In the words of author Thomas Foster, “There is only one story. » Most, if not all, authors will draw inspiration from other literary works to illustrate their story. Even if one is not an expert in Greek mythology, one must notice and appreciate the striking resemblance between The Garden Party and The Myth of Persephone. Laura is Katherine Mansfield's portrayal of Persephone as the former loses her innocence by witnessing death. On the surface, both stories begin in a natural and ideal setting which implies that tragedy will spoil it. Essentially, both the short story and the myth describe a character finding their place and deeper meaning in life by having to adapt in a foreign environment. Inevitably, the similarities between the two stories are hidden behind symbols that a reader can easily overlook, such as a character's relationship with his mother. The parallels between the protagonists, Laura and Persephone, are quite obvious. First and foremost, Laura's mother, Mrs. Sheridan, is the counterpart of Demeter, Persephone's mother. Mrs. Sheridan chose to pass her black hat on to Laura, the youngest of all her children (Masfield 251). Laura and her mother share an intimate relationship that mirrors that of Persephone and Demeter. This display of affection expresses how comfortable mother and daughter feel with each other. Mrs. Sheridan has a high opinion of Laura, she considers her a mature young woman. In comparison, when Persephone is taken to the Underworld without her consent, Demeter is overcome with grief and depression. Demeter's life centered on Persephone; she had the feeling that something was wrong. When her daughter disappeared, Demeter lost her sense of direction. Additionally, the bottom......middle of paper......arity, because the former is parallel to the latter in several aspects. Laura and Persephone are essentially the same person, their similarities present in their close relationships with their mothers and their desire to break free from confinement. The setting of both stories is embellished as too perfect, almost unreal, testifying that a terrible event will occur later. In The Myth of Persephone, a young girl discovers her calling and transforms into a stunning and admirable goddess, while in The Garden Party, Laura comes of age, both witnessing death. Over time, the stories have developed connections with each other: they are all inspired by the history of humanity. If one author was able to interpret and borrow so many aspects of a myth to enrich the reader's experience, the list of other writers who have taken the same path is endless..