Though the old man has been creepy for the entire conversation, it is this sentence that confirms him as a perverted sadist. His earlier fixation on young women, put into context with his fascination with whipping children. sculpts the old man into a truly vile character. He doesn't just think that children need strong discipline, he thinks they need the harshest discipline possible (whipping vs slapping etc.) and takes personal pleasure in dispensing such discipline.

Another example of a strange depiction that leaves the reader kind of confused about Flynn as a character,

I find this sentence very interesting because of high it completely recharacterizes Father Flynn's depiction. Until this moment, Father Flynn just seems like a caring community leader, however, this mention of close relationships with young children give Father Flynn a sort of malevolent curiosity. The reader is left unsure of the conflicting reports of Flynn.

I think this sentence reinforces these themes of alienation in a way that is much more sad. Before, he just felt his children were spoiled, but after waking up from his nap and finding himself alone, he realizes that they are not just spoiled, they are strangers. They have lived such different lives and have seen him for so little as the result of Mr. Neaves work that there is simply too large a gulf for him to breach with his family; a profoundly tragic yet common trope.

I think this sentence perfectly encapsulates the theme of this short story. Though Old Mr. Neave is told by everyone that he has a "perfect family," he feels disconnected from them because his hard work has insulated them during their formative years. All he sees is spoiled rich children, who siphon his money and threaten to destroy everything he has built.

I like how this section highlights Leila's cognitive dissonance on how she imagined a ball vs reality of what a ball is. Her distorted reality has just fallen off a precipice when she encounters the fat, old man, who further disillusions her with the sad realities of balls, dating, and gender relations in the early 20th century.

I find this very interesting. In contrast to her cousins, Leila has had a very rural and isolated upbringing, only able to practice the manners of high society in a very procedural and unrealistic manner. Now that she is actually confronted by the reality of the ball she begins to realize that high society is much different than the "simulations" at her boarding school.

I find this nostalgic moment of Williams actually very sad. Especially when it is contrasted with his current growing rift between his wife, this story becomes especially sad. Williams isn't actually in love with his wife and the sad reality that he no longer knows her is a reality he is unable to process. Instead, Williams wishes for a long ago moment, he is stuck in memories of the honeymoon phase, without actually trying to get to know his wife any further after the violent emotions of love & lust fade.

I love this narrator shift! I think it gives the work an interesting duality and makes the work surprisingly modern even though it is nearly a century old. By representing both the woman and the man in the relationship it gives the reader an unbiased tone about the realities of a deteriorating relationship.

I think this is a great example of how surprisingly modernist Mansfield is as a writer. The mother here wouldn't be out of place in modern times, in which there is less of a focus on women as reproductive machines. Here, the mother disdains her role as mother, wishing she was unburdened by responsibilites so she can have some actual, unrestrained fun on her vacation.

I found this ending very interesting. The lack of a real conclusion seems fitting relative to the rest of the story, which kind of begins en media res.

I like how though this paragraph is about a man, he is ultimately unimportant, and used as an unusual tool to explain the character of his wife. The sentence is immediately unusual, with a man 10 years younger than his wife, it implies he is a trophy husband, flipping the trope on its head. Though her husband is described as an enigma, it ultimately just makes her more of a mystery. Who is this woman who "owns" (as it is portrayed with trophy wives) this devilishly attractive man?

I like how the author uses a onomatopoeia to start off this paragraph, and then transitions into other descriptions of the distinctive sound of flowing water. It sets the whole novel off with a light tone and poetic style, which suits the narrative landscape she is trying to paint in your mind very well.

Mr. Moral Police Officer Sergeant Cuff plays very closely to antiquated and patriarchal Victorian standards that I would expect to see in this novel. If this request was made by a man, who [within the context of this era] are expected to always be in control of there emotions, i'm sure Cuff would have respectfully obliged. Yet because this request was made by an emotionally distraught woman, Cuff has to play the "respectful Uncle" card and dismiss her request for 30 minutes until she has seized control of her female dispositions.

"Birds of a feather flock together." I think this phrase is especially apt within this paragraph. Miss Clack, who is neurotically methodological towards her life and the rules (and roles) of society around her, is especially attracted Mr. Godfrey, who feels like he is specifically written to be a deceitful, aristocratic villain although with a certain gentlemanly charm.

I like how right at the start of this chapter they introduce the character without actually introducing the character. Since its written in first person, Miss Clack is never formally introduced, however, this paragraph perfectly encapsulates her character as a very methodological, neurotic, holier-than-thou figure.

I also find this excerpt very funny from a modern perspective. With our modern day information systems, autopsies , and mortuary services, the idea of concealing a murder victim using simple stage makeup and wigs is just so absurd. However, in a pre-internet age when people could just be "lost" this makes a lot of sense. He was just another dead unnamed sailor.

I found this excerpt almost comical, but in an ironic sense that can only be seen from a modern perspective. The "grand experiment" that Jennings talks about is of recreating the diamond heist under an equivalent opiate dose to see if this is a reasonable hypothesis. Though this is laid out in a analytical way, it is far from scientific. Yet at the same time, this was written at the very cusp of the Industrial revolution, and "Science" at this time was at an individual, rather than a societal scale.

I like the ironic humor here. Betteredge's obsession with Robinson Crusoe becomes funny, though still neurotic, with this little bit of self awareness. Especially at the end, referencing Robinson Crusoe's powers to god and assuring that he has the power of prophecy.

This paragraph, within the last chapter of the last section truly serves as the conclusion to the book in my opinion. The three Brahmin have served for the whole novel as an outside force (relative to the characters and narrative of the novel) while simultaneous being a native force. Now that the Brahmin have parted ways, it means that not only is the Moonstone safe in its native resting place, but also that it is safe going into the future, providing hope for the reader.

I like this sort of Dickensian guilt trip here. Especially considering that most of the characters in this novel are either aristocratic elites or within their direct company, it is refreshing to see a more lower class point of view since the disappearance of Rosanna.

Women=Venus, Men=Mars trope. The lovesick young man (Franklin), is confused by not only the the rejection of a woman, but apparently the female gender as a whole; as he is unable to "decipher their arcane systems of emotion" (as one might say in their day) He is comforted and guided by his more mature and sexually experienced male friend who helps him decode the "illogical mysteries of women."

Entire chapter is very patriarchal, Franklin must win her back on a hunch of what she is angry about instead of just asking her. Yet, he cannot ask her because he is spurned and now must evolve into a true lover-boy hero via some grand romantic gesture.

Wow, there is a lot going on here! Mr. Bruff starts out by supporting the "women operate in packs" stereotype/trope. This is bad for a man, because he must be independent and make his own decisions. However, not operating in "packs" is also apparently worse for women because then they are separated from the rest of their gender, which is bad because of an implication that women are emotional and bad at making decisions/evaluations by themselves.

HOWEVER, for Mr. "White Knight" Cuff, it is good that Rachel made her own decision, because she is an attractive & sophisticated woman that he just so "admired."

Rachel's language seems especially modern and rebellious here. She ironically is stating how though she hates the idea of marriage to this man, maybe she will become magically happy on account of just being married. I love how easily it parallels modern cynicism about marriage and the comments many people in alternative relationships say about marriage.

This sort of dialogue would be just as appropriate in the Antebellum south if one swapped "Indian" for the "Colored." The "Indians" rarely have any semblance of individual personality apart from their race, and usually just serve to highlight how much of an egalitarian the protagonist is, or how much of a barbarous villain the antagonist is by the their respective treatment of the "Races"

Somewhat comedic but I think this quote reinforces classist stereotypes that were a remnant of Georgian Era society. While the aristocratic women are constantly praised for their beauty and poise, poor women are the butt of jokes.

Closely subscribes to the "haunted artifact" trope that has deterred treasure hunters for centuries; commonly seen in Indiana Jones, The Mummy, and others. Similarly, only the locals seem to know of this curse, thus serving as a sort of magic fire alarm against foreign treasure hunters, archaeologists and other foolhardy FOREIGN adventurers. Again however, the dating of this piece maybe implies that this is before the beginning of the trope?

Like many other crime stories, this fictitious prologue attempts to sway the reader's belief in the line between fact and fiction. Considering this work is one of the progenitors of the genre and the poor dissemination of information in the early 19th century, it is fair to assume that this literary trick was quite effective.