Unit One
A Cup of Tea
A Short Story: A Cup of Tea
 A Cup of Tea is a 1922 short story by Katherine Mansfield.
It was first published in the Story-Teller in May 1922. It
later appeared in The Dove's Nest and Other Stories.
Literary Elements
 Setting (背景）
 Character （人物）
 Plot （情节）
 Point of view （视角）
 Theme （主题）
 Style （风格）
 Symbolism （象征）
a. Setting of the story
 A Cup of Tea is set in England at the beginning of the
twentieth century.
 At this time, people from different social classes did not
socialize with one another, and it was considered improper
for upper-class women to work inside or outside the home.
(The socio-economic characteristics of the location)
b. Characters in A Cup of Tea
 Rosemary Fell, a rich woman
 the antiquarian on Curzon Street
 Miss Smith, the poor girl picked up and fed by Rosemary
 Jeanne, a housemaid
 Philip, Rosemary’s husband
What kind of person is Rosemary?
a. Snobbish (buying flowers)
b. Vain (She couldn’t help noticing the charm of her hands
against the blue velvet, while she was shopping in the
antique shop.)
c. Romantic: she was always lost in the world of dreams,
fantasy and romanticism. (taking a beggar home)
d. Rosemary was an impulsive woman. She didn’t think
before she acted. She did prove this when she took the
beggar-girl home without thinking of the reaction of her
husband and other servants at her house.
e. Jealous:( send the girl away)
c. Point of view used in the story
Omniscient Point of View
Limited Omniscient
 For limited omniscient, the narrator tells the story in the
third person, but stays inside the confines of what is
perceived, thought, remembered and felt by a single
character (or at most by very few characters) within the
story.
 In A Cup of Tea, all the events and actions are presented
as they unfold before, and filter to, the reader through the
particular perceptions, awareness, and responses of only
one character, Rosemary.
(1) And her husband absolutely adored her. (2)
They were rich, really rich, not just comfortably well
off, (3) which is odious and stuffy and sounds like
one’s grandparents. (4) But if Rosemary wanted to
shop she would go to Paris as you and I would go to
Bond Street.
(1)她丈夫对她是绝对地爱慕； (2)他们家可阔了，
名副其实地阔，可不仅仅是日子过得宽裕舒服地
那种阔； (3)那听上去简直像哪家的老头老太太一
样又讨厌又乏味； (4)罗斯玛丽想买东西时就去巴
黎，对她来说，就像你我去证券街买东西一样，
是家常便饭。
Analysis:
Sentences (1)& (3) adopt the limited omniscient
and sentences (2) & (4) use the omniscient point of
view.
d. Theme:
This is the message about life from the author to the
reader.
It is like a lesson for life, something you can learn
from the story and apply to other life situations.
Q1. What can you see of Rosemary’s character from
the first paragraph of the text?
 Original text: Rosemary Fell was not exactly beautiful. No,
you couldn’t have called her beautiful……. She was young,
brilliant, extremely modern, exquisitely well dressed,
amazingly well read in the newest of the new books, and her
parties were the most delicious mixture of the really
important people and…artists—quaint creatures,
discoveries of hers, some of them too terrifying for words,
but others quite presentable and amusing.
 罗斯玛丽不见得怎么美。不，她称不上美。漂亮吗？唉，要
是把她五官拆开来看的话……不过干吗这么狠心，竟要把人
家五官拆开来呢？她年轻漂亮，特别讲究衣着，时髦极了。
说来也怪，最新出版的书她本本都看过。跟她来往的人凑在
一块儿倒也十分有趣，有真正的头面人物，也有……艺术家
---这些个怪物都是她物色来的，有几位说不出多吓人，可
其他几位倒很体面，也很风趣。
Q2. What do the exhibits, the conduct of the
attendant, his language and appearance join to create
the atmosphere of the antique shop?
 ……. He beamed whenever she came in. He clasped his
hands; he was so gratified that he could scarcely speak.
Flattery, of course. All the same, there was something……
 只要她一进门他总是满脸笑容，十指交叉，高兴得几乎连
话也说不出来。巴结自不待说。反正真有意思……
P3.
 “You see, Madam,” he would explain in his low respectful
tones, “I love my things. I would rather not part with them
than sell them to someone who does not appreciate them,
who has not that fine feeling which is so rare…”
 “您瞧，夫人，”他总是用谦卑而恭敬的口气解释说，“
我把货当成宝贝，要我把货卖给那些不识货的人，卖给那
些没真正眼力的人，那我宁可不脱手，有眼力的可实在难
得啊……”
P3.
 But the shopman had already bowed as though keeping it
for her was all any human being could ask. He would be
willing, of course, to keep it for her for ever.
 谁知掌柜的早已低头哈腰，仿佛替她留着这个小玩意儿真
是无上荣幸。这还用说，他当然愿意替她保留着，永远替
她保留都行。
 The discreet door shut with a click……
 谨慎的店门咔嗒一声关上了。
P4.
Q3. What are some of the reasons for Rosemary to
take the girl home?
 ……How more than extraordinary! And suddenly it seemed to
Rosemary such an adventure. It was like something out of a
novel by Dostoevsky, this meeting in the dusk. Supposing she
took the girl home? Supposing she did one of those she was
always reading about or seeing on the stage, what would
happen? It would be thrilling.
 其实何止是奇怪！忽然间在罗斯玛丽看起来这成了次奇遇。黄
昏的邂逅就像陀思妥耶夫斯基一篇小说里的情节一样。她把姑
娘带回家去怎么样？她真的做出她常常在书里读到，或在舞台
上看到的那类事，那又会怎么样呢？这一定够带劲的。
P4.
 And she heard herself saying afterwards to the amazement
of her friends: “I simply took her home with me”……
 她听见自己事后对那些不胜诧异的朋友们说：“我就这样
把她带回家来了。”
P4.
She was going to prove to this girl that—wonderful
things did happen in life, that—fairy godmothers
were real, that—rich people had hearts, and that
women were sisters.
她还打算向这姑娘证明，生活中确实有怪事，神话
里的好心仙女确实是有的，有钱人也有好心肠，女
人家都是姐妹等等。
Q4. Why does Rosemary let the girl go? How do you
understand Rosemary’s question to her husband, the
question whether she was pretty? Suppose you were
Rosemary, what would you do?
“She’s absolutely lovely. Look again, my child. I
was bowled over when I came into your room just
now. However … I think you’re making a ghastly
mistake. Sorry, darling, if I’m crude and all that.
But let me know if Miss Smith is going to dine with
us…….”
 她确实长得可爱。你再去看看，宝贝儿。我刚进你房间就
看的傻了眼。话又说来…我想你这下可大错特错了。宝贝
儿，要是我说话粗鲁和有什么不到的地方，请别见怪。不
过你待会儿得趁早告诉我一声，史密斯小姐是否和咱们一
起用晚饭…
Pretty! Absolutely lovely! Bowled over! Her heart
beat like a heavy bell. Pretty! Lovely!
 漂亮！确实可爱！看的傻了眼！她的心怦怦直跳，像口
大钟在敲。漂亮！可爱！
d. Major themes of the story
class consciousness
feminism
materialism
shallowness
jealousy
greed for ownership of possessions
class consciousness
 Why couldn’t the couple keep the girl at their
home?
Feminism:
Patriarchy: the male oppression of women
Analysis:
 'I say,' said Philip, when they were alone. 'Explain. Who is
she? What does it all mean?'
 Rosemary, laughing, leaned against the door and said: 'I
picked her up in Curzon Street. Really. She's a real pick-up.
She asked me for the price of a cup of tea, and I brought her
home with me.'
 'But what on earth are you going to do with her?' cried
Philip.
 'Be nice to her,' said Rosemary quickly. 'Be frightfully nice
to her. Look after her. I don't know how. We haven't talked
yet. But show her--treat her--make her--feel--'
 'My darling girl,' said Philip, 'you're quite mad, you know. It
simply can't be done.'
e. Style: A New Kind of Short Story
 Mansfield is credited with writing a new kind of short story
– one more concerned with the emotions and psychological
makeup of its characters than those of the past. Through the
use of images, dialogues, monologue, and metaphors,
Mansfield focuses on her characters’ emotional states, subtle
shifts of mood and epiphanies(顿悟） – that is, their sudden,
significant realizations.
f. Symbolism
A symbol represents an idea, quality, or concept larger than
itself.
 E.g.
 The box that Rosemary admires and the salesperson would
rather not allow to fall into the hands of the mindless rabble
is a perfect symbol of the consumerist mentality.
The box, like the girl, is pretty, but other than that it
possesses little in the way of utilitarian necessity for
Rosemary.
An exquisite little enamel box with a glaze so fine it
looked as though it had been baked in cream. On the
lid a minute creature stood under a flowery tree, and
a more minute creature still had her arms round his
neck.
Rosemary’s dependence on her husband
Title: a cup of tea
Girl → Rosemary
Rosemary → Philip
g. Plot
Plot is the organized pattern or sequence of events
that make up a story. Every plot is made up of a
series of incidents that are related to one another.
Plot Structure
3
2
1
4
5
1). Exposition (introduction)
This usually occurs at the beginning of a short story.
Here the characters are introduced. We also learn
about the setting of the story. Most importantly, we
are introduced to the main conflict (main problem).
2). Rising Action
This part of the story begins to develop the conflict(s).
A building of interest or suspense occurs.
3). Climax
This is the turning point of the story. Usually the
main character comes face to face with a conflict.
The main character will change in some way.
4). Falling Action
All loose ends of the plot are
tied up. The conflict(s) and
climax are taken care of.
5). Resolution (conclusion)
The story comes to a reasonable
ending.
It’s your turn to……
 identify these parts in our story: A Cup of Tea.
1). Exposition
From the beginning of the story to the moment when a
poor girl stops Rosemary for the price of a cup of tea.
2). Rising Action
Instead of offering the poor girl money, Rosemary
brings her home and plans to take care of her.
3). Climax
Philip tells Rosemary that Miss Smith is very attractive
(actually it is a tactic because he doesn’t agree to keep
Miss Smith at their home).
4). Falling Action
Rosemary gives Miss Smith 3
pound notes and let her go.
5). Resolution
Rosemary asks her husband,
“Am I pretty?”
Additional introduction to plot
A sequence of events, causally
related;
What happens in the story.
Plot Arrangement
 Chronological
 1st event happens first, etc
 Flashback
 Past events are experienced as a memory
 In media res
 The story begins in the middle of the action
 Foreshadowing
 Suggesting, indicating, hinting or showing what will
happen later in a story
……
What is Conflict?
A clash between opposing forces, usually forcing
the main character into a dilemma.
Conflict is the dramatic struggle
between two forces in a story.
Without conflict, there is no plot.
Types of Conflict
Character vs Character
Character vs Nature
Character vs Society
Character vs Self
Character vs. Character Conflict
This type of conflict finds the main character in conflict with
another character, human or not human.
Character vs. Nature Conflict
This type of conflict finds the main character in conflict with the
forces of nature, which serve as the antagonist.
Jane leaves Thornfield and
sleeps outside.
Character vs. Society Conflict
This type of conflict has the main character in conflict
with a larger group: a community, society, culture, etc.
“I’m tired of living in a hole,” said Jenny.
“Let’s fight for freedom!” cried Bouncer. “We’ll be soldiers!
Rough-riding Rowdies! I’ll be the general and commanderin-chief!”
The Island of the Skog by Steven Kellogg
Character vs. Self Conflict
In this type of conflict, the main character experiences some
kind of inner conflict.
Finally, Sam’s father said, “Go to bed now. But before you go to
sleep, Sam, tell yourself the difference between REAL and
MOONSHINE.”
Sam, Bangs & Moonshine by Evaline Ness
Please identify different kinds of conflict in our story
and find out evidences to support them.
Character vs. Character Conflict
 Rosemary vs. Philip
 Rosemary vs. Miss Smith
Character vs. Society Conflict
Miss Smith vs. society
Rosemary vs. society
 Character vs. Self Conflict
 Rosemary’s inner struggle (keep the girl or not?)
Further reading
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Mansfield
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Cup_of_Tea
http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/kmansfi.htm
http://www.quotationspage.com/quotes/Katherine_M
ansfield/
http://www.katherinemansfieldsociety.org/

Thanks!