I think that there are a couple of assumptions that are
presented in the question that might need to be fleshed out a bit. The first would be
that Laura does not question the Status Quo. I am not entirely certain that Laura
becomes an apologist for the Status Quo at the end of the story. Mansfield's gift is to
make the ending so complex and intricate that there is only room for debate and
discussion. Yet, I don't see Laura as someone who "does not question" the Status Quo.
I think that she is one who has experienced something profound with seeing death,
contrasting it with life, and seeking to understand her own conception of self within
such a dynamic. Yet, I don't see her as someone who has abandoned her sense of rebellion
or questioning. Rather, I think that she is working towards formulating some level of
articulation regarding the profound nature of being in the world and how this connects
all human beings.
I think that the second premise that
might have to be debated is the role and function of Laura's mother. Laura's mother
might have a role in seeing her daughters plan the garden party, but it seems to me that
this is it in terms of what she desires. Laura's mother is not one concerned with the
idea of seeing her daughter's emotional transformation as being the center of her
being. She is more concerned with the idea of the garden party and how it will come
about through her daughters. I think that her suggestion to take flowers to the dead
man's widow is a gesture to Laura in order to move her from cancelling the garden party.
Yet, I don't see her character as existing in anything more than the party's
realization.
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