The Garden Party

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

When was World War I fought? Who were the warring powers? What were some of the effects of WWI on societies, particularly those in European countries?

Teaching Suggestion: WWI, also referred to as the Great War, was the first war in which countries fought on a global scale. Between 1914 and 1918, the Allied Powers (France, Italy, Russia, the UK, and the US, among others), fought the Central Powers (Austria-Hungary, Germany, and the Ottoman Empire, among others) in a series of battles and movements that involved trench warfare on the European continent, along with battles in Asia and Africa. The effects of WWI on the world were tremendous; in Europe, countries experienced political, economic, and social upheaval, including the rise of fascist ideology and leadership, the spread of communism, and the economic collapse and devaluation of currencies, such as in Germany’s Weimar Republic. With this postwar lens, literary movements like the Bloomsbury group explored ideas in their writings such as Class Distinction and Class Consciousness and The Relationship Between Life and Death.

• BBC’s “WW1: Was It Really the First World War?” examines the global nature of WWI.
• History.com explores the link between WWI and postwar literary movements in “How World War I Changed Literature.”

Short Activity

Working in small groups, research the writings of the Bloomsbury literary group in 1920s London. Which authors were a part of this group? Which topics and themes did they write about? Which literary era are their works considered to be a part of? Are Mansfield’s writings similar in content or style? Why or why not?

Teaching Suggestion: This activity supports students’ understanding of the story’s literary context in the Modernist movement. The Bloomsbury literary circle was a group of well-educated writers who met in the Bloomsbury district of London in the early 20th century. This circle produced writings that experimented with form and questioned many socially-accepted norms. Although Mansfield was not officially associated with the Bloomsbury group, her writings were particularly influential on more prominent Bloomsbury members, such as Virginia Woolf. Additionally, this activity is an opportunity to introduce/review the “stream-of-consciousness” writing style, particularly as it relates to Mansfield and Woolf, since it directly relates to the main activity in this guide.

• This encyclopedia entry provides information about the Bloomsbury literary group.
• The Tate Museum in the UK shares extensive information on the members of the Bloomsbury group, including photographs and biographies of prominent members, in “Lifestyle and Legacy of the Bloomsbury Group.”

Differentiation Suggestion: For more advanced classes, this activity can be amended to include the following research question component: Finally, research one of the Bloomsbury writers and share their biography with the class. What is their most prominent piece of work from this era? How was their writing shaped by WWI and/or the Modernist perspective?

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the story.

What do you think it means to be an adult? What types of activities, jobs, and expectations are attached with entering adulthood? Finally, do you consider yourself to be an adult? Why or why not?

Teaching Suggestion: This question encourages students to consider their own perception of the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Depending on the age of the class, many of the students may be entering adulthood in both age as well as responsibilities, and therefore might have mixed feelings about the changing course of their life. You may wish to also encourage students to name events that can signify a transition to adulthood. The character Laura, for example, eagerly awaits adulthood, exemplifying the theme of Adolescents Playing at Adulthood. In preparation for the party, she mimics many of the tasks she sees the surrounding adults do; however, her transition to adulthood is actually signified by an unexpected encounter with poverty and death.