Her First Ball by Katherine
Mansfield
This short story Her First
Ball is written by Katherine Mansfield who is from New Zealand. She was born in 1888 and died in
1923. It shows the youth and innocent in reality. Leila, a little girl, and her
cousins Meg, Laurie, Laura, and Jose Sheridan are about to go to their first
ball. Leila is practically beyond herself with excitement as the Sheridans
discuss their clothes and future dances casuallya a casual manner. Laura
assists in escorting Leila to the lady's room, where people are busy
getting ready when Leila and the Sheridans arrive at the drill hall. Meg
asks the girls around to assist Leila in finding dance partners as Leila is
overcome by the beauty of the space. After finding a few partners, Leila meets
an elderly man who, despite not having much room on his own, fills out her
card.
Since this is Leila's first ball, the old man
initially thinks he recognizes her from another one, which is obviously false.
Leila thinks back on her dance lessons from boarding school as she waits for
her first partner to approach her. She remarks on his exquisite steering. He
comments on the floor while they dance, and Leila responds that it is
beautifully slick. He is surprised by her response and inquires as to whether
she attended any other balls last week. He doesn't appear to care that Leila is
attending her first ball, despite her excitement to tell him that. The second
partner of Leila also makes a statement about the ground and a prior ball,
which Leila interprets as a pattern. The old guy appears to become dejected
when they start dancing and tells Leila that she will never be able to attend
balls for as long as he has. Because she hadn't previously considered her age,
Leila is upset by her talk with the elderly guy. She now worries that this
first ball is merely the beginning of her last ball. She is enraged with the
elderly man because she feels as though he "spoiled everything" by
revealing her fate. Leila scoffs at the elderly man's advice to not take him
seriously but doesn't let it go to her head that she'd rather go home.
Tags
BBS II