In A German Pension Katherine Mansfeild

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In A German Pension is a collection of short stories by Katherine Mansfield (1888 to 1923, New Zealand) about the experiences of a young English woman staying in an exclusive boarding house in Germany where she has been sent to take a in a nearby spa famous for its waters. Everyone at the boarding house we have met so far is German. The tone of the young woman is detached and ironic. It is stories like Mansfield’s collection that have a way of showing readers the vulgar arrogance in the behavior of society, but in a subtle, humorous way. The point of the stories could be to show the readers a mirror to which they can see resemblances of their own lives and provide lessons in a very satirical way. "The Modern Soul" for example begins with our young lady having a conversation with a professor at a prestigious German university. The professor could not be politer or more patronizing of the intellectual limits of the English woman. “Psychologically I understood your refusal. It is your innate feminine delicacy in preferring etherealized sensations. …The conversation is not out of your depth? I have so seldom the time or opportunity to open my heart to a woman that I am apt to forget.” The Professor, called "Herr Professor", is seemingly interested in getting to know the English woman better, but it seems that his pure arrogance of placing her in a general stereotype with all women seems to somewhat offend the English lady. Also present at the conversation are young Fraulein Sonia and her mother. Sonia's mother interjects herself in the conversation as soon as she finds out there is an English woman present (this is three years before WWI) “I have never been to England,” interrupted Fräulein Sonia, “but I have many English acquaintances. They are so cold!” She shivered. Fish-blooded,” snapped Frau Godowska. “Without soul, without heart, without grace.
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