BLISS by KATHERINE MANSFIELD

WARM-UPS

1. What makes you happy? Look at the ingredients for happiness. Number them in

the order of what makes you most happy.

2. How do you express your happiness? Tick the forms of expression that apply to

you:

o I show my family and friends more

affection than normal.

o I sing around the house.

o I sometimes cry in public.

o I do little dances.

o I tell someone how I’m feeling.

o I laugh out loud for no apparent reason.

o I feel warm inside.

o I tend to talk a lot.

o I help out around the house.

o I can’t stop smiling.

o I jump around.

The Teacher of English: İbrahim Kayacan

BLISSchildren

good education

lots of friends

a happy marriage

having goals

holidaysowning your own house success

a good job

helping people / animals

good health

a lot of money

BLISS by KATHERINE MANSFIELD

PRE-READING

1. Match the following synonyms from the story.

a. far-fetched ____ tremble, shake

b. shiver /shudder ____ shine, shine

c. toss/fling ____ twilight

d. clasp/ clutch ____ declare

e. gaze ____ imaginative

f. glow/sheen ____ drop, swing, hang

g. dusky ____ seize, hold

h. plead ____ throw away, throw out

i. crumble ____ break down, fall apart

j. dangle ____ stare

2. Fill in the appropriate word(s) from the list below. Use the word(s) only once.

bowl candle come drawing drunk

first flowering garden glowing a sense of

a. …………………. alive

b. …………………. bed

c. …………………. colour

d. …………………. chop

e. …………………. and disorderly

f. …………………. flame

g. …………………. humour

h. …………………. a hoop

i. …………………. room

j. …………………. tree

WHILE-READING

1. Fill in the missing words in the summary of ‘Bliss’.

The Teacher of English: İbrahim Kayacan

BLISS by KATHERINE MANSFIELD

Bertha Young is happily married to (a) …………………. They have a baby girl and

live in a nice house with a (b) …………………. On this particular day, Bertha is

feeling very (c) ………………… about life in general. They have interesting friends

who are coming over for (d) …………………. Bertha is especially interested in (e)

…………………, her new friend.

Bertha (f) ………………… dinner. While she enjoys her (g) ………………… with

Miss Fulton, she feels Harry does not (h) ………………… their guest. However, later

that evening, Bertha sees Harry and Miss Fulton together and realizes they are having a

(i) ………………….

2. Put these events in the correct order (1–10).

a. ( ) Nanny tells Bertha that someone wants to speak to her on the telephone.

b. ( ) Mr. and Mrs. Knight laugh about the monkeys on Mrs. Knight’s orange coat.

c. ( ) Eddie asks Bertha if she has a book of poems.

d. ( ) Bertha arranges the fruit in a bowl.

e. ( ) Bertha sees Harry whispering to Miss Fulton.

f. ( ) Bertha feels very happy about Harry.

g. ( ) Bertha goes upstairs to visit her daughter.

h. ( ) Bertha takes Miss Fulton’s arm and leads her to the dinner table.

i. ( ) Harry tells Bertha that he will be late home.

j. ( ) Bertha thinks she and Miss Fulton understand each other.

3. Choose the right word in bold and italics.

a. Bertha forgets her key so the servant / nurse opens the door for her.

b. Bertha carefully puts the fruit in the refrigerator / bowl.

c. The nurse took the baby to the park / shop.

d. Bertha looks out the window and sees the apple / pear tree.

e. Eddie Warren has difficulty getting to Bertha’s house by bus / taxi.

f. Eddie plans to write something for Norman Knight’s new theatre / restaurant.

g. Other people often find Harry quite ordinary / strange.

h. Bertha feels like laughing /crying as she talks with everybody at dinner.

The Teacher of English: İbrahim Kayacan

BLISS by KATHERINE MANSFIELD

4. How does Bertha express her happiness? Write the forms of expression that apply

to her. (For example; Running)

5. Write what Bertha has for happiness.

The Teacher of English: İbrahim Kayacan

………………..

………………..

………………..

………………..

………………..

………………..………………..

………………..

………………..

BLISS by KATHERINE MANSFIELD

POST-READING

1. Imagine a conversation between Bertha and a close friend.

Student A: You are a friend of Bertha’s who is asking about the evening.

Student B: You are Bertha and you are responding to your friend’s questions. Would

you tell your friend what you saw?

2. Look at the movies about happiness taken from the Internet Movie Database

(IMDb) and watch trailers. Decide which one you want to watch.

POLYANNA (1960)A young girl comes to an embittered town and confronts its attitude with her determination to see the best in life. Director:David SwiftWriters:Eleanor H. Porter (novel), David Swift (written for the screen by)Stars:Jane Wyman, Hayley Mills, Richard Egan

IMDb Rating:7,2/10Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVtLP5tfpCATHE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS (2006)A struggling salesman takes custody of his son as he's poised to begin a life-changing professional endeavor. Director:Gabriele MuccinoWriter:Steve ConradStars:Will Smith, Thandie Newton, Jaden Smith

IMDb Rating:7,9/10Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xcZTtlGweQ AMELIE (2001)Amelie, an innocent and naive girl in Paris, with her own sense of justice, decides to help those around her and along the way and learns that the greatest happiness comes from helping others.Director:Jean-Pierre JeunetWriters:Guillaume Laurant (scenario), Jean-Pierre Jeunet (scenario) Stars:Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz, Rufus

IMDb Rating:8,5/10Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sECzJY07oK4

The Teacher of English: İbrahim Kayacan

BLISS by KATHERINE MANSFIELD

HOMEWORK

You may choose either of the tasks.

Imagine that…

1. you are Bertha and you are writing in your journal the next day. Respond to Bertha’s

own question at the end of the story: ‘What is going to happen now?’

Write in Bertha’s own words. Example: Yesterday, I saw … I think … I am going to …

2. you were the editor who was in charge of publishing Katherine Mansfield’s work. You

got the draft of “Bliss”, but you doubted the ending would work.

You wrote a letter to Katherine and suggested an alternative ending.

The Teacher of English: İbrahim Kayacan