1he Singing

Lesson 189
her life, and
Mansfield proved to be a prolific writer in the final years of
8 nuch
of her prOse and Poetry remained unpublished at her
death. Murry t o o k On
in
e task of eding and publishing her works. His efforts resulted publication
hO additional volumes of short stories in 1923 (The Dove's Nest), in 192
oething Childish), her Poems, The Aloe, a collection of critical writings (Nove
Novelists) and a number of editions of her letters and journals. M a n s t e l 1
The Singing Lesson idely considered one of the best short story writers of her period. A number o
The Doll's House and
her works, Incuan8 VsS Brill, Prelude, The Garden Party,
-Katherune Mansfield THe are in short story
frequently collected also
anthologies. Mansfield
The Fly,
eroved ahead ot her time in her adoration of Russian playwright and short story
A Brief Life Sketch of Katherine Mansfield writer Anton hekhOV, and incorporated some of his themes and technique into
Katherine Beauchamp, popularly known as Katherine Mansfel her wiritdin8
1888 into a socially prominent tamily in wellington, New Zealand T orn in
of a banker in the middle-class colonial Introduction of the Story
tamily, cousin o aughter
she was a
Counters Elizabeth Von Arnim. Mansfield had two older sisters an
uth The story The Singing Lesson by Katherine Mansfield appears in 1922 in the
brother, born in 1894. Her tather, l a r o l d Beauchamp, became the cha tr collection of her work, The Garden Party and Other Stories. Ot the fifteen stories
the Bank of New Zealand and w a s knighted. Her grandfather wasotwithin Katherine Manstield's The Garden Party and Other Stories, The Singng
Beauchamp, who brietly represented the picton electorate in Parliamens is somewhat weaker in
Lesson tone and
Mansfield family moved rom TnOrnaon to Karori in 1893,
to its comparison counterparts, but it
where Manfastill serves as an excelient example of Katherine Mansfield's unique talent for
spent the happiest years ot her chilanooa; she used her
memories of this time realisticany captuing a moment in time. Her
simplistic style conceals
in inspiration for the Prelude story. complex
Her first published stories appeared in the High School Reporter and t irst glance.
Wellington Girls' High School magazine (The fanmily returned to Welington The story details a particular significant emotional shift that
occurs in a very
proper in 1898), in 1898 and 189shebecame enamoured with a Clist, Armnoldhorttime period. The story follows a school music teacher named Miss
Trowell in 1902, although the feelings were largely unreciprocated. Mansfie
wrote in her journals of feeling alienated to some extent in New Zealand, and, in
Meadows hose, woeful personal life becomes interconnected with her
professional duties as a teacher. Miss Meadows receives a letter from her iance
general terms, of how she became disillusioned due to the repression of the Plainly that Basil, her fiancé, is not ready to marry her and
Maori people, who were often portrayed ina sympathetic or postuve ight in her t t t g e o u l d till him with disgust. Naturally, she is filled with
later stories, such as How Pearl Button Nas Kidnapped. despair, anger and sadness. And due to her bad
mood she sees
She moved to London in 1903, where she attended Queens College along everyoneturns
everything in a negative light. Her usual calm and cheery demeanor and
with her two sisters. Mansfield
recommenced playing the cello, an occupation angry that day and this chan go unnoticed by her
that she would take up professionally, but she uring the lesson, she is rather ha
thatshe believed when Queen's
at
anat y they would be practisino
today wh her students. She tells the
such dedication that ste practising a lament, without
to the school newspaper with
also began contributing rested in nza, each word, each breath seems like a sob or expression
was particulariy interested in
at tirst,
each
editor during this period. She was
is period. part anorecaled omy mind. Then groan and lament to her
eventually became ne e
ind. she tells them
t that they must feel the despair, the
and Oscar Wilde, and she was appredithe
the works of the French Symbolists to life ana
sorrow in order to
perform the piece pertectly. pain and
charismatic approach
for her vivacious and
amongst her peers
increasingly unorthodox
nen, during the lesson, she is informed by another
cares tr another colleague tha
Manstield spent her last years seeking
creasingly unor Manonkhin
has
uicide en sent a telegram for her
ta her. Her first colleague that Basil, her
thought is that Basil has committed
sian phys
Russian physiclan van
nleen with d
consulted the
durino1s because the
1s
In Feb. 1922, she the school has a rule ;
s
tuberculosis.
which consisted of
bombarding her sp IntOt "8 Working hours only in case of deathtelegram
can be
sent to the workers
revolutionary
treatment,
in lmonay
and numbnessal elegra or
emergency situation. But in the
heat flashes d numbness
iis
elop heat pulmonaiya asil had asked her to igne
asked
rays, caused Mansfield
to develop flasne esffered
rance. Manstie
Mansfield sutrered tataw Murty and whichad
how Murry-stand
a
they had been
ignore the first letter and that he had bought the
thinking of
1922, Mansfield moved to France.
oht of stairsetoery
a flight o sta r y inin the
th
ening. lately. In
The content of the marriage is short, the
in January 1923,
after running up
was b u r i e d
cemetey
ck vith her usual
telegram definitely lights up
and she is her mood
naemorrhage
9 January and cheery demeanor. She returns and continues
how well she was. She died on
her class, now
of Avon.
district in the
town
Fontaineblean
 Cletionof
Short Sfories
SCEoks cd The
epreons,
more
udly and cheerfully
loudly oirls
the giris in her
her class) now class) now
Singing Lesson 191
w that Basil
practising a
cheerful song
singing
narried. It
may oe a
case that has ended the
other
stucent
he
hat sne has to
rema Miss Meadows is relationship before
nan any
Theme of the Storyy viewed a gie, possibly due to how their
embarassed by the tact
Nhen Miss
have
hirty who not society (at the time) would
reads Basil'had
Despatr: story 1s at of
that of desno:.
despair. 40Meadows is Meadows
naPPy. s gotten
telegram married. At the end ot
6SMeadows
the
and the
One of the most
to the

important thenmes or
theme nght
t r o m the very first line: Indeed, we than Again this suggests that
whether Basil engagement the
appearance is more resume
are introduced sharp dspair-ouriet
derp m her heart like
heart like
a wicked knife, sic and Happiness really loves her. important
With depaircold,
Mandsus, tn atp
and gowt
and cinyng
a titile baton, trod the col
cold
corridors Miss
that led It has clearly been
n
reflec in
to retlected
the mssic hal aclined to the
line provides
a suitable
introduction to the
sic around ve and great story that Miss Meadows is greatiy
whuch fondness
The opening letter from Basil the sto all the drama takes for music is clearly
Miss Meadows she still readabout
ust has
the taterul
work, albeit reluctantl
1S
ut ory.When ss
stor eadows place. Music visible to us. It
zust that ne nas called comes to know through the sets the mood ot the
her
yet
heartbroken, goes Her desna.1s
class. She choose off letter
she consents written by Basil in
her music
contagious, spreading
to the giris in uence her cholce ot
influen engagement,
Arst song e structs song
how she feels at that particular her inner
retiects
moment
mo
while she
to sing that perfectily her
st.dents
is
teaching. She turmol
picks up lament to a
tragic than that lament I! Ever
Good Heavens, uwhat
could be more
Every note oas mourntul that the to
willow trees sing without
it as the
their expression.
a
sigh, lost The song was
a sob, a groam of auuful
mournfulness responded o sad ne half
Appearance and Reality: frightened. 1nen as music. Even the students leaves. The environment
began to feel
The teachers outwardly show a polnte and triendly way, thouoi students toO take it withmelancholy in Miss
expression by makingMeadows' mind rises shepositively
asks her
though there
clearly be observed from the here are blowig drear sound as if a cold
rivalries among the taculty.
Ihis can
As a
retlection of the teacher's
mood the musicwind were
Mistress and Miss Meadows. The Science exchange successiveyaepressing. Ihe
between the Science
welcomed Miss Meadows in 'her sweet, atfected drawl'. She
said Mise
stroer
Nres teacher as a result the music students
serves as an
instinctively pick up the moodbecomes
ot
soon as she receives emotional outlet for their
looked frozen with a
mocking ignt eyes. Miss
in her blue
Meadows gave ows
quick a
marriage, She
the
telegram from Basil that he is notMiss Meadows. As
grimace and moved towards the music hall. gets excted and happy. On calling off their
feels herselt on the
wings getting happy news, Miss
Miss Meadows was not troubled by the fact that Basil did not love her wit Don't look so
of
hope, love and joy. Miss Meadows tels Meadows
doletul, giris. her cias
It
his full heart. What worried her was tnat in case they could not solemnise th ought to sound warm, joyful,
marriage, she would have to leave the school and would have too g neir
Critical Appreciation eager.
away from the Science Mistress to avoid embarrassment. ntroduction: of the Story
Reliance and Appearance: The story The Singing Lesson has
been extracted from Katherine
Mansfield also appears to be exploring the theme of reliance and appearance collection of the fifteen stories Manstield's
entitled The Garden Party and Other
peara bit weak in tone Stories. It is a
The reader is aware that Miss Meadows is older than Basil (she is of thirty, as
compared to its fiteen counterparts trom the collection,
Basil till but is
is of twenty five). At the time the story was Written thirty would have been a nice
example' Katherine talent of
ot
capturing real lite moments and
viewed upon as old, when it came to a woman getting married. If anything it is sentiments in the most beautiful yet
simple way. From the starting lines of the
possible that Miss Meadows is aware, that due to her age, she may never story, there is a slight touch of mystery and lyrical content. 1he authoress
again way of
now that Basil has called off the engagement, get the opportunity to marry and as making Miss Meadows see the retlection ot her ovwn gloomy mood in
even in the sweet
everything,
such is reliant on him to marry her, It is also
interesting that Miss Meadows greeting trom her
coleagues and students in
quite realistic
because mood make us behave in the most
believes that she may have to leave her job, now that Basil has broken the wrong times.
our can
peculiar way at the most
relationship. This plays the theme of appearance. Mansfield tells the
on
reader: Plot of the Story:
"Miss Meadows would have to leave the school, too. She could never face
Science Mistress or the girls after it got known. She would have to the Exposition:
Thisline may be important as it is from it that the reader disappc Miss Meadows, a music teacher, receives a letter from her fiancé which states
suspects
Meadows is concerned about how she will appear to others (the tnat auite plainly that Basil, her fiance, is not reaay to marry her and feels that the
bcience fistress
va
 4Gcti ofSirtSturin ere ot tension. The Singing Leson 193
SSTo she is
tilled with
despair, ano. puried c
deepp inn her Then
het hear
him with
disgust.
Naturaly,
she ssees
eveyond
cyone
a
annd
everythin
a ever
heart here are words
like wicked which remind death, like this simile
wouid fhill mood
she
gloomv a a
starts
The setting knire
rutns
her bad
nife
mmage and
d sadn
d o e lo
Her usual
calm and
cheery
cenmeor
Dy
ner
students,
angy Aors are like a with:
lak cold
u n n o t i c ridd
corridors that led to the music
oegative ght
annoyed. It is anabyrinth When
not go
this change
does
d anr
she felt
hall. The
thatday and in a
prison, confused, bitterly lonely
students. She t
them that ress has
gthoress chosen
Rising Action: harsh
with her
mor ne morming, nevertheless, it is cold as as
nof the wentieth e o acceptable winter. The
rather
she is any expression
as
lesson
without
first. Each
Duning the practising
a
lament
or g r o a n and
ownin the beginnino professional settings for women at the
would be
soo
a to h he all
today they breath
seems
fIke
feel the
despair a
Miss Meadows is female set-up has rivalnies which is subtly
stanza, cach
word,
each
that they
m u s t teel
they must the aespair, the painaand an estory.
The
in the music hal example of suchexchange The
tells them
Ihough the waay
between the
gloomy mind.
Then she
the piece
pertecuy.
s
he
hem
Science Mistress
rivalry.
kes place n the headm e singing lesson takes major part the story is
order to perform oy t h e sudden chan of
the sorrow in n
trigntehed
are rather her
simple. Tthey ad the telegram seni place while the little of it
so is not that SMiss Wyate's room where Miss Meadows gets to
behavn nermost troubles and T h e music hall becomes
Ciimax by the girl,
Miss Meadows nd worries. a
space tor
revealing her
her and .Ossed
rendered
is being to love Appropriatene
While the song
continue
Basil. She
wishes Basil could
the door keep the Jthe Title:
by the thoughts of would have to disappear. Just
then
pen
toand a The title The
relation, else
she
Meadows thatthat Miss
Miss
Wyatt wants to
wants
see her here pupils leam ho
Singing
student enters and
tells Miss sson 1s suggestive and apt. It might mean a
she 15 away. class
iss Meadows
allows ng
to be noisy, The other
instructing
the giris not
her inner
perception of music is the music of lhte.
Falling Action:
Hat the interpretat e
turmoil to influence
r turmoil
intu not only her
hands over to
her a telegram fromEBasil w song choices
Miss Wyatt hat-standch
tne song, a lament. In the end when she receives
The headmistress, have been mad, bought sta Basil's
to letter, must b a nand
again reflects her
aga d she is hapPy
h and
her again mood. She selects a happier joyful.
The song selected
reads: "Pay no attention to read
tne wordss of telegram.
of telegram.
She iis so Shet by
- Basil'. Miss Meadows is taken aback ot oher giris wich
u song and sings alon5 ith the
with the feeling ppiness that she becomes
joy and happiness symbolises her rs return to
happiness.
much overwhelmed
speechless momentarily. Characterization:
The lead
Denouement: character in the story is Miss Meadows. She is the
excitement, she hurries
to her class. It is then that she an elementary
school for gitls. Miss Meadows is an singing teacher in
Bubling with joy and and asks the girls to open the page authoress m supporting the theme of reliance. As theessential tool used by the
picks up the yellow chrysanthemum thirty her iance Basil changes during the character s situation witn
happy song. She not only asks giris the cheerful but
to be
hersel and behaviour towards her studentsstory,
so does Miss
Meadows
personality
two and sing a with expression. and
colleagues. Her emotional
sings with a
voice "full, deep, glowing
-
evident to the reader in the opening lines of the status is
story. With despair-
Moral of the Story: despair-buried deep in her heart like a wicked knife, Miss Meadows, cold, sharp
in cap and
the manner in which moods change due to gown and carrying a nule baton, trou the cold corridors that led to the music
Basically, the story is about how
receives the telegram from her fiancé. hall'. Then, there is aminor cnaracter named
external events. This is obvious when she Basil, fiance of Miss Meadows.
Though he has a briet role, he is wholly responsible to bring changes in Miss
Thecontents of the letter are considered breaking to the point where it
to be heart
Meadows' mood. He does nppa paycaluly m the story but we get to know
hasthe powertoinfluence the mood not only of Miss Meadows but everyone in nrough inner working ot isS eadows mind. There are other characters
the musichalas well. The story reveals how Katherine feels about human grief which have a very briefroles in the story. Their presence is seen only at some
oneveryonenot just the person doing grieving. Emphasis on impressionismover
can orv, The Science Mistress has been described through the imagery
be seen, because we perceive that Miss Meadows is sad grieving or places in u one She has yellow hair. This colour is
disagreeing with
something that had happened. SWeet Pa sfels, s0 this
stu disturbs her. Ma
r b s her. Mary Beazley as a part of daily
Meadows fes
what Miss adows a yellow chrysanthemum. Miss Wyatt hands over to
Atmosphere and Setting: ritual, offers u B a l and warns Miss Meadows that in future good news
telegramtrom
Themood hastosustain the soul's excitement for certain time, so, the short
hours
a her a after
shou
until
wait
story starts this way : 'with despair cold, sharp despair..It creates an
- Should
 194SCEches: ACalctin of Slhart Stor
Symbols andl Imagery g tagonist, Miss Meadows
me of the
The Stnging Lnoon
The story The the name
Singing Lesson begins prota
here are symbolic of the
with
corridors which lead Miss Meadows down to the muSicsymbolic
the
setting
hall. The cold
corrid
protagonist
fertility, happiness and Miss Meadows
protagonist's f e
ddess ot
earth, harvest, ty.She means green felds
agricultureprosperi
coldness and
despair that is "buried
in her heart like a wicked knife. The
compared to the tertility.Sresembles
She is
he is Demeter, the which
imagery ot the knife, cold eP also and
ugSests death or immense pain. There are other and
symbols in the story. sharp man
attitudes detects. gods of Creek
Mary Beazley's Turning the Music Stool: Ine in life and she and She is Olympushappy towards the end
in Greek
and more vulnerable make use ot susceptible to suffer mytholog
fort can
The students are making noise and
get silent when eaker her with the changes
Miss
Meadows arri power
She brings apprehension with her. Mary
turming the music stool. That tum symbolisesBeazley,
her favourite student Blue and Dark Redpeople to
overilow her indiscriminately against he
pain, hate or joy.
lt is as if Miss Meadows
the turn tor the
world was
whichh stops. ast
Last time Miss Colour
had power to rule nature and to
cnange the ole. How
Meadows had seen
course. Ihis is how her inner tempest will become an things uttonhole. handsome he had Basil. He had
Baton used environmental tempest se. The colour looked in that worm a rose
by Miss Meadows pest. light red is with his
and triumphant image of health bright
Eros. Red is
blue suit
an
and wealth, with that dark
MissMeadows beats the beauty and
baton asking
power, like a magician's stick or magic
for silence. The baton is a
sign of her
Soctics-between
ialec
the
everlasting
heaven and hell.place of the youth,
A
The Yellow Chrysanthemum
wand. her
emblem ot
he e
power. sumptuous red, more mahure,
wnen it 1s battle- or
expressed, the
becomes becomes
wer. When it 1s not colour red
controlled, it leads to
Thestudent Mary Beazley gives the teacher a yellow lish love. In this colour the
two selfishness, hatred, blindemblem of
a ritual that was
part of the chrysanthemum. It was nd passion, liberation deepest human passion
oppression. Dark red isimpulses
class, like
opening the and are linked :
Meadows does not thank for the piano. This time, Miss of sadness, associated to action
gift. She
just ignores it, with its ign like dead
soldiers death. t
radiating petals arrangement which is regular and Red Sea are tied to the
in a
war. The
purple oceans of is a
symbol a
essentially solar, same
symbolism: Greeks and the
ideals of longevity and even of associated with and lite transmute into they represent the womb
now. immortality, but for Miss Meadows, love is
one another. where death
dead The deepness ot biue has a solemn
Songs Chosen by Miss Meadows: death idea. The Egyptian considered it seriousness, above earth,
the colour of the truth. that evokes the
of the bliss bird, inaccessible Blue is the colour
The songs which are chosen by Miss Meadows and their though so close. This colour symbolises
of her mood and feelings. The first lyTiCS are symbolic pure and cold, as Basil, like Basil, because the exact
song A Lament symbolises her may be he was innocent for
and inner turmoil and its lyrics that roses of hopelessness perceived what he could cause with his actions. having
soon changes into winter are reflective of her pleasure
fade
quickly and autumn The Willow Tree and the Narrow
Windows:
Thesecond song chosen by Miss Meadowsweakening relationship with Basil.
after reading Basi's
"The Lamene'
goes on. "The willow
trees, outside the
symbolises her joy and happiness telegram waved in the wind. The willow is a tree
high, narrow windows
associated to the idea of death, of
The Bridegroom, Basil: sadness. "They had lost half their leaves. The tiny ones that
clung wriggled like
fishes caught on a line. The
Thebridegroom's name is Basil comparison gets the impression ot a whole
death. It
which may be associated with looks as if all the leaves wanted to fall down. The
narrow
mythological creature basilisk, that is the windows, suttocating
an unbelievable kind of snake. cause anguish, as the singing lament.
have been Surprised enough that she had got People
Basil was twenty-five'. It had beena miracle that engaged
(...), She was thirty. The Use of Figures of Speech:
Basil appeared, like the basilisk,
thatis able to kill with its breath, stare or Metaphor:
just using words of a letter. Basilisk is alsophysical contact, like Basil could hurt that makes an implicit, implied or hidden
an ancient cannon of Metaphor is a figure of speech
artillery that can cause damage. It piece ot a
comparison between
two things that are unrelated, but which share some
represents hardness,
insensibility. The same resemblance of two contradictory or
insensibility had been used when Basil wrote the
letter and the word
Common characteristics.
In other words, a
characteristics. There
was scratched out lightly and 'regree 'disgust different objects is made based
on a
singe or some common
written over the top. in the story
LeSSon:
1he sngng
are a few examples of metaphor
 Slhort Stories
196 1SC Echoes: ACollection of 1e Stngng Lesson 197
stared im thatred at the Science Mistress" etical ine repeated to emphasi,
1. Miss Meadous, hugging the knijfe, ances ot repetiions are given belowi from1gniicance in the entire text.
the story The
Some
2 The older giris were crmson. 1. with aespair cold, sharp despair.
-
Singing Lesson.
love, of joy, Miss
Mendows sped back to the
3 On the eings of hope, of music ' l feel riore ana more
2 2. strongly that our marriage toould be a
Fast I Ah, too Fast." mistake.
Simile: Fleetly I Ah, Fletly
A simile is a figure of speech that makes a comparison, showing similaritie
between two different things. Unlike a metaphor, a Simie araws resemblane
'Fade the Roses of Pleasure
6 T am not a marrying man.
it 1s a direct
comparison.
with the help of the words like or 'as'. Theretore
7. The Listening Ear."
1. With despair-cold, sharp despair-buried deep in her lheart like a wicked knife
Sarcasm:
2 'a voice like a bird cried. is a sharp
like
Sarcasm and otten satirical or ironic utterance
designed to cut or
3. Eoeryting about her toas sweet, pale, honey. For instance
4 Tt was as much part of the lesson as opening the piarmo. give pain.
5. The tiny ones that clung wriggled like fishes caught on a lime Miss Meadows, huggtng the
knfe, stared in hatred at the Science Mistress.
Onomatopoeia: Eerything about her ous steet, pe, 1INe noney. Iou would not have been
surprised to
e a bee caugit in the tangles of that yellow hair."
Onomatopoeia is the use of words that imitate the sounds associated with the
The social criticism of the text denounces the sOciety of that age, not
ODjects or actions they reter to. 1here are a tew instances or onomatopoeia : plicitly, with vestiges of Victorian moral. The hypocrisy is present at the school
1. from the hollotw classrooms came a quick drumming of voices"
environment with a piece of irony and sarcasm. There is subtle feminist
2 bell rang ;a voice like a bird cried, Murriel.
3. And then there came from the staircase a tremendous knock knock denunciation against the yoke and oppression on women and, consequently, on
knocking. dhildren.
Personification Narrative Technique:
Personification is a figure of speech in whicha thing or an idea or an animal The story is told from limited third person point of view. We see everything
isgiven human attributes. The non-human objects are portrayed in such a way |hrough the eyes of Miss Meadows, but she is not the narrator. We are limited to
that we feel they have the ability to act like human beings. Here are a few her thoughts, feelings, perceptions, etc. The narrative style makes use of interio
instances from The Singing Lesson : which
0 n e could hear
monologue retlects Manstield's unique talent for realistically capturinga
moment in time. In the story, Mansfield is careful to concentrate on Miss
the willowS whispering
2.The voices began to die, to face, to whisper.. Meadows' internal struggle rather than the perception of others. Basil's letter acts
s an intrusion upon Miss
3. 1he coridors were silent and cold ; they echoed to Miss Meadous' steps. Meadows mindset and through the use otinternal
Alliteration: monologue, a device often employed by the modernists, her thoughts are
evealed thOugh the actions around her continue. The structure ot the shortstory
Alliteration is a term to describe a literary device in which a series of words
begin with the same consonant sound. A few instances of alliteration are
given
Supports the protagonist's inner struggle as the narrative shifts between what
below:
Miss Meadows is thinking versus what she is doing and the how quickly two
come into conflict. While instructing her students Miss Meadows analyses the
turned sharply, seized the brass music
stand, content of Basil's latest letter and is devastated by his use of the word 'disgust to
f e e l more and more strongly that our marriage would be a his towards her. She takes it to mean that he can not
escribe teelings marrying
mistake. 1ove her and is
3. repulsed by her as a person.
ooked in that bright blue suit,. Miss Meadows allows her inner turmoil to intluence not only her song
Repetition1 ces when teaching her class but the way in which the songs interpreted. are
Thereare several types of repetition plcks a lament for the classes' first song and instructs her students not to feel
poetry. As a rhetorical device it could be
commonly used in both pro5e a
while singing and their voices are
as a result ifeless and a reflection
a word, a phrase, or a full sentence, otion
Miss Meadows' inner thoughts.
1981SC Echs: A Collection of Short Stories c t i c Story :
The Singing Leson199
A reflection of her mood, the music continues to trod along. The stude de Singing8 LEsson is didactic i
n
instinctively picking up on Miss Meadows emotions
Decome
angry and afra because of extemal
1se ot exter
evens. conveying the manner in which moods
a result The music seems as her inner emouona outet without havin ent Oof having une power toIhe contents of the letter are heart- breaking
divulge her private thoughts. After Miss Meadows recerves Basil's apology he Miss MeadOWS but intiuence the
music choice reflects her change in the
mood and sthe sings a happier Song of the song Lament
eventually all thosecountenance,
in the spirit and
music hall. The choice
mood
allowing her own voice to sing loudest, symbolizing her return to happit y express Miss
Meadows'
n
morning yields into winter
drear. The
state of
mind. Thus a
The Language Employed in the Story :
sinto a chune or
young mournful voices deafening noise ot chatter
We are instantly informed of the solemn feel of the story with the
words 'with despair cold, sharp despair-which eject a sombre tone to opening Summary of the Story
piece. Mansfield's use of parenthesis beginning and ending with the repetition Meadows who is the
protagonist of the
of story,
was
young a
Unfortunately, she hadwoman
despair successfully captures a reader s attention by isolating the descrint che was a music teacher in a ot
y. school.
ription,
highighting its significance. The three adjectives 'despair cold' and 'sharp' anarriea past
the usual
age ot remained
marriage. Young
ung women in those
women days
all harsh sounding and evoke emotions of pain and surtering, teling married
earner. This disconcertin
1isconcerting situation made her somewhat usualy
us that the irritable.
story is about something bad. The use ot vero Duriea 1s poignant because of lover Basil wno was nve
years younger than her, was a
connotations of death, reiterated by the simile,". deep in her heart Through hisfickle-mindedness on vacillating type of
to her.
marrying Miss Meadows, he
caused
wicKed Knite. The imagery of the knife, cold and sharp suggests dea at mental distress
as
immense pain. We are first introduced to tne m a n cnardcter, Viss Meadows 'in fiss Meadows' FeelingDespair:
cap and gown and carrying a littie
adows
baton as a storm stern woman, most likel Miss Meadows, in utter despair, made her way to the music hall. She was
teacher because of the formality of the "Miss'.
ssed in her usual academic attire and was on her way to teach her first singing
The image of carrying a baton 1s
polce uke and emits a
strong female sson of the day. Glris ot all ages passed her in the hall, laughing running&
presence. She is described as walking with a "trod which is
animalistic aand tling out to one another. Miss Meadows was totally indifferent to their
contrasts how the school girls are 'bubbling over with gleetul excitement'
and the happiness because of her own melancholic mood.
way in which they move like autumn leaves. Ihe huge contrast between the cold
harsh language used to describe Miss. Meadows and the
light-hearted
Miss Meadows' Encounter with the Science Teacher:
past
participles like "bubbling, to describe the pupils highlights the
different
The Science Mistress stopped Miss Meadows in the hallway. They were
characters personalities and shows two extremes. fellow faculty members in the girls school in which Miss Meadows taught
Mansfield has used long sentences singing lessons. She hated the Science Mistress for her cheerfhulness, her beauty
which suggest ongoing thoughts and
emotions of the character Miss Meadows surrounded by a nd charm. Today, she hated her especially for her sweetness. The Science
busy hecti
environment. The subordinate clauses inject lots of extra intormation forectic Mistress greeted Miss Meadows only to get a cold, casual response. Miss
the Meadows made no ettort to hide her mental anguish and frustration. The pain in
reader and the power of three "hurried,
skipped, fiuttered etfectively portray reciprocate not her
imagery of an autumn morning. However, the past tense of the three verbs her mind was gnawing at her persona all the time. She did
the
breaks the
previous present tense
imagery, suggesting that the narrator is colleague's pleasant smile and walked away, ignoring Science Mistress.
clasping onto something from her past. "Hollow and drumming imply drums Miss Meadow's Entering The Music Hall:
andhave connotations of emptiness, an element of Miss Meadows classes
which has personality Miss Meadows entered the classroom where the students of three
possibly been affected by her past. to take part in the session. On the
podium,
The description of the bird links back to the gathered and were waiting eagerly
imagery of the autumnal where the plano was kept, Mary Beazley, her tavourite pupil stood awaiting
moming and is an example of the modernistic movement about the thoughts in instructions from Miss Meadows. Miss Meadows held the music conductor's
Our subconscious.
Another example
of this is the last sentence "Someone had baton in hand. Miss Meadows looked around the class, not making eye contact
dropped her 'dumbbells' which is totally unrelated to
anything in the first with any of the students.
She had an uncomfortable feeling that
the children
passage, but shows another thought forming in the character's mind. It reminds knew about her predicament
as a spinster. Such apprehension was, perhaps, not
us as the reader that it is a modernist piece of her discomfiture. She put up a bold and
style which is more like "real life. writing
with an abstract writing true, as the students really knew
about
inside her.
defiant face, but the dismay raged
 20SC Ehs:A Coletion of Shot Ston Ihe
Stnging Lesson 201

The Reason of Miss Meadow's Being Depressed: ecould easily excuse herselt. Miss Meadows
tto decline told her that it
The letier trom Basil her fianoe, had just arrived that had left Mise s
an
invitation trom the would not be
Ping
waiting for directions trom their
headmaster's wife. The students
so devastated. Basil had aborted the idea of marrying i s s Meadows t w teacher, had fallen silent. Outside the
the willow trees, berett of half
e t e f . The news was so unsettling and annoying that Miss Mead 8h of their class
to hide her anger at bein Was
din the wind. Was Miss leaves due to seasonal
Meadows in similar shedding
hatiered inside, but she had managed
be aas unattractive as the willow ? predicament Was she going
rejected by Basil rtually an, kept repeating itself in her mind.
trees ? Basil's last line, 1 am not
Miss Meadows' Starting the Lesson of MuSiC:
a
marrying
Miss Meadows Making A Valiant
Dejected and very unhaPpy, Miss Meadows proceeded to begin her Inder Wraps: Effort to Keep Her Frustration
Mary Beazley customarily handed over a chrysanthemum to Miss Meon
ead As it awakened trom a
This ritual had been there for years. Thanking Mary tor the flower r a t h e r s trance, Miss Meadows blurted
curtl
Miss Meadows proceeded to start her lessons. She went to page no, thirt The girls wondered if it was out, 'Quite good.
The indifference and aloofness of her teacher battied Marry Beazley, T w o fear. Miss Meadows
assumed
a
compliment or
criticism. They became silent in
a

that the girls already knew that Basil

was on. Miss Meadows, then, instead of going to the page thirty-two, a s a s her. 5he tried to appear unaffected had spurned
and unconcerned at the turn ot events.
planned asked the girls to open page fourteen to sing'A Lament'. Shes i e demonstrate that she had not been 10
students to impacted by the development, asked the
she
the start ot singing by waving her baton. The whole class was asked to ing sing the song again,
lines in unison with her. Mary had to lead the singing the and griet. This was her accentuating each line with the maximum lament
way of saying that the grief had not touched her even
Miss Meadows'
Being Overwhelmed with Sadness: remotely.
The sadness of the lines had clearly overwhelmed her. That she fele Memory of Basil's Love Haunting Her Mind and Miss Meadows'
lament deep inside her was palpable in her tace and vo1ce. Basil's suggestionthe Iner Turmoil:
feel more
and more that our marriage would De a
stalke, Kept
ringing inher Das Words, "Somehow other I've got fond of you, reverberated in her
or
mind. Quite clearly, the occasion was building up to
a moment e was a handsome young
man of twenty hve and she was ot
of unbearaht
tragedy for her. She thought about Basil's last letter that gave no irable
indication that
Depe thnis, he had become enamoured of her. She recalled that once hethirty. had
he would change his mind so soon and tor no reason. A tew days
+
hela her scarf very delicately and now the same man had
earlier, Basil attitude in him
towards brought
her. Now the harsh attitude ot Basil
an
inditferent
had written that he had bought
a fumed-oak boOK Case arnd
viss Meadows. To shake off the gloom, she asked her was very
he had made
mind to settle down with her soon. Now, the dream lay in ruins. up is
tor
depressin
louder with more
and more
pupils to sing the son8
Miss Meadows Proding expression. It began to rain. The willow trees swayed
on
Being Careless to Her
Unbearable in tne winds as if whispering,'not that l do not
Sorrow that the whole world love you t seemea
was mocking her. It was stitling tor her.
Appearing unruffled by Basil's telegram, Miss Meadows went ahead Miss Meadows' Making A Last
her music lessons. But, Basil kept returning to her mind regularly with
Imagination: Appeal to Basil in Her
bringing in sad
reminiscences. She asked her students to sing the song parts, but without
in Miss
Meadows simply could not let go of Basil. In her mind, she
any virtually
emotion. She was perhaps trying to contain the rising emotional turmoil in her Degged him not to, dump her so
own mind by asking to keep emotion out of the
cruelly. She wanted him to continue to love her.
recitation. Basil had met But, the wail was futile. She knew this
her well. Basil had so cruelly used the word
some days back. He looked smart. He was well-dressed with a in ciisgust in his parting letter. He had made no attempt to conceal the word, even
buttonhole. He had a charming smile on his
rose
the
face. Tides of sorro
lowed in, partially.
unrelentingy as she strove to cope with the sense of loss.
Miss Meadows' Pondering Over Her Future and Her
Miss Meadows' Trying to Divert Her Mind from the Being Called
Anguish by by the Headmistress:
Talking about the Dinner
Miss Meadows was very well aware of the fact that she would
inbetween, distraction, she mentioned to
as a have to face
wife invited her to dinner and how she detested Mary
how the headmaster's the dark times ahead. She to the
would have leave school to escape the pervasive
atmosphere of humiliation and mocking. Facing the Science teacher, colleague
going there. Mary sug8ested
 The Singing Leson20
2021SC Echoes: ACollection of Short Stere
aila f
and the students would be unbearable for her. When she was
utterly engroe
n these tihoughts, Mlonica, the young girl came in to say that the grossed
Headmist
Miss Wyatt had sunmmoned her to Mistress room.
Miss Meadous Going to Meet to Headmis tress and
Headmistress' Handing HerA Telegrant: the
Miss Meadows began to walk out cautioning the girts to
stay quiet 3741T61 f
was away. Miss Meadows walked through the corridor witn
when she
sh
a
face. she was very downca
preparing herself to ncast
out the pink Headmistress.
meet the
The ieadmistress
took
envelope
and handed it to Miss Meadows. It had a
telegram inside
3 OT 1 1ERI
Miss Meadows was taken aback to
think if it was from Basil.
3AT
Miss Meadows' Receiving ATelegram from Basil and
HappinesS: Her Feelino

Miss Meadows tore the envelope and read the conternt. lt

from Basil. Pay no attention to the letter must have Deen was a crypticline
-
line
stand today. Indeed it was a sudden change in Basil. It mad-bought hat-
for Miss Meadows. Mrs. Wyatt was brought an utter surprise
looking at her keenly to know prise
if the
carried some bad news. Miss Meadows was telegram
made her fumbling tor words. Lhe
speechless momentarily. telegram f1T il H
g T TAH ATEM
The Headmistress' Warning Miss Meadows: TA FU ia ricis
`n
The headmistress asked her to go and resume her
music class.
Meadows was ecstatic. Just when she began to rush
towards the
Miss T RTT 1E4
aia SEehl TEVocTI 5 aR
TFÀ ÀITEÀ RR au sHrgi
headmistress stopped her and asked her if it was bad news in the door, the
Meadows who had experienced complete change of mood told hertelegram. Miss
it was not so 3qH EI1 Hl chfeor:
Miss Wyatt, then warned her that she should not have
unless it contains very bad news.
telegrams in school hours
Miss Meadows' Being on the
Students to Sing AHappy Song:
Flight of joy and Her Asking theza CT 71 6 2 1 16 HH HTETS HTaR a5 frr T 7, TA
3EA 16E1
Miss Meadows was greatly overwhelmed with joy and excitement.
hurried to her class and asked the students to open page thirty two. She She
the students to cast off any sign of gloom or doom and asked
sing the song with
enthusiasm and energy as if
they are rejoicing. She was unusually loud and
commanding. Romantic thrill flowed through her veins.