A cup of tea
"A Cup of Tea" is a short story written by Katherine Mansfield in 1922. It was first published in the Story-Teller in May 1922.
Rosemary Fell, a wealthy young married woman, goes to Curzon Street to shop at a florist's and in an antique shop. Before going to the car, Rosemary is approached by Miss Smith, a poor girl who asks for enough money to buy tea. Instead, Rosemary drives the girl to her plush house, determined to show her "that dreams do come true" and "that rich people did have hearts." At the Fells' house Miss Smith eats her fill of food and tea. She then begins to tell Rosemary of her life until Rosemary's husband, Philip, comes in. In the library, Philip transports his disapproval. When Rosemary resists dismissing Miss Smith, Philip tries another, more successful, tactic: He plays to Rosemary's jealousy and insecurity by telling her how pretty he thinks Miss Smith is. Rosemary retrieves three five-pound notes and, presumably, sends the girl away. Later, Rosemary informs him her first asks about the antique box from the morning, but then arrives at her true concern, quietly asking Philip, "Am I pretty?"
The story ends with this question
It's a fairly charming story and I finished it in a short time. The novel is certainly fabricated, but the author intends to illustrate his crisis and irony to the false of the upper class. From the vision of the author, we can approach to the period of that time and the typical life of the rich, contacted to the plight of the poor.
The story is pretty simple that it starts with a women's sympathy and ends with her jealous. Certainly ,Rosemary is a lady who is wealthy, pretty, she does have enough money to have a decent, even luxurious life, which should really thank to her fortune.As at the same time, a lot of people is suffering in the chill day and starving. When the Mrs. Fell meets a poor girl who begged a cup of tea, lady Rosemary shows her great and respectful sympathy to her, she invited her to her house to enjoy the dinner. What a compassionate lady!
What a considerate and thoughtful one!
However, when her husband takes a little trick, she just drives out the poor woman in three little five-pounds , which reminds that she is really a stupid and superficial woman. By the way, the original thought comes to her minds that she should help the girl is also superficial. What if the story in the theater happens in the real world?
What if I am the one who is generous and win the little poor girl's great gratitude?
In my opinion, her willing to get appreciation and the curiosity of being character in the drama take more part than her kindhearted.
The poor girl is an interesting role in the novel. She is the one shaking in the chill day and starving badly but all she asks for is a cup of tea. We can illustrate some implication from her conduct. She is certainly not an ordinary poor as she is asking something more than food-- A cup of tea, the symbol of the upper class and mental entertainment makes she strive to get. However, when it comes to the coffee,she declines it at once .We can deduct from her conduct that she might be curious about the tea taste of tea, either a cup of tea has special meaning to her.
The other role in the story, the husband, is even more fascinating. The author indicates that rosemary is a charming woman who let her husband spoil her.However, from the ending to the story the fact is just opposite to the portray ---Mrs. Fell can be easily duped by her husband. Though he is astute and knows quite well about his wife, he is typical upper class who has no sympathy to the poor and stops his wife's stupid behave at once. The husband, who cares about his decent live and social status very much, can never have dinner together with the poor as he might feel silly and humiliating.
Do rich people really have hearts?
Do they actually concern about the poor when they do charities?
The author gives the answer--they care more on the expensive decoration. In other words, they only care about their own profits.
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