“Don’t be so extravagant.” – Who said this and to whom? In which context did the speaker say so? What do you consider to be really extravagant?

“Don’t be so extravagant.” – Who said this and to whom? In which context did the speaker say so? What do you consider to be really extravagant? [2+2+2]

Ans. Jose, one of the daughters of the Sheridan family, said this to Laura, the youngest one, in Katherine Mansfield’s short story ‘The Garden Party’.

> When the delivery man shared the news of Mr. Scott’s death, Laura and Jose overheard it. Laura was terribly shocked. Laura told Jose that they had to postpone the party. Jose called Laura’s proposal ‘absurd’ ‘extravagant’. Jose explained that no one would expect them to cancel the garden-party just because of a poor carter’s death.

> Here, the word ‘extravagant’ means ‘doing more than necessary in an uncontrolled way’. The garden-party arranged by the Sheridans is the very definition of extravagance. The irony is that the luxurious party, not Laura’s proposal to cancel the party, is extravagant. Jose accuses Laura of being extravagant for her sympathy for the grieving family. The narrator, too, is ironic in agreeing with Jose.

Describe the atmosphere as presented in ‘The Garden Party’.

You’ll have to go, Laura; you are the artistic one. – Who says this? Where will Laura have to go? What is the context of the speech? Why will Laura have to go?

Good morning, she said, copying her mother’s voice. – Who is ‘she’? Why did she copy her mother’s voice? Why did she stammer? What made her recover?

Describe the setting of The Garden Party

Explore the symbolism of the Sheridan family’s garden in the story.

Describe the garden of the Sheridan family.

What is conflict? Bring out the conflict in ‘The Garden Party’.

What is the significance of the title of the short story ‘The Garden Party’?

What role does Mrs. Sheridan play in ‘The Garden Party’?

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