The Doll's House Critical Analysis

Sorrow and angst swirled inside; Elsie and Lil captivated me by their strength. Society can have a profound impact on a child’s view and perceptions of the world, dictating the cultural norms on how we treat those in different social classes. In The Doll’s House by Katherine Mansfield, we see the theme of class distinction and the influences a parent has on how children view the world. Furthermore, society’s norms impact upon Kezia, Elsie and Lil. Prejudice and discriminating attitudes towards others have not yet influenced the innocence a child possesses towards the world; this can clash with the ideals developed by adults through society. The children and adults demonstrate this conflict throughout the story; Kezia struggles with the notion of wanting to befriend Elsie and Lil, while society’s expectations scold her for doing so; "Mother," said Kezia, "can 't I ask the Kelveys just once?", "Certainly not, Kezia." (Mansfield 72). Nevertheless, when Kezia invites the Kelvey girls inside the courtyard to catch a glimpse of the miraculous doll house, Kezia protests against her family’s ideals

First, we find out that Else and Lil Kelvey are part of the lower class, “daughters of a spry, hardworking little washerwoman; they were the daughters of a washerwoman and a gaolbird” (Mansfield 71). As a result this separates the girls based on their social distinction derived by society, having a mother in the working class is deemed unrespectable. Adding to this, their peers will not associate with them due to their lower class status; their clothing comes from the neighbours cloths that their mother receives from homes she cleans, provide ammunition for the other children to further look down upon them. Ultimately the cruelty these girls endure is heartbreaking, but what is even more devastating is that families, peers and mentors condone this