A cup of tea by katherine mansfield

  A cup of tea 

                         -  Katherine Mansfield

               "A reader really has to step Up to the plate and read a short story."
                            - Katherine Mansfield

⭐Introduction of writer⭐

Katherine Mansfield was the writer of 19th century. Her birth place was Wellington Newzeland. Her short stories dramatize by human emotions creating situation which was tender. Katherine Mansfield and her family migrate to England.

Born - 1889 

Died - 1923

 Notable work -  Bliss

                                    Prelude

                                    The Aloe

                                  Pictures

 ⭐ Themes⭐

⭐ Jealously and insecurity⭐

             " Jealously takes root in the soil 

                           of insecurity."

               Rosemary took Miss Smith to her house and promise her to serve her like a sister but when Philip admire Miss Smith she started feeling insecure from Miss Smith. Rosemary thought if Philip will again admire Miss Smith then it may be possible that he will start loving Miss Smith.

         Rosemary was interested in charity,she wanted to do charity with all her heart. She was interested in helping but her nature of getting jealous and insecure has no allowed her to the noble work of kindness.

         The writer has presented general and very particular feeling of jealousy and insecurity.

           

⭐ Materialism and class⭐

         " Materialistic things don't             impress me. your soul does."

        Rosemary was very rich,we can say not only rich rather comfortably rich. The story starts in an antique shop,as a reader we can observe that Rosemary likes to buy things from London and expensive shops. When she came out from the shop,she saw a poor girl who demanded a cup of tea from her. Rosemary was very shocked when she comes to know that Miss Smith was not having even a single penny.

      Rosemary was famous for her richness. She thought that Miss Smith is a good opportunity to get fame for being kind. Rosemary can be observed as a materialistic character. She wanted to prove that she can help and take care of poor people.

⭐ Feminism⭐

        "Pretty is not the rent you

           pay to exist in the world

                   As a woman."

      The story starts with the statement,

 

  "Rosemary was not exactly               beautiful."

      By this statement we can observe that when a female is not beautiful but rich at that time she tries to hide her appearance with money. She tries to look beautiful by her heart. Rosemary also wants to be good and beautiful but when Philip played a game with her she got disappointed. When Philip admire Miss Smith she really got jealous and told Miss Smith to leave the house.

⭐culture of upper and lower class⭐

   

     Rosemary's character represents the life of upper class and Miss Smith's character represents the life of lower class.

   

    To the morden reader the theme of social class restrictions may seem odd but in Mansfield's culture it was very real concept.

⭐ Selfishness⭐

   " Selfishness is the greatest curse of      the human race."

       

           The main theme of the story is selfishness often displayed by rich and arrogant woman of the British aristocracy. Set in turn of the century England,rigid social classes separate the rich and the poor. As a member of upper class,the story's protagonist Rosemary lives a luxurious life. Her encounter with Miss Smith,a beggar,exemplifies the rich woman's need to constantly be pleased. Rosemary's exclusive shopping habits, romanticism of poor and frivolous requests expose her self serving personality.

⭐ conclusion⭐

     Thus, the whole story revolves around Rosemary and it is the working of her mind which Mansfield wants to see. The story deals with many important themes.