialogue to fully flush out the scene’s nature. Although this entire scene is devoted to a seemingly minimal plot point, through the use of free indirect discourse, Mansfield successfully portrays the outward tension of the two sisters juxtaposed against their most intimate
"Unit 2: Reading & Writing About Short Fiction." ENGL200: Composition and Literature. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. 49-219. Web. 19 Apr. 2014.
Many of the short stories within the collection The Things They Carried, written by Tim O’Brien, can be compared and contrasted in regards to elements including theme, characters, and technique. In “Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong,” the character Mary Anne Bell appears to be apparently similar to the character Martha from “The Things They Carried,” in that both are young women who have relations with a soldier in the war. Though upon further analysis of Mary Anne, it appears she is far from alike to Martha. Rather, an unexpected parallel can be drawn between the characters Mary Anne and Elroy Berdahl, from “On the Rainy River,” in that both appear to be epitomes of masculinity. The peculiar connection between these characters developed by Tim O’Brien shines a light on the ambiguity of conventional gender roles of men and women.
“Short Stories." Short Story Criticism. Ed. Jelena Krstovic. Vol. 127. Detroit: Gale, Cengage Learning, 2010. 125-388. Literature Criticism Online. Gale. VALE - Mercer County Community College. 28 February 2014
(Sept. 1976): 35-39. Rpt. in Short Story Criticism. Ed. Carol T. Gaffke. Vol. 26. Detroit:
Stillinger, Jack, Deidre Lynch, Stephen Greenblatt, and M H. Abrams. The Norton Anthology of English Literature: Volume D. New York, N.Y: W.W. Norton & Co, 2006. Print.
Wilson, M. & Clark, R. (n.d.). Analyzing the Short Story. [online] Retrieved from: https://www.limcollege.edu/Analyzing_the_Short_Story.pdf [Accessed: 12 Apr 2014].
These women authors have served as an eye-opener for the readers, both men and women alike, in the past, and hopefully still in the present. (There are still cultures in the world today, where women are treated as unfairly as women were treated in the prior centuries). These women authors have impacted a male dominated society into reflecting on of the unfairness imposed upon women. Through their writings, each of these women authors who existed during that masochistic Victorian era, risked criticism and retribution. Each author ignored convention a...
Pike, Gerald. “Excerpts from Criticism of the Works of Short Fiction Writers.” Short Story Criticism. Ed. Thomas Votteler. Vol. 6. Detroit: Gale Research International Limited, 1990. 90. Print.
One of the most well-known American Literary Classics is “Little Woman”. Louisa May Alcott’s stirring tale about hardship, loss, and coming of age is appealing to girls and women alike. In an homage to this classic story, Geraldine Brooks gives us “March”. Written for an older crowd, “March” is the harrowing account of Mr. March, the father and wife of the protagonists in “Little Women”. The companion novel details his adventures in the South, and the events that lead to him joining the Union Army in his 40’s. Mr. March is a multi-faceted man, with a head for teaching. However, the once innocent, well-meaning and naïve man who volunteered to be a chaplain in the Union forces was scarred beyond recovery by what he saw during his tour of duty. Throughout the book, he learns and changes from the person that he once was. Facilitators of this transformation include Silas Stone, Zannah the former slave, and his wife, Marmee. For better or for worse, they each changed Mr. Marsh and the way he thought about the world.
The Third Person-Point of View as used by Katherine Mansfield in “Miss Brill” Katherine Mansfield’s use of the third person, limited omniscient point of view in “Miss Brill” has the effect of letting the reader see the contrast between Miss Brill’s idea of her role in life and the reality of the small part she truly plays in world around her. In one short Sunday afternoon, the main character’s view of herself changes dramatically different changes. Until the end, the reader does not realize the view is like a mirror at a carnival, clear on the outside edges and distorted in the centre. Mansfield’s use of the story’s point of view causes her readers to look inside themselves to see if they also view life as Miss Brill does: as they wish it to be, not as it is. In the beginning, Miss Brill sees herself as an observer of life, somehow separate, but yet an integral part of life. From the first sentence, “Although it was so brilliantly fine--the blue sky powdered with gold and great spots of light like white wine splashed over the Jardins Publiques”(49), the reader is made aware of her wonderfully vivid imagination. She seems to notice everything. In addition, she paints it in such words that we see it also. As readers, we want to believe that Miss Brill really has a deep understanding of the world around her. Yet Miss Brill wishes to be a part of the world and not apart from it, so we see her view shift to include herself. Now we begin to wonder about her...
Evans, Robert C., Anne C. Little, and Barbara Wiedemann. Short Fiction: A Critical Companion. West Cornwall, CT: Locust Hill, 1997. 265-270.
It is the aim of this piece to consider how two elements are developed in the opening chapters of three classic novels written by 19th century English women: Emma, Wuthering Heights, and Jane Eyre, respectively. The elements to be considered are a) character; and b) character relationships. Consideration will be given to see how each opening chapter develops these two aspects, and the various approaches will be compared and contrasted as well.
Hurston portrays women as independent and capable of infinite possibilities. Many aspects contribute to how an author, male or female, portrays his or her female characters. Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Steinbeck, Wharton, and Hurston all illustrate their own perception of women based upon personal experience and social acuity of their particular era. The portrayal of women in American Literature is based solely upon an author’s personal opinion and interpretation and does not necessarily symbolize the true spirit and quintessence of women as one. Bibliography:..
When first reading this short story the character of an older woman comes to mind only to find later in an important passage “She was young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines bespoke repression and even a certain strength (Clugston, 2010, sec 2.1). This passage finally gives the reader a detailing idea of the woman in this story and defines her as a younger woman rather than an older one. This may l...
In an essay on feminist criticism, Linda Peterson of Yale University explains how literature can "reflect and shape the attitudes that have held women back" (330). From the viewpoint of a feminist critic, "The Lady of Shalott" provides its reader with an analysis of the Victorian woman's conflict between her place in the interior, domestic role of society and her desire to break into the exterior, public sphere which generally had been the domain of men. Read as a commentary on women's roles in Victorian society, "The Lady of Shalott" may be interpreted in different ways. Thus, the speaker's commentary is ambiguous: Does he seek to reinforce the institution of patriarchal society as he "punishes" the Lady with her death for her venture into the public world of men, or does he sympathize with her yearnings for a more colorful, active life? Close reading reveals more than one possible answer to this question, but the overriding theme seems sympathetic to the Lady. By applying "the feminist critique" (Peterson 333-334) to Tennyson's famous poem, one may begin to understand how "The Lady of Shalott" not only analyzes, but actually critiques the attitudes that held women back and, in the end, makes a hopeful, less patriarchal statement about the place of women in Victorian society.