"Bliss" by Katherine Mansfield Close Reading Worksheet

Support the development of high school and college close reading skills with this assessment on the modernist short story “Bliss” by Katherine Mansfield. A variety of question types facilitates the process of analyzing character motivations, applying knowledge of literary devices, citing relevant and compelling textual evidence to support claims, and more. The resource is delivered in both Word Doc and PDF formats. An answer key and copy of the public domain text are included.

This resource may serve as the basis for small-group discussions. Through these discussions, students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development, demonstrating an ability to analyze how complex characters transform and advance the plot and themes by applying logic and citing compelling, meaningful textual evidence. They will also evaluate their peers’ reasoning and use of rhetoric to advance claims, clarifying or challenging unclear ideas. Using this resource for structured guidance, students, ultimately, will present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly, concisely, and appropriately, thereby helping their peers comprehend their thinking.

By engaging in this exercise, students will…

• Articulate what is stated in the text explicitly and implicitly
• Analyze how complex characters think, interact, and behave
• Analyze the dynamic transformation of character(s)
• Explore character motivations and intentions
• Apply knowledge of literary devices including situational irony, foreshadowing, repetition, and assonance
• Define complex words or phrases in context
• Analyze nuances in word meanings
• Analyze the author’s craft to discern what is revealed about a character’s psychological state
• Analyze the author’s craft to articulate why she may have chosen the last name of Young for the protagonist
• Analyze why the author may have chosen to title this piece “Bliss”
• Cite textual evidence in support of inferences and claims
• Write with clarity and precision