Katherine Mansfield Bliss, the Garden Party and the Fly

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On the surface, The Garden Party appears as a narrative of a girl who transcends the class prejudices enforced upon her. Yet even Laura Sheridan, who seemingly achieves the greatest level understanding, displays some degree of class ignorance, thus proving societal codes not easily discarded. Laura disapproves of “absurd class distinctions”[15], however her exposure beyond the “nice”[16] workmen, as she actively, and symbolically, moves away from the security of her home, down the “dark”[17] lane to the world of working class, dissuades her preconceived ideas. As Darrohn highlights in her essay Blown to Bits!: Katherine Mansfield’s ‘The Garden Party’ and the Great War, although Laura’s ties to her status are inarguably “loosened”[18] through such an experience, there is evidence to suggest that she remains “virulently classist”[19] herself. This is prevalent in her critical descriptions of the Scott women. She is repulsed by their appearance, making note of their puffed up “terrible”[20] faces, and it becomes apparent Laura no longer identifies herself as a “work-girl.”[21] Moreover, these harsh descriptions are then contrasted to the “wonderful, beautiful”[22] descriptions she denotes to Mr Scott, portrayed as peacefully asleep. This outlook on death bears a striking resemblance to the image the Boss preserves of his son, lying “unblemished…asleep forever.”[23] But the severe appearance of the Scott women suggest otherwise. They do not find consolation in such images, with the presence of death rectifying a much more damaging impact.

This disjunction between the two classes and their response to death can only be understood with the consideration of post-war society and it’s threat to upper class stability. This interconnection of war, class and the individual is explored in depth by Darrohn in her essay, as she proposes the working class to be given the “traditional role as bearers of the bodily burdens of society”[24]. Indeed, just as the workmen or the cook must perform the duties necessary for the garden party to take place, whilst the Sheridan’s admire it’s beauty, the Scott women are prescribed the role of mourners, representative of the damaging effects of World War I. Effectually, Laura is enabled to view death in a different light, as enabled by her upper-class perspective and privilege; with an air of disconnect and untouchability. Thus, it can be conferred that Laura’s exposure to death is not faithful to reality.

The War challenged social constructs, with death and destruction permeating all classes. This is supported by Darrohn, as she delineates the war’s impact to “rupture the middle-class illusion of secure enclosure.”[25]

For the upper class, ignorance is bliss when it enables security and comfort in class superiority. Thus, internal struggles concerning identity, loss, sexuality and gender; struggles that are in fact universal, are marginalised and displaced onto the lower class in an ultimate act of self-denial.

Rather than an accurate realisation of the nature of death or the existence of class distinction, impressionable Laura has only taken a short trip down the road, on a much longer journey to understanding. When she apologises for her hat, embarrassed of her upper-class branding, she has cannot begin to conceive what she is really apologising for.

In order to maintain the illusion of superiority and perfection of one’s life; an ideal that is valued so highly by the upper class, individuals such as Bertha, the Boss and subconsciously even Laura, must deny the very existence of such struggles. Consequently, they are denied the capacity for personal insight and existential understanding, remaining in a suppressed, stagnant or conflicted state.

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