Laura Sheridan

Outer characterization

Laura Sheridan is the main character of the short story “The Garden Party” by Katherine Mansfield. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sheridan and the sister of Laurie, Meg, and Jose. 

Her outer characterization shows that she is “the artistic one” (l. 21) in the family. When her mother offers her a hat to make her forget about the Scotts, Laura is described as a “charming girl (…) in her black hat trimmed with gold daisies, and a long black velvet ribbon” (ll. 320-321). At the garden party, Laura looks “quite Spanish” (l. 355) in her “lace frock” (l. 400) and “big hat with the velvet streamer” (l. 421). Overall, Laura’s appearance reflects her social status. 

Inner characterization

Laura is an “artistic” (l. 21) young woman who is raised in luxury, along with her siblings. Her behavior suggests that she is more sensitive than her siblings and the rest of her family. This idea is illustrated when Laura is sent to supervis...