Miss Brill
Katherine Mansfield’s short story, “Miss Brill” emphasizes how loneliness can distort ones view on the outside world. After being isolated for so long, Miss Brill attempts to interact with complete strangers. When she begins to eavesdrop on the people around her, she characterizes them in the way she sees fit. After being ridiculed, Miss Brill realizes that her “play” is simply a fantasy, causing her to retreat to the safety of her home.
The author shows compassion for Miss Brill by making her appear so innocent and eccentric. When she takes her fox fur out of its box, it required to be “given a good brush and rub the life back into the dim little eyes.” This sensory detail reveals her compassion for her “pet.” When Miss Brill arrives at the park, she begins to think of the world as a “play.” By her creating her own characters it allows her to be a part of her surroundings without interacting with others. Everything was set to how she wanted it and she always made thing work. Being so innocent and wanting to create order in the world, she constantly saw the people as something better.
Clearly, Miss Brill is lonely as displayed by the way she eavesdrops on people’s conversation. She feels the need to include herself in other people’s lives as a way to compensate for her constant forlornness. Miss Brill admires the young couple sitting near her. She labels them the hero and the heroine as a way to include them in her play. While listening to the couples conversation she hears them focusing on her and asking, “why does she come here at all- who wants her?” This cruel comment from the boy was a harsh reality for Miss Brill. Her mood quickly shifts to melancholy as she realizes her false reality has been shattered. She immediately retreats to her home and sits in the dark for a long time. Following this, Miss Brill takes off the fur and begins to return it to the dusty box. While doing so, “she thought she heard something crying,” which was the final realization
The author shows compassion for Miss Brill by making her appear so innocent and eccentric. When she takes her fox fur out of its box, it required to be “given a good brush and rub the life back into the dim little eyes.” This sensory detail reveals her compassion for her “pet.” When Miss Brill arrives at the park, she begins to think of the world as a “play.” By her creating her own characters it allows her to be a part of her surroundings without interacting with others. Everything was set to how she wanted it and she always made thing work. Being so innocent and wanting to create order in the world, she constantly saw the people as something better.
Clearly, Miss Brill is lonely as displayed by the way she eavesdrops on people’s conversation. She feels the need to include herself in other people’s lives as a way to compensate for her constant forlornness. Miss Brill admires the young couple sitting near her. She labels them the hero and the heroine as a way to include them in her play. While listening to the couples conversation she hears them focusing on her and asking, “why does she come here at all- who wants her?” This cruel comment from the boy was a harsh reality for Miss Brill. Her mood quickly shifts to melancholy as she realizes her false reality has been shattered. She immediately retreats to her home and sits in the dark for a long time. Following this, Miss Brill takes off the fur and begins to return it to the dusty box. While doing so, “she thought she heard something crying,” which was the final realization