A narrativa de iniciação em ―Her First Ball‖ e ―The Garden Party‖: um recorte comparativo

Abstract

This monograph aims to draw a comparative analysis of the short-stories ―The Garden Party‖ and ―Her First Ball”, by Katherine Mansfield, under the light of initiation narratives. Initiation is the passage from one condition into another, from one social group to another (adolescence to adulthood), and it is also the anthropological term that originates the study proposed by this research. In both stories, there are passages of an initiation aspect that, through its similar contexts, present young protagonists facing struggling situations that make them cross a path from ignorance to knowledge, which can take them to maturity. In order to deal with the initiation story, it is necessary to approach initiation from the anthropological point of view, therefore, we relied on the studies by Adriane Rodolpho (2004), Borres Guilouski and Diná Costa (2012), who explain rites, rituals and initiation. As far as the theories on initiation narratives are concerned, this research rested on the postulates by Mordecai Marcus (1960), who studied initiation in short stories, in middle of the last century. Therefore, Marcus is fundamental for the theoretical development of this monograph. Considering the technical aspects of the short story as a genre, we searched for references in Nádia Gotlib (1990) and Arnaldo Franco Jr (2009). As for the analysis, we conclude that both stories at issue are different manifestations of initiation narratives, permeated by similar elements and technical conditions.