Life is both fearful and wonderful and death mysterious terrifying. Death holds true promise, the only certainty for one’s future. With one hand he steals away a life and with the other he has transpierced all who loved this soul. No matter how many times death arrives at one’s doorstep his assault never ceases to shake their lives. Despite the initial shock, horror, and pain of loss over time all wounds heal. In 1915 Katherine Mansfield lived this tragedy when her beloved younger brother passed away. Soon after she was diagnosed with extrapulmonary tuberculosis, which ultimately led to her death in 1923. In her story "The Garden Party" Katherine Mansfield enthralls her readers as she immerses them into her journey of facing death through the eyes of the lovely young girl, Laura, who lives in an enchanting …show more content…
All she can do is run-right into the arms of her brother, one who has most likely already encountered a close to home death. When Laura tries to speak, to explain, "It was marvellous. But Lauri-" she is unable articulate how she feels, but no matter; Laurie like all who have experienced death understood, she needn't even try. He held his sister while she wept in his arms, no need for words, just the comforting arms of someone who understands that there are indeed no words to describe death. It simply, is.
Torn from her sunlit world Laura discovered the realities of the selfish society she lived among. The Garden Party is symbolic of the world, frivolous, selfish, brightly lit, petty. As Laura, much like those who have suffered a loss, is torn by the tug-a-war raging within her as the society tells her to think only of herself, to move one, get over her compassion and grief. Laura finally faces the dead man, where she discovers such great love at this loss. This love and grief she finds to be both "marvellous" and terrifying-which truly is