Analysis Of The Little Governess - 1354 Words

Short stories on the surface seem to have one simple idea, but when explored, blossoms into a deeper idea than originally thought. Short story writers and novelists such as, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Katherine Mansfield, Raymond Carver and Alice Munro show depth in their writing, which requires a reader to explore their ideas and look beyond the page. Fitzgerald focusses on the rare upperclassmen of the roaring 20’s while Carver focusses on the lowest working class of the day, with Mansfield and Munro writes with emphasis on the middle and upper-middle classes respectively. Context adds meaning also as it is significant to deciphering the meaning that the author’s put there. The Little Governess by Katherine Mansfield, written in 1915, is a†¦show more content†¦The social and gender roles of women and men in the 1920’s was quite stark, context was influential to understanding the story, but Mansfield had welded this aspect of normality from her time into her story. Towards the start of The Little Governess, when she is riding the train from England to Germany, the Little Governess had an encounter with a Porter, who was obviously careless with his job and demanded more than the Little Governess provided him with ’20 centimes’ not ‘a franc’, which he imagined was adequate pay. The porter ‘nodded slowly, pulling down his mouth â€Å"very well†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. This showed the hunger in the porter’s eyes for money, as they were paid insufficiently by their superiors, and relied heavily on the train travellers to make up for the rest. A group of young men then talked to her The Porter, later talked to he r with casual sexism, giving her what she ‘deserved’ for her lack of service, by removing the sign which indicated that the young Governess was situated in a ‘Ladies only’ cabin, all the while directing the Old Man in to the cabin. The Old Man, who came in shortly after this encounter, seemed like the first kind man she had met away from home. She was quite flustered and annoyed with how these men addressed her ‘if mademoiselle cares to come in with us’, spoken in a mocking tone, sheShow MoreRelated The Turn of the Screw Essays1329 Words   |  6 PagesLove Between the Classes: An Analysis of Social Status Violation in The Turn of the Screw A Marxist reading of The Turn of the Screw by Henry James brings to light how social status differences and above all how the violation of these distinctions affect the story. The relationship between the governess and Miles is a clear example of this kind of transgression. As an unnamed character, the governess has an indefinite social status. She is neither an upper-class lady nor a simple servant. MoreoverRead MoreThe Turn Of The Screw By Henry James1219 Words   |  5 Pagesdemonstrate that this narrative is in essence a love story regardless of supernatural events. Through the analysis of the frame, it is easy to accept that the Turn of the Screw is a compilation of love stories. 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James’s novella is a ghost story that is mostly told through the perspective of a young woman, a Governess, who is put in charge of taking care of two children, Miles and Flora, at an estate in Bly. The Governess adores the two children and considers them both charming, beautiful, and perfect, which is understandable given that Miles and Flora are portrayed as well mannered, innocent children; and as the Governess becomes more