The Garden Party

by

Katherine Mansfield

Occasionally capitalized but usually referenced in lowercase, the Sheridans’ cook has a much more forceful presence than the other servants. On the morning of the garden-party, Mrs. Sheridan insists she is “terrified” of cook and sends Jose to “pacify” her; later, even though it seems improper to the children, cook gives Jose and Laura cream puffs just after breakfast. Later, cook is the one who first tells Laura about Scott’s death (although she lets Godber’s man finish the story). Cook’s unassuming warmth and Mrs. Sheridan’s authoritarian directives offer competing maternal presences in the Sheridan household. Nevertheless, the fact that the Sheridans refer to cook by her job title rather than her actual name emphasizes the social hierarchy in the Sheridan household and the family’s general disregard for the humanity of working-class characters.

Cook Quotes in The Garden Party

The The Garden Party quotes below are all either spoken by Cook or refer to Cook. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Work and Leisure Theme Icon
).
The Garden Party Quotes

Godber's man wasn't going to have his story snatched from under his very nose.

"Know those little cottages just below here, miss?" Know them? Of course, she knew them. “Well, there's a young chap living there, name of Scott, a carter. His horse shied at a traction-engine, corner of Hawke Street this morning, and he was thrown out on the back of his head. Killed.”

“Dead!” Laura stared at Godber's man.

“Dead when they picked him up," said Godber's man with relish. "They were taking the body home as I come up here." And he said to the cook, "He's left a wife and five little ones.”

Related Characters: Laura Sheridan (speaker), Godber’s Man (speaker), Hans, Sadie, Cook, Mr. Scott
Page Number: 44
Explanation and Analysis:
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Cook Quotes in The Garden Party

The The Garden Party quotes below are all either spoken by Cook or refer to Cook. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Work and Leisure Theme Icon
).
The Garden Party Quotes

Godber's man wasn't going to have his story snatched from under his very nose.

"Know those little cottages just below here, miss?" Know them? Of course, she knew them. “Well, there's a young chap living there, name of Scott, a carter. His horse shied at a traction-engine, corner of Hawke Street this morning, and he was thrown out on the back of his head. Killed.”

“Dead!” Laura stared at Godber's man.

“Dead when they picked him up," said Godber's man with relish. "They were taking the body home as I come up here." And he said to the cook, "He's left a wife and five little ones.”

Related Characters: Laura Sheridan (speaker), Godber’s Man (speaker), Hans, Sadie, Cook, Mr. Scott
Page Number: 44
Explanation and Analysis: