The Garden Party by Katherine Mansfield

Introduction

Katherine Mansfield was born in New Zealand in 1888. She went to London for her studies. Her life was not happy. She had many heartbreaks in her life. Though she died when she was only 34, she ranks with the best story-tellers of the world. She left behind a number of short stories.

Mrs. Sheridan has decided to give a garden party. When preparations are underway, they hear about the death of a poor carter in an accident. The youngest daughter Laura, has a sympathetic heart. Unlike her family, she does not look down upon the working people. She thinks it unbecoming of them to let the band play while a man lies dead in their neighbourhood. But they think she is crazy. Later she is sent with the leftover food to the deadman's house. There she sees the dead man. The peaceful beauty of the deadman's face impresses her. She realizes that man was far away where the superficiality of life does not matter. Laura tries to understand life.

Summary

The Sheridans were wealthy. Mrs. Sheridan was organising a garden party. She expected her three daughters, Meg, Jose and Laura to look after all the arrangements.

They were at the breakfast table when the men arrived with poles and rolls of canvas to put the marquee. Laura, the youngest, was sent to tell them where to put it. She ran with a piece of bread and butter in her hand. She felt shy when she came to the four men. She did not know what to do with the piece of bread and butter. The workmen smiled down at her. She felt at ease. Her shyness was gone. She thought that workmen were nice people. They could be better friends than those silly boys with whom she danced. In fact Laura had symapathetic heart. She was not snobbish like other members of her family. She did not have any notion of class differences.

She suggested a few spots where they could put the marquee. But the workmen knew their job. They chose the place which they thought was the best and set to put the marquee there.

There was a telephone call for Laura. So she hastily went back into the house.

Mrs. Sheridan had ordered flowers. They arrived in abundance. The pots were put just inside the door on both sides of the porch.

Jose moved the piano and wanted to see if it was all right. She expected to be asked to sing at the party. She tried a mournful song. But she did not really have any experience of the sad sentiments the song aroused.

The cook was busy preparing fifteen types of sandwiches for which she needed flags. Mrs. Sheridon had Laura to write the names of sandwiches on the flags.

While the preparations for the the celebration of the party were underway, Laura found the cook, Sadie, and the gardener's boy standing in the backdoor. The cook was shaking her head sadly. Sadie was crying and the gardener' boy looked grieved. Laura learnt that a poor carter who lived in one of the little homes below across the street, had been killed in an accident. He had left behind a widow and half a dozen children, Laura was shocked. She thought it was awful to celebrate while a man lay dead in their neighbourhood. She spoke to Jose. She said that they must stop the party. But Jose thought she was crazy. So Laura went to her mother. Mrs. Sheridan had always despised those people living in their tiny, dirty hovels. She believed they had no right to be in that neighbourhood. Laura suggested that they must stop the party. It would be unbecoming of them to play the band while a man lay dead. But Mrs. Sherdan's reaction was the same as that of Jose. She told Laura that those people did not expect any sympathy from them. She told her not to spoil the fun they were going to have. She put a beautiful hat on Laura and told her to look into the mirror. But Laura refused to look into the mirror. She was unhappy and went into her bedroom.

But she saw herself in the mirror. Indeed she had never looked as pretty as she did in that hat that day. She decided to put off thinking about the dead man, his widow and his children till after the party was over.

Guests arrived. They admired Laura. They talked pleasantly, ate and departed. Laura helped her mother with the good byes. The party had been successful but Mrs. Sheridan was dead tired and needed a cup of strong coffee to refresh herself.

Mr. Sheridan said that there had been a terrible accident and a man who lived in their neighbourhood had been killed. But he ate sandwiches as he told this terrible news to his wife. She told him that they had heard about it, and Laura even wanted the party to stop.

Mrs. Sheridan had a bright idea. She thought of sending the left-over food to the poor widow. She thought it would be a treat for her children and she would have something to offer the neighbours when they called to condole with her.

Laura was asked to carry the basket of food to the carter's widow. She was sent there dressed as she was for the party, with her beautiful hat and frock.

She walked downhill to the deadman's house. But she thought she was inappropriately dressed to go into a house where a man lay dead. Her dress and hat were too flamboyant.

There she found a group of men outside a house. It was the deadman's house. Men parted to make a way for her. A women in black opened the door. She was the sister of deadman's wife. She led Laura to the carter's widow whose face was all red and swollen but she spoke nothing. Then the widow's sister led Laura to the bedroom where the carter lay dead.

The man's face was perfectly peaceful as if he were fast asleep. Laura was deeply impressed by the peaceful beauty of his face. She thought he was far away. He was beyond the superficiality of life - garden parties, pretty hats and frocks. This wonderful thing had happened when they were having the party and the band was playing.

Still she could not leave the place without a sob. She came out hurriedly and walked towards her home. Her brother Laurie had come to meet her on the way. He saw that she was crying. He asked her if it was awful. She replied that it was not - It was rather wonderful. But she had a feeling for which she had no words to express. To her life was a mystery which she was trying to understand.

Word Meanings

Marquee = sunshade; Blushed = became red in face being ashamed; Fault = defect, flaw; Stupid = idiot; Class differences = the feeling that the wealthy are superior to the poor; Stretched = pulled out; Mournfully = sadly; Despairing = hopelessly; Verse = stanza; Beamed = smiled; Pantry = room use for storing food or utensils; Blocked = choked; Fright = alarm, scare; Astonished = surprised; Swarms = a big group; Ragged = wearing rags; Fury = anger; Alarm = fear; Couch = bed; Trimmed = decorated or ornamented with; Streaming in = coming like a stream; Exhausted = tired; Uncomfortable = uneasy; Stammered = spoke halting.

Questions You May Be Asked

1. How are classes distinctions depicted in the story?
2. How does Laura's attitude towards te workmen surprise you? Why do you think defensice about it.
3. Discuss Laura's feeling towards the deadman and his family on the way to his house. Did her emotions change after she saw him? Substantiate your answer evidence from the story.
4. Describe how members for the Sheridan family react to the death of the poor carter in neighbourhood.
5. Write Laura's character sketch.