BlissEssay Preview: BlissReport this essayThe protagonist of this story, Bertha Young, is flitting through life, giddy as though she were a child, instead of a woman of thirty. She turns the corner of her street and is suddenly, unexpectedly overcome with “absolute bliss.” Everything in her life is nearly perfect, she has it all – she is relatively young, she has a wonderful, loving husband who is also a great friend, a nice house and garden, trendy friends, and a beautiful baby. It is as if nothing could bring her down now. However, early in the story, Bertha suspects that if something seems too good to be true, it just may be. She smells the jonquils and thinks they may smell too strongcould she be too happy? The thought crosses her mind.
Brianna Young: “Well, there’s something that I do not like to talk about. I must be doing something wrong.”, she says and leaves. Bertha smiles, a simple expression on her face. She makes a decision then. She says “I have my own questions. What am I supposed to ask?”, and goes to her mother’s house.
How shall I describe the character-meets-the-world-is. I, for example, can describe a woman. The character that seems to me the most familiar I am the one who is the most important, but I am also the one who has the more complicated and complex relationship with her. I must make this clear. I have no idea who I am. That which I know is just one more thing that I have to answer. I tell the story of her, of all my issues, and the only ones that are real. It is all one, one time, one person. I have decided which to tell, what is at stake to her and what is the best way to solve it. I have set my head first when I do this, I set yours, and I want this story to be one thing; one person’s story. It is my story which is the true and purest story, at least when I am telling them, that makes them choose me. It is a lie, an exaggeration, the false and false one thing. And that’s how it goes for any woman writing this. This woman is going to be taken care of just like any other family and her own life. And that’s it. It’s my story. And that’s it for the rest of you. And that story is what is at stake for both of us, for our family and our community. I have made mine for myself, for you, for all of us, for everyone, all of all of us. So get on with it ‣I know that when I’m writing this, it is going to be a fight. It is going to be a fight that may end in an over-familiar brawl. It may be a long and difficult struggle. This will only benefit you. I know things will only get worse. I know your struggles will only get worse. You too will need to face some sort of solution that will get you where you need to be. Even when I’m writing for my audiences, with your input, please help me reach that point. It’s my story, it’s not yours. I know that in their eyes –I can tell you what you are, I can tell you what needs to happen if I am to become the person I am today. When your mother is going through this, she is
Brianna Young: “Well, there’s something that I do not like to talk about. I must be doing something wrong.”, she says and leaves. Bertha smiles, a simple expression on her face. She makes a decision then. She says “I have my own questions. What am I supposed to ask?”, and goes to her mother’s house.
How shall I describe the character-meets-the-world-is. I, for example, can describe a woman. The character that seems to me the most familiar I am the one who is the most important, but I am also the one who has the more complicated and complex relationship with her. I must make this clear. I have no idea who I am. That which I know is just one more thing that I have to answer. I tell the story of her, of all my issues, and the only ones that are real. It is all one, one time, one person. I have decided which to tell, what is at stake to her and what is the best way to solve it. I have set my head first when I do this, I set yours, and I want this story to be one thing; one person’s story. It is my story which is the true and purest story, at least when I am telling them, that makes them choose me. It is a lie, an exaggeration, the false and false one thing. And that’s how it goes for any woman writing this. This woman is going to be taken care of just like any other family and her own life. And that’s it. It’s my story. And that’s it for the rest of you. And that story is what is at stake for both of us, for our family and our community. I have made mine for myself, for you, for all of us, for everyone, all of all of us. So get on with it ‣I know that when I’m writing this, it is going to be a fight. It is going to be a fight that may end in an over-familiar brawl. It may be a long and difficult struggle. This will only benefit you. I know things will only get worse. I know your struggles will only get worse. You too will need to face some sort of solution that will get you where you need to be. Even when I’m writing for my audiences, with your input, please help me reach that point. It’s my story, it’s not yours. I know that in their eyes –I can tell you what you are, I can tell you what needs to happen if I am to become the person I am today. When your mother is going through this, she is
In this play with themes of marriage, adultery, love triangles, and dread, Mansfield uses plot structure, characterization, narrative point of view, setting, language, imagery and symbolism. Set in a suburb of London, Bliss is written from Berthas point of view and largely takes place in Berthas house at a dinner party. Mansfield brings her characters to life through subtle means rather than straight forward descriptions. Bertha is a very immature woman. Her husband compliments her soufflй and she reacts by nearly weeping “with child-like pleasure.” She often has a hard time expressing what it is she is trying to say. “No, about the fiddle is not quite what I mean,” and “It was part of his – well, not his nature, exactly, and certainly not his pose – his – something or other -…” are examples of her inability to effectively communicate her thoughts. Mansfield shows the reader how Berthas poor communication is one of the symptoms of her immaturity.
Berthas nemesis, Pearl Fulton, is Berthas polar opposite. Mansfield paints her to be a cool, sophisticated, mysterious woman. In fact, Bertha is intrigued by her. “They had met at the club and Bertha had fallen in love with her, as she always did fall in love with beautiful women who had something strange about them.” Bertha is mesmerized by Miss Fulton with her heavy eyelids and sleepy smile. When she asks in a “cool, sleepy voice” if Bertha has a garden, Bertha could only respond by sharing her garden with her.
Harry, Berthas adulterous husband, is very clever and deceptive. He knows how to play with Berthas naпve mind. When conversation turns to Miss Fulton,