A contributing factor to the story "The Doll's House" by Katherine
             Mansfield is the characterization of Kezia as she travels in her
             innocence through the symbolic world of experience. Kezia is
             essential to the plot because she represents a taboo, offering
             opposition to common ways of thinking. Through the portrayal of
             Kezia, as she interacts as the symbolic eccentric, Mansfield
             emphasizes the powers and blind justification of conformity within
             The story commences with the arrival of the doll's house sent to
             the Burnell children. The Burnells take a great liking to this
             new acquisition. As the two older children admire the red carpet,
             red plush chairs, and gold frames of this highly ornamented house,
             Kezia, the youngest of the girls, takes an interest in the rather
             simple lamp. In fact, "what she liked more than anything, what she
             liked frightfully, was the lamp." This infatuation symbolizes her
             impeccability in comparison to the others as she is drawn to the
             unadorned lamp. Kezia proceeds to find fault with the state and
             proportions of the doll's house and perfection with the lamp in
             its simplicity. As others take interests in the gaudy nature of
             the house, Kezia rebels: "But the lamp was perfect. It seemed to
             smile at Kezia, to say `I live here.' The lamp was so real."
             Conflict intensifies as Kezia remains the odd ball. The
             appreciation of the lamp is a metaphor for the actions to come.
             Kezia likes the lamp because she does not know any better. Thus,
             she decides to befriend the Kelveys because she doesn't see
             anything wrong in doing so. The Kelveys are a family that are
             shunned because of their economic status. Throughout the town,
             "Many of the children, including the Burnnels, were not allowed
             even to speak to them." Without a second thought, school children
             and their families followed in the consuming tradition of looking
             ...