The Garden Party, and Other Stories

"The Garden Party, and Other Stories" by Katherine Mansfield is a collection of tales from the early 1900s that digs into human connections, social classes, and who people really are. Set in a world that's changing fast, the stories often show how different groups of people don't always connect. For example, in "The Garden Party," we meet the wealthy Burnell family as they get ready for a big party on a beautiful summer day. Laura Burnell is in charge, and she's caught between her family's world and the lives of the working-class people around them; This all gets more complex when someone dies nearby, making Laura question whether it's right to have a party when others are suffering. This sets up a story that deals with feeling versus what society expects.