Analysis

An analysis of the short story “The Garden Party” by Katherine Mansfield shows that the narrative follows a chronological structure. However, the focus is not on the events themselves but on Laura’s inner conflict.

The main character of the story is Laura Sheridan. The other characters – the Sheridan family, the Scotts, and the servants – also play important roles in the story and illustrate class differences. 

The physical setting is the Sheridan house, where the family organizes a garden party. Towards the end of the story, the setting changes when Laura goes to the Scotts’ house to give them a basket of leftovers. The story’s social setting mainly focuses on class differences, illustrated by the attitudes of the Sheridans towards the Scotts and the servants. 

The story is told by a third-person narrator, who presents Laura’s feelings and attitudes towards what she experiences. Although readers have access mostly to Laura’s perspective, sometimes, the narrator’s own voice is present in the story. 

The language is mainly formal and reflects the style of the time. The use of formal and informal language also helps draw attention to the idea of class differences.  

A full analysis of the short story can be found in the following pages.