Marriage and Family

The theme of marriage is perhaps the most important in "Marriage á la Mode," for the story raises the question of what a marriage should be and also points out that, unfortunately, two people may have different needs and expectations of the marriage. By the 1920s, when the story was written, women had begun to demand more equality and take a more dynamic role in their relationships. Thus, in one sense, Mansfield describes a truly modern marriage as Isabel gets what she wants from the relationship: the house by the shore, the unconventional friends, the lack of commitment to her family. Yet, the marriage described in "Marriage á la Mode" hardly constitutes any relationship, let alone a relationship supposed to embody one of the closest bonds that two people can form.

William and Isabel have little affinity for each other, let alone time to spend with...