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  1. The Singing Lesson by Katherine Mansfield is a short story that explores the theme of the fleeting nature of youth and beauty, and the painful realization of aging and mortality. The story follows Miss Meadows, an aging singing teacher, as she gives a lesson to her young, attractive student, Millie.Read more

    The Singing Lesson by Katherine Mansfield is a short story that explores the theme of the fleeting nature of youth and beauty, and the painful realization of aging and mortality. The story follows Miss Meadows, an aging singing teacher, as she gives a lesson to her young, attractive student, Millie.

    Throughout the lesson, Miss Meadows is painfully aware of her own fading beauty and youth, as she observes Millie’s youthful energy and beauty. She reminisces about her own past, where she was once a talented singer with her whole life ahead of her. However, now she is left with a sense of loneliness and regret, as she realizes that time has passed her by and she has missed out on so much.

    The theme of the fleeting nature of youth is reinforced by the imagery of the setting. The story takes place in a dark and damp music room, where the only source of light is a flickering candle. This symbolizes the transience of life, as the flame of the candle is a metaphor for the fleeting nature of youth and beauty, and the inevitability of aging and death.

    In conclusion, the theme of The Singing Lesson by Katherine Mansfield is the fleeting nature of youth and beauty, and the painful realization of aging and mortality. Through the character of Miss Meadows, Mansfield highlights the regrets and loneliness that can come with growing old and losing the vitality and beauty of youth.

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    The character, Basil, Miss Meadows’s fiancé was not physically present in the story. Read summary of The Singing Lesson

    The character, Basil, Miss Meadows’s fiancé was not physically present in the story.

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    Basil broke off the engagement because he felt that their marriage would be a mistake. He had realized that he loved Miss Meadows as much as it was possible for him to love any woman. But he was not a marrying man and the idea of settling down with someone filled him up with nothing but - “and the wRead more

    Basil broke off the engagement because he felt that their marriage would be a mistake. He had realized that he loved Miss Meadows as much as it was possible for him to love any woman. But he was not a marrying man and the idea of settling down with someone filled him up with nothing but – “and the word “disgust” was scratched out lightly and “regret” written over the top.’
    Miss Meadows was heart-broken on reading that her marriage was doomed. She couldn’t concentrate on her surroundings as she went over the letter in her mind. She wished that Basil would love her, no matter how little that would be.

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    Miss Meadows was prepared to marry Basil, despite knowing that he might not love her at all, because she believed that she might not get lucky again. To meet and get engaged to Basil was simply a miracle for her. She was thirty years old and still a spinster. Societal pressure was putting quite a stRead more

    Miss Meadows was prepared to marry Basil, despite knowing that he might not love her at all, because she believed that she might not get lucky again. To meet and get engaged to Basil was simply a miracle for her. She was thirty years old and still a spinster. Societal pressure was putting quite a strain on her and it didn’t matter to her whether Basil loved her or not, as long as he married her. She believed that she would have to leave her job and disappear as she knew that she could never face the students and the others after the news of her engagement broken off spread. Miss Meadows was afraid of facing the reality- a life as an unmarried woman.

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    It is not clearly mentioned in the story who “Muriel” actually is. Maybe it is the name of one of the students who happened to be in the same place where the Science Mistress stopped Miss Meadows for a conversation. Read summary of The Singing Lesson

    It is not clearly mentioned in the story who “Muriel” actually is. Maybe it is the name of one of the students who happened to be in the same place where the Science Mistress stopped Miss Meadows for a conversation.

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  1. Last time Basil had come to her see her, he had worn a suit with a rose in his buttonhole. According to Miss Meadows, he had looked handsome in that bright blue suit, with that dark red rose. Read summary of The Singing Lesson

    Last time Basil had come to her see her, he had worn a suit with a rose in his buttonhole. According to Miss Meadows, he had looked handsome in that bright blue suit, with that dark red rose.

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  1. The age difference between them was five years. Miss Meadows was thirty and Basil was twenty-five years old. Read summary of The Singing Lesson

    The age difference between them was five years. Miss Meadows was thirty and Basil was twenty-five years old.

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  1. An alternate ending could have been where Miss Meadows might have demanded to know from Basil for writing such a terrible later. She would have tried to know his reason and not just blindly accepted whatever he said whenever he wanted. Read summary of The Singing Lesson

    An alternate ending could have been where Miss Meadows might have demanded to know from Basil for writing such a terrible later. She would have tried to know his reason and not just blindly accepted whatever he said whenever he wanted.

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  1. This answer was edited.

    Basil broke off the engagement because he felt that their marriage would be a mistake. He had realized that he loved Miss Meadows as much as it was possible for him to love any woman. But he was not a marrying man and the idea of settling down with someone filled him up with nothing but – “and the wRead more

    Basil broke off the engagement because he felt that their marriage would be a mistake. He had realized that he loved Miss Meadows as much as it was possible for him to love any woman. But he was not a marrying man and the idea of settling down with someone filled him up with nothing but – “and the word “disgust” was scratched out lightly and “regret” written over the top.’
    Miss Meadows was heart-broken on reading that her marriage was doomed. She couldn’t concentrate on her surroundings as she went over the letter in her mind. She wished that Basil would love her, no matter how little that would be.

    Read summary of The Singing Lesson

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  1. This answer was edited.

    Three characteristic traits of Miss Meadows were that one, she was very jealous and despiteful to others. She used to feel jealous of the Science Mistress and abhorred her for her sweet nature and her beauty. When Miss Meadows herself was in a good mood, she used to tolerate others a little better oRead more

    Three characteristic traits of Miss Meadows were that one, she was very jealous and despiteful to others. She used to feel jealous of the Science Mistress and abhorred her for her sweet nature and her beauty. When Miss Meadows herself was in a good mood, she used to tolerate others a little better otherwise she has no good wishes for others. Secondly, Miss Meadows was insecure. She was insecure about herself, her looks, and also about her engagement. It seemed that she was not eager to marry Basil out of love or affection but because she wanted to be accepted in the society. She had her insecurities of living as a spinster as a thirty year old. Thirdly, Miss Meadows took things way too seriously and that affected her professional life as well. Without thinking of asking Basil why he had written such a letter, she jumped to worst conclusions and that made the students around her suffer.

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