Fragmented narrative techniques in Katherine Mansfield’s short fiction -The daughters of the late colonel as a reflection of psychological and emotional turmoil of the Pinner sisters

Rummana Farooqui ()

Journal of Contemporary Research in Social Sciences, 2025, vol. 7, issue 1, 17-22

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to explore the use of fragmentation in Katherine Mansfield's short fiction, "The Daughters of the Late Colonel," to illustrate the emotional as well as the psychological trauma of the Pinner sisters, torn apart by the death of their father and their conflicting desires. In literature, fragmentation may serve as a tool for psychological exploration, depicting characters’ fragmented thoughts and emotions to mirror the intricacies of the human psyche. In this short fiction, the narrative shifts between past and present, capturing the way memories surface and retreat in the minds of the women protagonists. Flashbacks in the narrative suggest that Constantia and Josephine's relationship with their brother Benny, nephew Cyril, and deceased mother is as complicated as their relationship with the colonel. "The Daughters of the Late Colonel" is a moving tale of family relationships, grief, and the struggle for freedom. The story also focuses on the importance of living life on one's own terms and the need to break free from the constraints of traditional ways and social conventions. Fragmented narratives allow us to capture the complexity of memory, experience, and life itself. By breaking apart the linear flow of time, the story reflects the way we actually live — with memories that intrude upon the present and with emotions that cannot be neatly contained within the boundaries of a single moment. As a result, the fragments leave room for the reader to fill in the gaps and to feel the weight of what is left unsaid. Thus, there are many works of modernist literature that fragment the narrative and do so for thoughtful and strategic reasons, such as adding depth to characters, settings, and plot. The objective of this study is to examine and analyze the use of fragmented narrative techniques as a reflection of the psychological and emotional turmoil of the Pinner sisters in the work of Katherine Mansfield, "The Daughters of the Late Colonel." This study is based on the structural elements, using qualitative research with documentation techniques. Moreover, examining the emotional and psychological trauma of the characters in post-modernist literary works can be a subject of further research and can be compared with contemporary women's studies.

Keywords: Emotional turmoil; Experience; Family relationships; Flashbacks; Fragmented narrative; Freedom; Memory; Psychological trauma. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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