Study Guide for The Doll's House & Comprehension Test

The Doll’s House
by Katherine Mansfield
About_
This study guide accompanies Katherine Mansfield’s short story ‘The Doll’s House,’ which follows the Burnell
children as a new doll’s house becomes both a source of wonder and a marker of social division in their small
community. Through the eyes of young Kezia, the story explores themes of class, cruelty, kindness, and exclusion
as the Kelvey sisters are shut out from admiring the house simply because of their family’s poverty. This guide is
organized by section and includes comprehension and critical thinking questions to help students engage deeply
with the story’s themes and characters. This study guide contains 39 questions across 3 chapter sections (30
Factual + 9 Critical), 1 Crossword Puzzle (12 clues), and 1 Character Focus Activity.
What’s Included_
This study guide features 3 sets of 10 Factual Questions with an answer key (30 total), 3 sets of 3 Critical Analysis
Questions (9 total), 1 Crossword Puzzle (12 clues), and 1 Character Focus Activity (8 traits + evidence prompt +
critical thinking question).
Target Grades_
Grades 7-9
Teacher Note_
This ready-to-use guide takes the guesswork out of lesson planning for ‘The Doll’s House,’ pairing straightforward
comprehension checks with thoughtful discussion prompts that push students to think critically about class and
empathy. It’s designed to spark meaningful classroom conversation while saving you valuable prep time. Enjoy
watching your students connect with Mansfield’s powerful little story!