Katherine Mansfield's short stories

We read two of Katherine Mansfield’s stories; Her First Ball and The Doll’s House. They were really interesting stories, giving us an insight into what it must have been like when Katherine Mansfield was alive. The language used was very different to what it is now, and the descriptions of their houses and clothes sound strange compared to now.

The hall at our school was the one featured in Her First Ball. It was moved here and I think it is really amazing that it is is that old and that it was actually in that story! We are currently doing ballroom dancing lessons in our school hall. It’s really weird to think that the story was based there and that Katherine Mansfield has danced on the same floorboards that we, the year seven and eight students of Thorndon School are doing our ballroom lessons for our school formal on!
The story I liked the most was The Doll’s House. It has a really good description of the doll’s house and the characters in the story. It isn’t really the kind of thing I would usually read, but it was quite interesting.

By Gillean

Her First Ball
This is truly an entertaining story. It is a very interesting story as it explains what balls used to be like back in the Victorian times. It is about a young girl called Leila who goes to her first ball. She dances with lots of boys and has an amazing time. My favourite part in the story is when she describes the hall. It is a truly magnificent description and very detailed. I am proud to call it our school hall. It was a pleasure reading this story and I will definitely read it again.

The Doll’s House
I think this story is very insightful to what it used to be like in Katherine Mansfield’s time. It is quite amazing how the Burnell children shunned the poor Kelvey children because they were the children of the washer woman. The dolls house sounds quite beautiful as well. The young girl named Isabel is very mean and I am quite ashamed that I share the same name as her even though my name is spelt the french way (Isabelle). This was also a very good book and I will read it again as well.

By Isabelle

Created by Isabelle and Olivia