Why Arent the burnells allowed to speak to the kelveys on the story the doll'a house?

Answer 1

In Katherine Mansfield's "The Doll's House," the Burnell children are not allowed to speak to the Kelvey sisters due to the rigid social class distinctions present in their community. The Burnells belong to a higher social class, while the Kelveys are considered lower due to their poverty and the stigma surrounding their father's occupation. This societal divide reinforces the exclusionary norms that dictate interactions between different social strata, leading to the Burnells' reluctance to associate with the Kelveys.