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Similes
Key Examples in Her First Ball
Style
Explanation and Analysis:
The style of “Her First Ball” is representative of Mansfield’s writing and of Modernism more generally. Written from a third-person limited point of view, the story follows Leila. While the story is written in the third person, it is infused with Leila’s internal thoughts, worries, and emotions. The third-person narration is limited to Leila’s perspective and often includes asides narrating her thoughts and demonstrating how she reacts to the events of the ball. For example, after her conversation with the old man that causes her to question the ball and her future, readers are presented with a direct glimpse into Leila’s thoughts:
Oh, how quickly things changed! Why didn’t happiness last for ever? For ever wasn’t a bit too long.
Related Themes:
