The Singing Lesson Katherine Mansfield

The Author Kathleen Mansfield Murry (14 Oct.1888 – 9 Jan. 1923) prominent Modernist writer of short fiction from New Zealand wrote under the pen name of Katherine Mansfield. The Singing Lesson – short story written with elements detailing the first examples of the Modernist movement in early 20 th century. Experimental and innovative voice – style – themes;

At14 attended London Queen’s College. During the three years of studies she wrote stories for the college journal. dissatisfied with the dull, leisured life of her family. went to London – decided to write as her career. lived mostly in England – died of tuberculosis in France. short life/great works: poems, literary criticism, translated works by the Russian writer Anton Chekhov’s established fame came from her short stories.

Style Mansfield’s short stories showed great originality. drew materials from her own experience with what apparently seem trifling events as her subjects. themes restricted but significant : a.the growth and self-consciousness of the female; b.the relation between men and women; c.children’s innocence and the cruelty of reality.

Writing techniques : a.description of details; b.more atmosphere than plot c.blend of feeling and setting; d.interior monologue => symbol. e.language linear prose style enhanced by a deeply poetic voice.

Summary The Singing Lesson story shows how Miss Meadow’s thought disrupted her teaching to her class in the music hall. Miss Meadow obvious dislike of the Science Mistress insinuates the element of human fragility to the picture – negative aspects of the silent “voice”. Woman’s fragility due to a letter she had received. Her fiancée announced clear and simple – he did not love her. Obsessive point hammering into her thoughts until she received the telegram Odd return to some sort of “order” – we no longer see the teacher in her distraught frame of mind and yet have a more profound understanding of her more personal, invisible side – oddly disturbing

Discussion/Questions What is the story about? What is the purpose of the contrasting aspects of the narration? Is the setting of the story suggestive of something beyond its apparent meaning? Why do the external events change Miss Meadows’ mood and final behavior towards the girls? Why is the content slightly disturbing for the reader – ie. the end?

Upon a first reading of the story you might think it is describing a singing lesson in a music hall. It actually is. One idea achieved by reading The Singing Lesson – teacher’s personal life problems and issues can affect other aspects of her life, i.how she acts towards her peers, her students. ii.she is affected but others are as well.

Miss Meadow distraught and totally absent from her actual work a letter she had received from her fiancé, While the girls around her in the hall are fluttery an lively, her actions are in direct contrast Contrast between characters, emphasizes how Miss Meadow is an indication of how truly isolated and dejected humanity is in the light of difficulty Along with the contrast of moods, there is also a contrast of discourse – underlines the different human traits that emerge in moments of difficulty. Miss Meadow is bitter and angry – the girls receive the full sting of her inner misery; the Science Mistress is representative of artificiality.

“ With despair - cold, sharp despair buried deep in her heart like a wicked knife, Miss Meadows, in cap and gown and carrying a little baton, trod the cold corridors that led to the music hall. Girls of all ages, rosy from the air, and bubbling over with that gleeful excitement that comes from running to school on a fine autumn morning, hurried, skipped, fluttered by; from the hollow class-rooms came a quick drumming of voices; a bell rang; a voice like a bird cried, "Muriel." And then there came from knock- the staircase a tremendous knock- knock-knocking knock-knocking. Someone had dropped her dumbbells.

Involvement Instantly informed of the solemn atmosphere : the opening words “With despair- cold, sharp despair-” eject a somber tone to the piece. Mansfield’s use of the repetition of “despair” captures reader’s attention, isolating the description and highlighting its importance. Then we move deeply into the “heart of the matter” and become involved in a puzzle piece compilation of different events we must put together to make sense of it all.

Involvement The adjectives “despair”, “cold” and “sharp” harsh sound – evoke emotions of distress and suffering The use of the verb “buried” is striking, with connotations of death, reiterated by the simile “...deep in her heart like a wicked knife”

The reader suspects right from the beginning that Miss Meadow’s state of mind is terrible, dark. The song with which she chooses to sing illustrates that she is not in the best of moods, however, at the end, she chooses a more cheerful song the way in which the class acts and Miss Meadow’s own irritability underlines the fact that her main focus of thought is interrupted by something else – we know what, the girls don’t. Manner and mood change according to external events – from heart-renting to emotional epiphany. Most obvious after she receives the telegram from her fiancé.

Mansfield reveals how the point of grief (sadness) affects everyone not just the person directly involved. From an event which had already occurred, (a fragmented idea coming from the narrator) to actual quotes of the resulting conclusion to the main event.

Point of view Point of view The story is told from (apparently) limited third person point of view. We hear everything through the thought process of Miss Meadow, but she does not appear to be the narrator. We are limited to hearing her thoughts, receiving her feelings, viewing from her perceptions, with the uncomfortable sensation that we have been eavesdropping – ( origliando ) Soon Autumn yields unto Winter DrearThe chronological order of events is slightly difficult to follow ( as we move back in time then forward to present and then to some unspecified future – the buying – the rose in the button hole … she must leave the school - Soon Autumn yields unto Winter Drear – to the present again…)

Point of view Point of view – Stream of Consciousness – Interior Monologue Point of view Technical device to keep the reader involved in the developement of the events Personally involved in the complex mixture of events – present past future, etc… Fast! Ah, too Fast.. and the idea of settling down fills me with nothing but disgust —" Disgust was what he had written. That was as good as to say their engagement was definitely broken Off. Broken off! Their engagement! People had been surprised enough that she had got engaged. The Science Mistress would not believe it at first. But nobody had been as surprised as she. She was thirty. Basil was twenty-five. It had been a miracle, simply a miracle, to hear him say, as they walked home from church that very dark night, "You know, somehow or other, I've got fond of you." And he had taken hold of the end of her ostrich feather boa. Passes away from the Listening Ear But she knew he didn't love her. Not to have cared enough to scratch out that word "disgust,“ so that she couldn't read it!

Point of view Point of view – Stream of Consciousness (pretend – Interior Monologue Point of view – Stream of Consciousness (mimesis) complex convention to create an illusion - used to pretend to represent thought process – Interior Monologue narration with silent consciousness; internal monologues create the impression of rational contemplation. Point of view representation of consciousness to include perceptions or impressions – thoughts incited by outside sensory stimuli, and fragments of random, disconnected thoughts. Stream of consciousness writing often lacks "correct" punctuation or syntax, favoring a looser, more incomplete style. … fishes caught on a line. "...I am not a marrying man...“(WHAT ?) The voices were silent… monologue is unmediated, presented to the reader without either authorial or narratorial intervention or the common textual signs associated with narrative speech (e.g., quotation marks or attributive verbs), is crucial to establishing in the reader the sense of access to the consciousness of the Character. … he had bought for "our“ hall-stand" he had seen, "a very neat affair with a carved owl on a bracket, holding three hat-brushes in its claws." How she had smiled at that! So like a man to think one needed three hat-brushes ! … What could have possessed him to write such a letter! What could have led up to it! It came out of nothing. His last letter had been all about a fumed.. books,..

Point of view Point of view – Stream of Consciousness ( pretend – Interior Monologue Point of view – Stream of Consciousness (mimesis) complex convention to create an illusion - used to pretend to represent thought process – Interior Monologue narration with silent consciousness; internal monologues create the impression of rational contemplation. Point of view Device The Epiphany – a mechanism by which the speaker becomes aware of some important realization – life changing issue; She would have to leave the school, too. She could never face the Science Mistress or the girls after it got known. She would – …. could hear the willows whispering, "... not that I do not love you... “ "But, my darling, if you love me," thought Miss Meadows, "I don't mind how much it is. Love me as little as you like.“ But she knew he didn't love her. Not to have cared enough to scratch out that word "disgust,"

Reading Between the Lines SHE – Conventional, foolish Attached to Appearances Involved in emotional situation which will ultimately go badly Emotionally strong – intimately fragile Very little self – esteem, Judgmental, easily discards people (the Science teacher) Deluding herself of a depth of emotion in her fiance that is inexistent HE – Childish – immature Seems to be “in love” with the idea of being “in Love” Superficial Self-centered, slightly ambitious Narcissistic “On the wings of hope, of love, of joy, Miss Meadows sped back to the music hall, up the aisle, up the steps, over to the piano.” – not even this will save her…