Miss Brill Essay

Books are written for two reasons; to either entertain or educate the reader. “Miss Brill” by Katherine Mansfield, the protagonist is a wealthy old woman who finally realizes she has grown of age and entered an older part of her life alone with no companionship. Through strong plot and characterization “Miss Brill” provides an example of the ideal of the importance of cherishing life rather than wealth. The author accomplishes this by providing examples of how a person comes to terms with this realization of growing older in age. Great literature succeeds in getting the reader to understand an important life lesson that allows the reader to grow and have a slightly different look on the world while commercial literature fails to accomplish this and is mainly just for entertainment.
“Miss Brill was glad that she had decided on her fur […] it was nice to feel it again. She had taken it out of its box that afternoon, shaken out the moth powder, [and]given it a good brush”(Miss Brill 1).Miss Brill’s fur explains an earlier wealth ,success and high class. Her wealthy success can be inferred at a younger age since the fur was “nice to feel again” (Miss Brill 1) informing she hasn’t wore the fur in quite some time. “She glanced, sideways, at the old couple. Perhaps they would go soon .Last Sunday, too, hadn’t been as interesting as usual. […] she had gone on the whole time about how she ought to wear spectacles; […] and he had been so patient. He’d suggest everything-gold rims, the kind that curved round your ears, little pads inside the bridge.”(Miss Brill 1).Miss Brill’s repeated observations and interest in old couples presented throughout the plot informs the reader of the loneness and want for companiship. Through astounding plot, companionship over wealth was informed through Miss