"Carnation" is a short story written by Katherine Mansfield, a modernist writer known for her innovative use of language and symbolism. The story centers around a young woman named Mary, who is struggling to find her place in the world and to come to terms with her own identity.
At the beginning of the story, we see Mary trying on a dress that she has just bought, and she is thrilled by how beautiful it looks on her. However, as she looks at herself in the mirror, she realizes that the dress is not quite right for her – it is too girlish and too frivolous. She feels that she has outgrown this phase of her life and wants to be seen as more mature and sophisticated.
As she ponders this, Mary's thoughts turn to her childhood and the memories of her mother, who had always been a source of comfort and support for her. She remembers the time when her mother had given her a carnation to wear, and how special and loved she had felt at that moment.
The carnation becomes a symbol of Mary's childhood and her relationship with her mother, and it represents the joy and innocence of that time. However, as Mary looks at the carnation in the present, she realizes that she has grown up and that she must leave her childhood behind. She feels a sense of loss and sadness, as she knows that she can never go back to that time.
As the story ends, Mary makes the decision to remove the carnation from her dress, symbolizing her acceptance of the fact that she has grown up and must move on. She puts the carnation in a vase and looks at it with a sense of nostalgia, but also with a sense of hope for the future.
In "Carnation," Katherine Mansfield explores the theme of growing up and coming to terms with one's own identity. Through the symbol of the carnation, Mansfield shows how memories of the past can be both comforting and bittersweet, as we must ultimately let go of them in order to move forward. The story is a poignant and relatable portrayal of the universal experience of growing up and finding one's place in the world.
