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Bliss By Katherine Mansfield

Characters

Marriage

"The feeling of bliss overwhelmed me"

(174)

"this absolute satisfactory house and garden" (178)

Bliss

A state of perfect happiness, typically so as to be oblivious of everything else

What happened to my marriage?

Pearl Fulton

Adultery

"they [we] didn't have to worry about money"

(178)

- A male germanic name meaning

House or even a house ruler

Harry Young

"an adorable baby"

(178)

Finds Pearl...

"Dull" (177)

"Simply ran over to the long window"

(185)

"cold like all blond women with a touch of anemia of the brain" (177)

What is so significant about the pear tree?

my "modrern thrilling friends"

(178)

"Harry and I were as much in love as ever and they [we] got together splendidly and were really good pals that they [we] didn't have to worry about money" (178).

"an abosolute bliss"

(174)

What is Bliss?

"my little precious" (176)

"incredibly beautiful" (175)

The Connection

"darling" (178)

"Ignorance is Bliss"

Bertha

to take dancing steps

on and off the

pavement

"its wide blossoms [are] as the symbol of her [my] life" (178)

to bowl a hoop

"wanted to run instead of walk

Harry

to throw something up in the air and catch it again

"like the flame of a candle, to stretch up, to quiver in the bright air, to grow taller and taller as they gazed-almost to touch th rim of the round silver moon"

(182)

Pear Tree

symbol of feminine sexuality and fertility

Pearl = Moon

My Sexuality

Ancient Arab:

Pearls -> Moonlight

Pearl Fulton

"As two women stood side by side looking at the slender tree, flowering tree... to grow taller and taller as they gazed-almost to touch the rim of the round silver moon" (182)

My appearance

or to stand still and laugh

at simply nothing" (174).

"beautiful woman who had something strange about them" (177)

"all in silver, with a silver fillet binding her pale blond hair"

(180)

"had fallen in love with her" (177)

My sexuality

"this does not happen very rarely between women, never between men" (182)

My ignorance/ belief on bliss

Bertha Young

- a female germanic name

My Appearance

"tall, slender pear tree (white) " (177)

"white dress"

(178)

"the lovely pear tree

in the garden"

(178).

"a string of jade beads" (178)

" green shoes" (178)

"becalmed against the jade green sky" (177)

"thrilling friends"

(178).

Back to Naomi....

Bertha Young

Pearl Fulton

(My Friend)

Harry Young

(My Husband)

=

Harmony

Safetey

Balance

Pear Tree

"was as lovely as ever and as full of flower and as still" (185)

Conclusion:

ignorance

Pear Tree -> Self Fertile

includes both male and female reproductive organs

Wisdom

Balance

Peace

=

Attracts Love

Thesis

Ubiquitous:

  • Present, appearing or found everywhere

Could Bertha be more devasted that her husband cheated on her or more of jealousy that Harry had a deeper relationship with Pearl than Bertha did?

In Mansfield's story, "Bliss" thematically focuses on the protagonist's marriage and adultery and demonstrates the symbolism of a pear tree which represents the protagonist's life.

Sources:

Mansfield, Katherine. Bliss. August, 1918

http://www.katherinemansfieldsociety.org/assets/KM-Stories/BLISS1918.pdf

Campbell, Mike. "Bertha, Harry and Pearl ." Behind the Name: Meaning of Names, Baby Name Meanings. Accessed January 11, 2017.

http://www.behindthename.com/.

Wikipedia. Accessed January 12, 2017.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bliss_(short_story)#Plot_summary

"Symbolism of a pear tree ." Reference. Accessed January 20, 2017.

https://www.reference.com/world-view/symbolism-pear-tree-58d722aea2c97226

IOP By: Bertha Young

Naomi Moon

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