Katherine Mansfield's View As A Modernist In "A Di

Essay by EssaySwap ContributorHigh School, 12th grade February 2008

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Cody Grant Mrs. Hinton English Comp.

April 10, 2002 Modernist Views on How Men and Women See Things Differently Through The Eyes of Katherine Mansfield in Her Short Story "A Dill Pickle" Men and women don't see things the same way all the time. They really don't see things the same way most of the time. Modernists believe that this happens because of past experiences. Mainly because the man and woman would have different past experiences so they must have a different out look on life. Katherine Mansfield shares her modernistic views with everyone in her short story "A Dill Pickle." The story begins with two reunited lovers that have not see nor heard from one another in six years. The two of them sit down for coffee and begin to reminisce on the year before when they were so much in love, and begin to wonder why they ever parted.

Which brings out the meaning in the title "A Dill Pickle." Mansfield is trying to say that the love has gone sour. She relies mainly on flashbacks and very little narration to show her point about modernism. Reflecting both on good and bad memories of their love filled saga. Flashbacks and dialogue of the lovers past and different elements that came to play a part in the demise of their relationship. There are several parts in the story that are especially easy to point out.

The story points out that the old girlfriend is the one that called off the relationship to begin with. In the story she begins to realize why. At the start of their colloquy his good looks and charm strike her. She remembers in past experiences, he is better looking now and that he has a certain way with words.

On the down side of her memories she remembers his boastfulness self-centered arrogance. The way that he brags about times when he thought that he was doing right and she thought that it was a complete disaster. That would be the difference in the way the two of them look at things. Finally she gets all that she can stand. She gets up and walks quickly out of the door.

It becomes clear why the two torn lovers in the story could never make it in a relationship. The memories of past experiences and reasons why their relationship didn't work the first time play a big part in the decision now. This modernist short story is truly a good example of how past experiences effect the decision people make today.