“The Garden Party” is written from a third-person omniscient point of view, meaning the story’s narrator is separate from the protagonist, Laura, but has access to her thoughts. Mansfield uses the technique of free indirect speech (in which Laura and the narrator’s voices seem to merge) throughout the story to give the reader access to Laura’s inner thoughts and emotions.
Syntax (sentence structure) and diction (word choice) are also important aspects of Mansfield’s writing style, as these elements reflect Laura’s innocent point of view. For example, the story contains phrases that are childlike and whimsical: the weather is described as “windless, warm, the sky without a cloud,” and Laura sees “darling little spots” of sunlight inside the house. Later, when she views Scott’s dead body, Laura thinks “Happy … happy … All is well, said that sleeping face. That is just as it should be. I am content.” Her response is lighthearted rather than somber, and Mansfield’s word choice in this moment makes it clear that Laura’s sheltered, privileged upbringing and immaturity allow her to remain emotionally detached from death.
After Laura suggests the “lily-lawn” as a location for the marquee, Mansfield makes use of dialect to emphasize Laura’s privileged upbringing:
A little fat chap thrust out his under-lip, and the tall fellow frowned. “I don’t fancy it,” said he. “Not conspicuous enough. You see, with a thing like a marquee,” and he turned to Laura in his easy way, “you want to put it somewhere where it’ll give you a bang slap in the eye, if you follow me.”
Laura’s upbringing made her wonder for a moment whether it was quite respectful of a workman to talk to her of bangs slap in the eye. But she did quite follow him.
Laura believes she understands the meaning of the phrase “bangs slap in the eye” but in fact misinterprets it, thinking it is an innuendo. Laura’s class consciousness—or, in this instance, a lack of class consciousness—plays a central role in the story. Later in the story, Laura tries to shed her upbringing and cross class lines when she leaves the Sheridan Estate for the Cottages.
