On The Themes Of Katherine Mansfield's Late Short Stories

This thesis aims to provide a systematic and intensive study on the themes of Katherine Mansfield's late short stories with the guidance of concepts of Freudian psychoanalysis. The thesis will be developed on the discussion of three major themes.Mansfield's young exile resulted in a severe fear of death, which served as a major motivation for conveying the themes of human isolation and loneliness, disillusionment and death in her late works.Her early literary exploration greatly influenced the formation of her unique and artistic writing techniques, which helped to reinforce the themes and add the aesthetic beauty to her short stories.Mansfield believed that loneliness is a part of human soul that can't be eliminated. There's always a huge gap between individuals, people could hardly have real communication and connection with each other.She also believed that a sudden revelation caused by the conflict between harsh reality and illusion would awaken people and lead to a better understanding of life and oneself. Since then, a change of attitude may achieve a good change of life.Haunted by the fear of death all her life, Mansfield spent a plenty of time on thinking the paradox of life and death. In her last several years, as her physical condition weakened, her outlook brightened. Finally she accepted that death is part of life, it's inevitable, and she found beauty in that inevitability. The fear of death is the real devil that stops people from living their lives and it could be conquered by everlasting hope, by love for the beloved, and by courage and passion to fight for life.