Compare and contrast the charactes of rosemerry fell and miss smith
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The main theme of Katherine Mansfield's "A Cup of Tea" is the selfishness often displayed by rich, arrogant women of the British aristocracy. Set in turn-of-the-century England, rigid social classes separate the rich and the poor. As a member of the upper class, the story's protagonist Rosemary Fell lives a luxurious life. Her encounter with Miss Smith, a young beggar, exemplifies the rich woman's need to constantly be pleased. Rosemary's exclusive shopping habits, romanticism of the poor, and frivolous requests expose her self-serving personality.
Although the rich are considered to have everything, human nature rarely allows people to be completely satisfied. As a wealthy woman, Rosemary needs everything of hers to be better than what is already considered exquisite. While most wealthy ladies shopped in posh London, "if Rosemary wanted to shop, she would go to Paris"(1036). By wanting to imitate the characters in her Dostoyevsky novels, Rosemary takes Miss Smith home simply because she believes "it would be thrilling"(1037), and she will be the only one of her friends able to share a story about rescuing an impoverished woman.