Miss brill Quiz

Susan Williams
Christopher Johnston
English Composition
June 10, 2014

Miss Brill Quiz
What is the dominant impression of Miss Brill? In the short story Miss Brill by Katherine Mansfield, the dominant impression of Miss Brill is of one who is a great pretender. In the first paragraph it is implied that Miss Brills mental health may be failing, this is conveyed where a feeling took her over like a chill from a glass of iced cold water before sipping, and ask herself what has been happening to her while touching her fox fur. She uses the fur to seem as if she is a rich and polished individual, but with evidence in the piece she had to shake of the moth powder and rub life into the fur she “decided” on, which implies it’s outdated. The fur was also later compared to a fried whiting. She tries to portray herself as this very important person having a “special seat” as the band rotunda plays, everyone however had their special seat where they sit every Sunday. She eardrop on the conversations around her and pretends she is just an expert listener; she became disappointed when the old man and woman sitting next to her did not speak. Miss Brill pretends to live a pampered lifestyle every Sunday just sitting in the garden listening a band and watching people and can’t wait to tell this to her English pupils. She also fantasizes with the fact that she is an actress for a long time as she smooth the newspaper in her hand like a manuscript.