Eileen Chang (1920-1995), dubbed “the Greta Garbo of modern Chinese letters” and “the pioneer of desolation”, is known for her acerbic psychological forays into her characters’ inner turmoil during times of war and upheaval. This course pairs Chang with the New Zealand writer Katherine Mansfield (1888-1923), known for her strikingly modernist short stories and poems delving into her characters’ inner psychology. Though the two never met in person, Chang had likely encountered Mansfield’s works through a translation rendered by Xu Zhimo (1897-1931). Both authors describe natural images with poetic lyricism, internalize conflict, employ symbolic motifs to externalize emotion, and use writing to dispel personal and national trauma. In this course, we will pair excerpts from Mansfield’s Bliss and Other Stories (1920) and The Garden Party and Other Stories (1922) with Eileen Chang’s Love in A Fallen City (1943/2007) and Lust, Caution (1979). All readings and discussions will be conducted in English.