Bliss, and other stories
by Katherine Mansfield (1888–1923)
- Free to read
- 4 hours to read
- 12 chapters
- Reading level: 5th grade
"Bliss, and Other Stories" by Katherine Mansfield is a collection of short stories written in the early 20th century. The narratives explore intricate themes of human emotion, social dynamics, and the nuances of domestic life, often through the perspective of women navigating their roles and relationships. One of the key characters presented is Linda Burnell, a mother deeply involved in the complexities of her family life as they move from city living to the countryside. The opening of the work introduces readers to Linda Burnell's hurried preparations for a significant transition as her family relocates. In a chaotic scene filled with children and luggage, we see Linda's mixed feelings of excitement and stress as she must leave her daughters, Lottie and Kezia, behind temporarily. Kezia’s innocence and curiosity are highlighted, particularly as she interacts with her surroundings and expresses a childlike fascination with the new environment. The scene sets a tone of impending change, hinting at deeper emotional currents and complexities that will unfold as the story progresses, foreshadowing the themes of bliss versus the latent struggles that lie beneath the surface of seemingly idyllic life.
- Short stories, New Zealand
- New Zealand · Social life and customs
- Europe · Social life and customs
Read the opening
Chapter 1
There was not an inch of room for Lottie and Kezia in the buggy. When Pat swung them on top of the luggage they wobbled; the grandmother’s lap was full and Linda Burnell could not possibly have held a lump of a child on hers for any distance. Isabel, very superior, was perched beside the new handy-man on the driver’s seat. Hold-alls, bags and boxes were piled upon the floor. “These are absolute necessities that I will not let out of my sight for one instant,” said Linda Burnell, her voice trembling with fatigue and excitement.
Lottie and Kezia stood on the patch of lawn just inside the gate all ready for the fray in their coats with brass anchor buttons and little round caps with battleship ribbons. Hand in hand, they stared with round solemn eyes first at the absolute necessities and then at their mother.
“We shall simply have to leave them. That is all. We shall simply have to cast them off,” said Linda Burnell. A strange little laugh flew from her lips; she leaned back against the buttoned leather cushions and shut her eyes, her lips trembling with laughter. Happily at that moment Mrs. Samuel Josephs, who had been watching the scene from behind her drawing-room blind, waddled down the garden path.
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About this edition
This free edition of Bliss, and other stories by Katherine Mansfield comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #44385, released 2013-12-08. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Short Stories, British Literature.
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