An Ideal Family by Katherine Mansfield

A seemingly content patriarch, William, returns home from a successful day only to be struck by a sudden wave of uncertainty and sadness. Surrounded by his cheerful wife and children, he begins to question his life’s choices and the role he plays in his family. The plot focuses on this quiet emotional turning point. Mansfield contrasts external success with internal vulnerability. It’s a poignant meditation on aging, identity, and the quiet crises hidden behind ordinary routines.