Author's backround
When was the Author, Katherine Mansfield, born?
October 14th, 1888.
What is the story, Miss Brill, about?
It's about an aging lonely woman who finds solace in imagining her life as a performance in a play.
What details suggest that Miss Brill might be ill?
The first sign that Miss Brill might be ill is when she is sitting around the park on the bench, and isn't communicating with anyone.
What is the tone of the story?
Cheerful and light
When did the Author, Katherine Mansfield, pass away?
January 9th, 1923.
What year was the story made & what day/year was it officially first published?
It was made in 1920 and was soon published on November 26th of that same year.
What is Miss Brill's motivation?
Miss Brill's motivation is to be noticed and accepted by others, to feel valued rather than invisible.
What is the diction in the story?
Romanticizing the world
What were some of the stories that the author wrote? (Besides Miss Brill)
"In a German Pension (1911)", "Bliss and other stories (1920)", "The Golden party and other stories (1922).
What other historical events were occuring when this story was published?
In 1920, one of the major event in the century was the 19th amendment which granted the rights for women to vote.
How does Miss Brill change throughout the story?
In changing the way she thinks and relates to her world, her reality is manipulated; it becomes malleable and unreliable.
What is the symbolism that's presented in the story?
The golden light and "powdered" sky reflect Miss Brill's optimistic view of the world. She sees the beauty where there's emptiness
What does the story reflect about the own author's background?
The story Miss Brill reflects Mansfield's own experiences with illness and loneliness.
How can the story be tied to other historical events (concerning women) occurring during the time of that story this was published?
Around this time the story was made, women before felt unseen as they had no right to vote or even a say in anything making them feel belittled and concealed just like in the story of Miss Brill.
What is the conflict in Miss Brill?
Person versus self, as she struggles to accept the painful reality of her isolation and invisibility.
There is irony throughout the story, what is the foreshadowing that occurs and the irony that falls behind it?
She mocks others for being lonely, unaware that she's in the same situation.