The Doll's House 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 a symbolic eccentric, Mansfield emphasizes the powers and blind justification of conformity within a society. The story begins with the arrival of the dollhouse sent to the Burnell children. The Burnells really appreciate this new acquisition. While the two older children admire the red carpet, red plush chairs and gold frames of this richly decorated house, Kezia, the youngest of the girls, becomes interested in the rather simple lamp. In fact, "what she liked more than anything else, what she liked terribly, was the lamp." This infatuation symbolizes her impeccability compared to others as she is attracted to the unadorned lamp. Kezia proceeds to criticize the state and proportions of the doll's house and the perfection of the lamp in its simplicity. While others take interest in the gaudy nature of the house, Kezia rebels: "But the lamp was perfect. It seemed to smile at Kezia, say 'I live here.' The lamp was so real." The conflict intensifies while Kezia remains a strange ball. The appreciation of the lamp is a metaphor for future actions. Kezia likes the lamp because she doesn't know anything better. So, he decides to befriend the Kelveys because he sees nothing wrong with doing so. The Kelveys are a family shunned due to their economic status. Throughout the city, "many children, including the Burnnels, were not even allowed to speak to them." Without a second thought, school children and their families have followed the all-consuming tradition of looking down on these underprivileged people. Kezia offers compensation to this common path of thought and questions such blind following. Sheasks her mother, "Can't I ask the Kelveys just once?" To which, the response is, "Run, Kezia; you know well enough why not." Mansfield successfully expresses the enveloping and controlling nature of conformity through the juxtaposition of Kezia's innocence with the prejudicial views of those who live in the world of experience. While others remain to push Kezia towards non-conformism