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At a glance
- Grade: 2.0 (1.0 is the best grade)
- Examines limited third-person narration through John Hammond and Andreas Binzer
- 11 sources in the bibliography
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Stranger
2.1 John Hammond
2.2 The relationship between John Hammond and his wife Janey
2.2.1 Janey
2.2.2 The relationship
3. A Birthday
3.1 Andreas Binzer
3.2 The relationship between Andreas Binzer and his wife Anna
3.2.1 Anna
3.2.2 The relationship
4. Comparison between the two male protagonists and their relationships
5. Conclusion
Aims and Themes
This work examines unhappy relationships in Katherine Mansfield’s “The Stranger” and “A Birthday,” asking how the male protagonists and their relationships are portrayed and how the two stories compare. It considers the women as well as the men and relates aspects of the stories to Mansfield’s life.
- Marriage and emotional alienation
- John Hammond and Janey’s reunion
- Andreas Binzer’s perspective during Anna’s childbirth
- Male perspectives and limited third-person narration
- Gender roles, jealousy and expectations
- Parallels with Mansfield’s family background
Excerpt from the Book
2.1 John Hammond
At the beginning of the story the outward appearance of John Hammond is being described as following
In the front of the crowd a strong-looking, middle-aged man, dressed very well, very snugly in a grey overcoat, grey silk scarf, thick gloves and dark felt hat, marched up and down, twirling his folded umbrella. He seemed to be the leader of the little crowd on the wharf and at the same time to keep them together. He was something between the sheep-dog and the shepherd.
This description depicts the characteristics as well as the outward appearance of John Hammond quite well. Furthermore it is supposed to show the readers that John Hammond wants everybody to know that he is a “real” man, since this passage includes many hints and symbols connected to manhood. It starts with a simple description of his outward appearance, what he looks like and what he is wearing, which is very important for a first impression of a character. What could make this man quiet interesting is the mixture of him looking strong on the one hand and on the other hand being described as “snugly”. But most importantly he is described in a way as an “alpha-animal”, which will become important later when the relationship to his beloved wife is being described. The metaphor of the shepherded and the sheep-dog points this out very well. He is not only the leader of the group, which would be the shepherd; he is also the one who keeps the group together, the sheep-dog. Also he is very wealthy and successful and seems to be quite outgoing when wife is not being around him (“the music he had praised so loudly”). But this is only the outward impression of him. When looking at his actions and behavior in the course of the story, it turns out that he is not the man he wants everybody else to think he is. Instead of acting manly, secure and confident while waiting for the ship and his wife to arrive, he acts nervous, insecure and impatient. Instead of waiting patiently on the wharf, as most of the other people do, he acts nervous and cannot stand still, which shows his “terrible insecureness”. The divergence between his outward appearance and the way he act and behaves prior to his wife’s also shows that he is someone who is suffering “from inner disruption, but who strives for a feeling of completeness.”
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: The introduction establishes Mansfield’s recurring interest in relationships and identifies the two stories and characters selected for comparison.
2. The Stranger: This chapter examines John Hammond, Janey and their relationship following her return from a long journey. It considers characterization, narrative perspective and possible biographical parallels.
3. A Birthday: This chapter explores Andreas Binzer’s characterization and his relationship with Anna during the birth of their child. It also discusses the story’s narrative perspective and possible connections to Mansfield’s family.
4. Comparison between the two male protagonists and their relationships: The comparison considers the men’s responses to waiting, their self-presentation and their expectations of their wives, alongside differences in how the relationships are presented.
5. Conclusion: The conclusion reflects on biographical connections, irony and the portrayal of communication and alienation in the two relationships.
Keywords
Katherine Mansfield, The Stranger, A Birthday, marriage, male protagonists, gender roles, emotional alienation, narrative perspective, jealousy, childbirth, characterization, literary comparison
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this work about?
It examines male protagonists and their relationships in two short stories by Katherine Mansfield.
What are its central themes?
Its themes include marriage, alienation, gender roles, jealousy, self-presentation and narrative perspective.
What is the main aim of the study?
The study aims to characterize the two men and their relationships and compare the similarities and differences between them.
What method does the author use?
The author offers a comparative literary analysis of the stories, discussing textual passages alongside biographical and secondary sources.
What does the main body cover?
It discusses each story, its male protagonist, the female character and the couple’s relationship before comparing the two stories.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include Katherine Mansfield, marriage, emotional alienation, gender roles, male protagonists and narrative perspective.
Which stories are compared?
The work compares “The Stranger” and “A Birthday.”
How does narrative perspective feature in the analysis?
The author considers how each story uses a limited third-person perspective centred on its male protagonist and how that shapes access to the relationships.
How does Mansfield’s life enter the discussion?
The work considers possible parallels between events and family details in the stories and aspects of Mansfield’s personal background.
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- Heinrich Mario Nink (Autor:in), 2008, Male protagonists and their marital situation portrayed in Katherine Mansfield’s “The Stranger” and “A Birthday”, München, Page::Imprint:: GRINVerlagOHG, https://www.diplomarbeiten24.de/document/125775
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