Consistently through the story, Bertha observes “how idiotic civilization is!” (Paragraph 3), an idea that correlates with social conventions. The thought initially occurs to her when she realizes that it is socially unacceptable for a woman of her age to run or dance or laugh. Essentially, a woman of 30 is shut off from outward expressions of happiness. Another thing that a well-to-do 30-year-old mother cannot do is countermand the nanny who restricts her from showing physical affection to her own baby. Instead, while Nanny was feeding Little B her supper, Bertha “stood watching them, her hands by her side, like the poor little girl in front of the rich girl with the doll” (Paragraph 21). This simile captures the restrictions of social norms.

Mrs. Norman Knight is the antithesis of the social conventions which inhibit Bertha. For this reason, Mrs. NK’s story about the effect of her orange coat bordered with black monkeys on the train delights Bertha. Mrs. Norman Knight questions, “Why is the middle-class so stodgy—so utterly without a sense of humour! [...] My darling monkeys so upset the train that it rose to a man and simply ate me with its eyes.