“HOW PEARL BUTTON WAS KIDNAPPED” by Katherine Mansfield — story review

the 2nd story of the ‘Something Childish and other Stories’ collection is

HOW PEARL BUTTON WAS KIDNAPPED

well, that’s straight up racism. Māori people are portrayed via a kidnapping? couldn’t it be something else, any other non-illegal, non-morally wrong introduction? yes, if the author weren’t racist. if the author thought, how could i present indigenous people (who have more rights than me to leave here however they like) without making the whole population look repulsive. it doesn’t matter if Māori women are described as nice, warm and caring for the girl they took away, — the damage is done. “fat” people, saying “funny” words, having “dusty” floors and always laughing. let’s wrap these stereotypes up and throw them in a bin, shall we, sweetie 😪 and shut up with ‘for those times it was okay’ bullshit, please. adults had common sense way before the 21st century.

however, the child, and people in general, being scared of police is on point. girl’s curiosity, pure excitement near the waters, harsh remarks on patterns of whites tasteless and controlling life were interestingly blended into a chaos of “omg she was taken away by !! “dark fat people” !!”
maybe because her mother didn’t teach her stranger danger. any stranger.