asked her was it wedding-cake she wanted to buy. That made Maria blush and smile at the young lady;
This cake-shop episode shows how she was treated with ignorance or unkindness by the lady at the cake-store, through which we can assume Maria has calm or a little bit introverted temper. But in relation with the computational analysis or calculation, I wonder how I can computationally get the interpretation of this context in terms of her behavior and personality.
a nice tidy little body.
As shown in the previous paragraph as with Maria's eyes and chin, this paragraph also describes her body parts. Also, both talks about clothing, not limited to Maria herself's blouses, skirts, and dress-boots but other women's petticoats and blouses, Similarly to the paragraph that described Polly in The Boarding House, it is noticeable that James Joyce chose to describe female character with their body parts and clothing. I wonder if he also did the same for male characters, since it feels like this happens a lot more with female characters in his stories.
gathered on his glasses so that he had to take them off and polish them with his pocket-handkerchief.
It is interesting that Mr. Doran is described with the possessions that he has, such as glasses and pocket-handkerchief, rather than the body parts with which more used in the paragraph where Polly was described. Could I assume that it might be related to show his economic capacity and her physical attraction?
she had light soft hair and a small full mouth. Her eyes, which were grey
It would be interesting to compare with text of The Moonstone or other stories about the body parts and with which words they are described. Definitely, in The Young Girl of Katherine Mansfield, we can see the body parts and the words used to describe the young girl had this effects of making her look attractive and young girl. If we compare the group of words in this way, we would see the different impression in each story.
Why should she be unhappy? She had a right to happiness. Frank would take her in his arms, fold her in his arms. He would save her.
This story is written with an omniscient viewpoint, so we're clearly read her mind and her fear. Also, this highlighted part is seemingly where we can see the development of the situation, by suggesting she would not go with Frank.
dark
This paragraph has multiple and repeated words that describe the dark atmosphere, such as 'dark' and shadow'. So, if we run the function that search for the words usually used to describe the dark atmosphere based on its frequency, then this paragraph would show up as in high rank. Likewise, we might be enable to say the which story's settings are brighter or darker by using the similar function.
gnomon
In this first paragraph, some vocabulary such as gnomon and symony provides hints from which readers infer what the main character does, where the main character is and what this story is about.
THERE was no hope for him this time: it was the third stroke.
Similar to Katherine Mansfield's stories, James Joyce's story also begins with the middle of the event without providing the introduction which is being developed as story goes on. The effect is that we might not know exactly what is going on and feels like the messages are hidden or implicit.
Strange! When she was a little girl she had such a soft, hesitating voice; she had even stuttered, and now, whatever she said—even if it was only “Jam, please, father”—it rang out as though she were on the stage.
This part shows the complains he has about his daughter. She is described as not grateful and a little bit spoiled to say her father is spoiled. Also, by contrasting her right now and when she was little, it sort of shows how distant he feels about her daughter has changed.
You’re an ideal family, sir, an ideal family.
'Ideal family' is mentioned four times in this story, and this repetition makes it highlighted but not literally mean 'ideal'. All seems ideal but not actually ideal for Mr. Neave, shown as at the end of this story he dreams of not knowing his family anymore, which implies he feels some distant from them.
had learned
I just thought about how I can pick some moments or scenes that start flashbacks, and maybe one of the words that I can look would be the past perfect tense of verb as in this sentence. But it also can pick other occasions other than flashback, so maybe look them with the frequency of the past or past perfect tense of verbs within the same paragraphs can also be the way. Please share if anyone has another ideas!
but she had just time to read: “Waltz 3. ‘Two, Two in a Canoe.’ Polka 4. ‘Making the Feathers Fly,’” when Meg cried, “Ready, Leila?” and they pressed their way through the crush in the passage towards the big double doors of the drill hall.
I see Katherine Mansfield is good at illustrating the atmosphere of preparing an events with the busyness and excitement that characters throw among their conversation and by mentioning musical pieces, the band, and party dresses. In this situation or atmosphere, the main female character is dealing with psychological turbulence or nervousness. This scene of the story reminds me of the Garden Party, in a sense that a group of people based on family members are busy preparing for the event.
A tragic moan from Moira. “We ought to have a gramophone for the weekends that played ‘The Maid of the Mountains.’” “Oh no! Oh no!” cried Isabel’s voice. “That’s not fair to William. Be nice to him, my children! He’s only staying until to-morrow evening.” “Leave him to me,” cried Bobby Kane. “I’m awfully good at looking after people.”
Even though this is a short story and it is almost the last part of this story, there are many characters still appears. It gives feeling to me that those characters are so acquainted with each other. It is ironic that we actually read this story within very short time compared to other full length novel, but get to accept those characters as familiar ones with Isabel, even though I am not really familiar with them given how short the story was and how other detail description about them were omitted in the story. Considering some other Katherine Mansfield's stories which begin with in the middle of events happening, this is also noticeable that how she writes and sets the situation or characters' interaction without thoroughly explaining them beforehand. And I think most of confusion or some frustrations that characters in her stories feel can also be related to this way of narrative, where we don't deeply or logically know the sequence, relationship between characters and the personal meaning of events happened to the main character, but we have to keep guessing those and it can't be certainly accurate because of the lack of detail explanation.
No, it was too difficult. “I’ll—I’ll go with them, and write to William later. Some other time. Later. Not now. But I shall certainly write,” thought Isabel hurriedly. And, laughing, in the new way, she ran down the stairs.
As other stories of Katherine Mansfield such as The Garden Party or The Daughters of the Late Colonel, the female main character in this story is also going through this confusing and time making choice with their equivocal or ambivalent attitudes and thoughts with them. So, it is not always clear that what this character thinks or wants and I see this kind of personality as unique or distinguishable as in Katherine Mansfield's literary pieces.
I thought she was going to cry.
Katherine Mansfield's short stories so far seems like putting the most emotional or honest feeling of main character at the end of each story. It feels like she set up the whole story or situation to show and express the main character bursting with emotions.
I can’t bear flowers on a table.
Many characters in this book seems very sensitive and uniquely feel some normal or mundane things in their own way. I think it can be a good hint about her emotional status, in that it is not actually the flower that makes her feel bad or uncomfortable as she put that "unbearable", instead it can be other reasons that she complains and dislike, which might be her mother's absence and lack of protection of her.
“You don’t mind taking Hennie?”
Here's another example of beginning from the middle of story in The Garden Party and Other Stories. Usually, the story started with proper introductory part, but this story skipped most of part about how they ended up being here and what happened beforehand, and even the backgrounds of main characters yet. Instead, it just started with mentioning the pronoun of Young Girl, who we don't know her name and other information but appearance yet.
Jug
I don't know if it's intended or not, but Jug, the name Constantia calls her sister Josephine, is once appeared as a word meaning a pot when they were talking about asking the hot water to Kate.
esstrordinary
As in Nurse Andrews's sentences, some words are spelled in different way in some of characters' sentences. I found it different from moonstone, which was quite always had the same standardized spell. As our professor mentioned today, it could be distinguishable when we spell check on this text,
“Oh,” groaned poor Josephine aloud, “we shouldn’t have done it, Con!”
As Laura in the story of "Garden Party", the main characters here are having this worries or anxiety for another person's death. Here, about the things they should care about after their father's death, like a funeral, gave the sisters some of anxiety and regretful sentiment upon their decisions.
Should she go back even now? No, too late.
It seems like this story describes Laura as in the situation where she feels like she cannot really make any change, and it was same when she tried to stop the party by talking with her mom and sister. She didn't make any further insist on her opinion, and quite easily convinced by them. Similarly, this visit to give the family the leftover food, she first doubted if it is really good idea but she rather passively follows her mom's direction, however, at the same time she consistently feeling uneasy and wrong about how her family regard this accident.
“Forgive my hat,” she said.
Since Laura's hat played a role as an object which made her drew back from stopping the party and, at the same time, decorative and somewhat extravagant dress code that might be inappropriate for visiting this family experiencing a loss, her apology may indicate her realization or reminder of sympathy as a human being. For that, she seems to have got powerful impression from the dead man's face.
And it seemed to her that kisses, voices, tinkling spoons, laughter, the smell of crushed grass were somehow inside her. She had no room for anything else. How strange! She looked up at the pale sky, and all she thought was, “Yes, it was the most successful party.”
Her mind is now more filled with the party and enjoyment, so now it seems like she defeated her concerns on the dead man and his family, just as other family members of her. When she first heard of the accident, Laura's thought was more like worries for them regarding them as other equal human being without thinking of their social class or status, but through the process of talking with her family members upon it and proceeding the party, those concerns are now turned into more like her mom's, which is the superficial pity or pretension of being considerate on lower class people's mourning. So, her mother, Mrs. Sheridan is conscious about the social status of people and it plays as a standard for her to decide what to do to those people.
Laura said faintly “Is it?” and smiled up at Laurie, and didn’t tell him after all.
It seems like Laura feels pleasant in how she looks wearing the hat, and this discourages her to stop the party. Even though at first she thought the party should be stopped, but when talking with her sister and mom disagreeing on it, she doesn't really fight against them and shows actually a little bit convinced by them with this object 'hat'. It seems to have a connotation of desires on extravagance or appearance that aligns with the garden party.
On the other, the waveless ocean slept in the calm of the night.
I think ocean, sea, or water is counted as one of the motif of this novel, in the sense of it reflects the light, as moonstone and moon does, and also plays a role as developing some sense of death or hiding place along with the theme of this book as a mystery and detective story. Including that Rosanna once hid the box of nightgown in the water which later rusted by the touch of water, many times through the novel water was described as a calm but a little bit ruthless place.
he was killed (while he was asleep, or immediately on his waking) by being smothered with a pillow from his bed–that the persons guilty of murdering him are the three Indians
Here we can see another death connected to the moonstone, which comes along with the bad luck frequently in this novel. So, a set of words such as 'death, kill, murder' can be interesting to look up, especially for the deaths at the and of the story. The three Indians murdered Godfrey, as expected they would bring out some audacious behavior to get the moonstone.
GODFREY ABLEWHITE.
This is another shocking part of this story. One was about Franklin's behavior when he was under the condition of opium. Since Franklin gained some trust from almost all the narrators, readers must have been confused when Rosanna's letter revealed Franklin was the person who stole the moonstone. Likewise, Godfrey Ablewhite is also involved quite highly, which develops more curiosity out of his involvement with the moonstone.
he remembers that I have not read ROBINSON CRUSOE since I was a child, and he respectfully pities me.
I think Robinson Crusoe is doing a role as showing Betteredge's disapproval for Mr. Jennings. As a reader of this book, I know how much Betteredge likes and believes in Robinson Crusoe like a bible for Christian, so this has more impact than simply explaining words like his attitude towards Mr. Jennings.
“I am as innocent of all knowledge of having taken the Diamond as you are,” I said.
This is really confusing, since not yet in this novel the potential thief is not clear. Besides, even though here Franklin was the owner of the nightgown which had the paint on, he claims not to be a thief at all. More things are revealed as the story goes on, but not really the confusion and the inside story is revealed.
That cursed Indian jewel has misguided everybody who has come near it.
Mr. Betteredge seems strongly believe the diamond is cursed, and it is already impossible to be handled. Plus, he shows a little bit of worry about something might go wrong and impact Franklin if he tries to handle this moonstone case again. I find it interesting because Mr. Betteredge seems like the most worried or captivated person regarding to the dark moonstone curse.
By daybreak the next morning, I was on my way back to my own country.
This third narrative contributed by Franklin Black seems containing less personal opinion or feelings upon incidents occurring in the novel. Even though he got the news about his father is dead, he is just informing about the letter, but not mentioning how he felt about it. Imagine, if it was Miss. Clack's or Mr. Betteredge's narrative, it would have contained much more sentiment out of it. Overall, I found it more transparent or honest with other narrators, but not as mush with this third narrative.
receiving of course, the same answer as the answer which I had given him.
I feel this Mr. Bruff is in his special position of getting information, otherwise cannot be obtained. In terms of his job, the lawyer, he involved in wills of Mr. Verinder's family and he met this Indian who asked same question to Mr. Luker and him. The information is more directly related to the money and the legacy, compared the other information obtained from other narrators so far. Besides, he is keenly observing about those hints, not merely passing over as a minor thing, which makes him to have some suspicions on Mr. Ablewhite's and Indian guest's malicious intent, whether it is true or not.
If I am told that this is a mere speculation
I now am worried about Mr. Bruff's speculation is really the truth, since the marriage is now withdrawn without mentioning the reason to Mr. Ablewhite, and there might be another explanation about this inquiry for the examination of will. What if he was authentically caring for Miss. Rachel and the examination was also for her, which is the reason why he plainly accepted her decision?
Mr. Godfrey had got his dismissal–AND HAD ACCEPTED IT–that very day.
He put a lot of attention and cares a lot for Miss. Rachel's marriage and consider it as his calling. Also, he put many lines of observation upon Miss. Rachel's thoughts and resolution. Throughout Mr. Bruff's narration, I can clearly see his admiration and care for Miss. Rachel, and he regards it very seriously to save or free her from mal-intended marriage which consists main incidents in this chapter-or narration.
scoundrel’s hands.
He definitely dislikes and condemns Mr. Ablewhite for having an mercenary intent to marry Miss. Rachel. As well as Mr. Betteredge, we can notice Mr. Bruff also cares about Miss. Rachel.
I admit–an act of tyranny, and nothing less. Like other tyrants, I carried my point. Mr. Smalley chose his alternative, without a moment’s hesitation.
Since Mr. Bruff is a lawyer who worked on Mrs and Mr. Verinder, he was the first one among the narrators in this book so far who found out someone inquired for an examining for the will of Mrs. Verinder, and that person was Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite. I think it can be a distinguishable trait of him that he actually used his power or influence over the other party to get the information he wanted.
We must sow the good seed somehow.
Miss. Clack is obviously very faithful Christian who whenever there is a chance wants to 'sow the good seed'. This is another example of in this book, the characters are so vividly described in showing their characteristics differentiated from other characters. She also judge people within a short time after observing some of their behaviors, and easily dislike other people, which shows she is not that generous, at least to the people who doesn't respect or accept her gestures of missionary work.
. She is the daughter of a heathen old man named Betteredge–long, too long, tolerated in my aunt’s family.
It is funny because Mr. Betteredge was first main narrator who got quite acquainted to the readers so far, and now the new narrator Miss. Clack is not approving him as a reliable one, which now makes reader not be able to really rely on both of them at the same time. I like how much gap or distance is there between this two narrators, so that we can see the various view from very different characters.
The Indians won’t risk coming back to-night,” he said. “The direct way is hardly ever the way they take to anything–let alone a matter like this, in which the slightest mistake might be fatal to their reaching their end
As I mentioned Mr. Murthwaite being suspicious in the previous annotation, his advice and involvement in a explicit and assertive way like he had already prepared for saying it reinforces my doubt on him. Maybe he is a great and honest helper indeed, but sudden crucial involvement without significant previous relationship with this family of Miss Rachel seems suspicious. Does anyone agree with this?
says that you have had more narrow escapes of your life, Mr. Franklin Blake, than I have had of mine; and that is saying a great deal.
As a matter of detective novel's tricks, I am kind of doubt about what Indian traveler said about the risks coming up to Mr. Franklin. Since there is a literary device that allows the gap between what we heard from him and actually what those Indians said to him by using Indian language. Nothing can be trusted as it seems in detective novel, right? It's enjoyable to be dubious about the hints and character's behavior in this novel.
“It looks as if it had hundreds of suffocating people under it–all struggling to get to the surface, and all sinking lower and lower in the dreadful deeps! Throw a stone in, Mr. Betteredge! Throw a stone in, and let’s see the sand suck it down!”
Regarding to the general point of view of the narrator that believes the fate or the meant-to-be consequences to some extent, Rosanna's lines of feeling she is meant to meet her death at there might imply her actual or analogous death later in the story. Also, it makes me expect some unfortunate events would happen to her in terms of her unperceived involvement in thieving the moonstone. I'm curious about what is the relation with the moonstone crime and this horrid place.
A lonesome and a horrid retreat, I can tell you! No boat ever ventures into this bay. No children from our fishing-village, called Cobb’s Hole, ever come here to play.
The description about this place Rosanna enjoys to come is giving information of her characteristics in analogous way, as lonely and hardly contacted with. There are many words that consist of pages quite a lot used to provide the atmosphere of this certain place that can be paralleled with Rosanna. So I think it would allow the computational literature analysis by counting and grouping the meaning of words to get to know a certain way of perspective that the author wants her to be perceived.