The Doll’s House by Katherine Mansfield

Guide to analyze the short story

1- Who sent the doll’s house?

2- What was the house like? Describe the house?
3- What did aunt Beryl think of the house?
4- What did Kezia “like more than anything” about the house? Why?
5- Why did the Burnell’s girls go fast to school the next day?
6- What do we know about Isabel?
7- What “powers” did she have because she was the eldest?
8- What did the girls’ mother tell them they could do?
9- How did the girls at school treat Isabel when she told she had something to tell them
at the playground?

The Burnells
1- How do we know the Burnells were rich?
2- Why didn’t the Burnells like the school?
3- What did the girls have for lunch?

The Kelveys

1- What was Mrs Kelvey’s occupation?

2- What did her husband do?
3- Describe Lil and Else’s clothes
4- Describe the relationship between them.
5- What did Else look like?
6- How did the teacher treat them?
7- What did they have for lunch? How was it wrapped?
8- Describe how they were rejected by everyone?
9- Describe the girls’ nastiness to the Kelveys? How did they react?

Kezia and the Kelveys

1- Kezia seems to be different from her sisters. Give two examples that show this.
2- How did Lil react to the invitation to see the doll’s house?
3- How did Else react?
4- Why did Lil agree?

Aunt Beryl

1- What was aunt Beryl’s reaction?

2- What secret did she have?

The lamp
1- What did Else say at the end of the story?
2- Who are the two characters who both appreciated the lamp?
3- What does it tell us?

1
Discuss
1- How do people act when they are trying to join “in” the crowd?
2- What makes someone popular at your school?
3- Mention some qualities that well-liked students seem to have
Example: kindness
4- Make connections between the characters’ world and your own.

Characters’ experiences My experiences

a) The Burnell girls are thrilled by a) I felt excited when my grandma

the doll’s house gave me my first bike

5- What are the differences and similarities between Isabel Burnell and Lili Kelvey.
6- Think about how Kezia’s family acts towards her. Why might she want to share the
doll’s house with the Kelvey’s?
7- Why are the Kelvey’s disliked? How might Lil and Else be treated at your school?
8- Do you think the situation in this story (or a similar one) could still happen today,
with people anywhere in the world?