The Garden Party, a Victorian Literature, written by Katherine Mansfield is about the social
class, and how people treated other social classes. A noble family, The Sheridan Family, are hosting a garden party. The Sheridan Family includes Laura, Laurie, Meg and Jose Sheridan. The mother of the family wanted Laura, the eldest, to learn how to commande servants. Laura While all the working men and servants are working, Laura heard the news that their working class neighbor, Mr. Scott, just died in front of their gate. While Laura thought that they should cancel the party, because someone just died, her mother and her sister disagree with her. They think that the party should still be going, although Laura had empathy for the Scott family, because while they are having a party and for the Scott one of their family members just died. It wasn’t fair for them. Laura felt terribly bad, although her mother convinced her with a very pretty hat. It makes her look noble. After the party had ended, she pitied the Scott Family so she went and gave them some leftovers. In the corner of the lane, Laura meets her brother Laurie after fleeing the house. In a state of emotional overload, she says, "Isn't life-" but can't finish the sentence. In response, her brother says, "Isn't it, darling?"
Depending on their incomes and social status, people were divided into social classes. The Noble Class (the rich) and the working class (the poor) are the two different levels, the two classes are also treated differently. The Noble Class, for example, The Sheridan Family, are usually commanding the working class. The Noble Class can get everything because they have money while the working class are the ones working for the noble class. Unfortunately, most of the rich don't have empathy for the working class, very few actually have empathy and feel bad for how they are treated. The social classes separated people in the past because almost always, The Noble Class go out with the Noble Class and the poor go out with the poor. This causes a separation of people, because the noble class didn’t care for the working class. Some of the working class are The Scott Family, the workers and servants. They usually lived close to the noble’s mansion because they didn’t have any transportation, cars, bicycles, etc. or they lived in the mansion. The working class doesn’t get the best treatment, most of them aren’t suffering that bad from poverty. People were separated into social classes by their incomes and their level in society.
People believed that a lady should be a lady, they had set up a lot of requirements for being accomplished. They believed that if a woman wants to deserve the title, she must have the knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing…etc. The Noble class believed for rich women to learn how to host parties, how to make the guests happy, wear everything beautiful, have hats and gloves, and a lot more. People think that women would enjoy commanding working classes, although not all women want to be like that. Laura doesn’t like to commande the working class, instead she feels empathy for them. Noble class ladies are “supposed” to have a superior air when not everyone likes that type of pride feeling and high feeling. Laura and her mother are completely different, by their belief and their thoughts. Laura thinks that it is good to have empathy for the working class, because some of them don’t deserve to live in poverty when society and community doesn’t give them the chance to learn more, to work, to earn money… While on the other hand Laura’s mother thinks that because they are in the Noble class, they should have superior air on the working class, the rich are cruel to the poor. Ladies are different, although people think that a lady should be very ladylike.
During the story, Laura had some changes because of the environment she is in. The changes are based on her empathy for the working class, her own consciousness, and finally her retreats for the Scotts family. From the death of Mr. Scotts Laura had always felt empathy for the working class, she had always tried to persuade her mother and sister that the party should stop. Although the environment she was given in made her lose her own consciousness. Finally after seeing the beautiful hat, Laura decides to give up. Although she still felt terrible for the Scott family, while they were having a party, the family had to suffer because the father died. The way Laura didn’t exactly retreat is very inspiring, even after the garden party, she still had a way to show that she cared by bringing the leftovers. Even if they were only leftovers that she gave, it still showed that she is different from the rest of the noble class, she cared for the working class. In the future, Laura probably is still in the noble class, although she would kindly help the working class. Even though Laura gave up after seeing the hat, she has not completely given up, she still cared and that is inspiring.
The Garden Party, a Victorian Literature, written by Katherine Mansfield is about the social class, and how people treated other social classes. People were classified into social classes according to their incomes and social status. In society, the working class (the poor) and the noble class (the rich) are at different levels, and they are treated differently. They had set up many requirements for being an accomplished lady, believing that a lady should be a lady. It was believed that to deserve the title, a woman must have knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, etc. Due to her environment, Laura experienced some changes during the story. As a result of her empathy for the working class and consciousness, as well as her retreats with the Scotts family, she makes changes. Although Laura gave up after seeing the hat, she has not completely given up, she still cares and that is inspirational.
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