Miss Brill

THEME of "Miss Brill"

In the story "Miss Brill," an old, lonely lady spends her Sunday observing people in a park. Although ignored by everyone around her, Miss Brill manages to convince herself that she is really an integral part of the scene and would be missed if she weren't there. Her illusion is shattered by a chance remark at the end of the story, and she returns home, clearly devastated by her new understanding of her place in life. What this story is trying to illustrate is that sometimes people can be happy through living in an illusion. However, this kind of happiness is fragile and can be easily destroyed.

Unfortunately, modern society does not provide a place for everyone. Inevitably, there are those people, often elderly, who become marginalized; they live alone, friendless and mostly ignored. Miss Brill is one of these people, which becomes clear in her lack of communication with the people around her in the park. "They did not speak. This was disappointing, for Miss Brill always looked forward to the conversation. She had become really quite expert, she thought, at listening as though she didn't listen, at sitting in other people's lives just for a minute while they talked around her" (135). The prospect of actually engaging in conversation herself never crosses Miss Brill's mind; she has grown entirely accustomed to being only an observer. Another indication that Miss Brill lives a solitary life is in her lack of communication with the people she does have relationships with. "...she had a queer, shy feeling at telling her English pupils how she spent her Sunday afternoons" (137). Here we learn that Miss Brill is an English teacher, but the fact that she keeps her Sunday trips to the park to herself illustrates that there is a lack of connection between her and her students. The park visit is clearly the most important part of Miss Bril's week, yet she doesn't share her experiences there. Even her relationship with the "old invalid gentleman" to whom she reads the newspaper four days a week is limited. "If he'd been dead she mightn't have noticed for weeks; she wouldn't have minded" (137). While Miss Brill reads, the man sleeps, a situation she has accepted and become accustomed to. Miss Brill has no relations, no friends, no true connection to anyone beyond herself.

However, this story also illustrates that sometimes even lonely old people can fool themselves into a kind of happiness. The most obvious evidence of this is that Miss Brill is so completely absorbed by the everyday events in the park. She pays attention to the smallest details. "Wasn't the conductor [of the band in the park] wearing a new coat, too? She was sure it was new. He scraped with his foot and flapped his arms like a rooster about to crow... Now came a little 'flutey' bit--very pretty!--a little chain of bright drops. She was sure it would be repeated. It was; she lifted her head and smiled" (98). Even if she's only an observer, Miss Brill is an involved observer. She draws enjoyment from simply being in the park atmosphere. However, her enjoyment is more than a passing mood. It's actually an indication of a deeper emotion--a kind of happiness. This becomes clear after Miss Brill has paid close attention to several small exchanges between people at the park. "Oh how fascinating it was! How she enjoyed it! How she loved sitting here, watching it all!" (99). That Miss Brill does not actually participate in anything is clear to the reader, but not to her. Vicarious involvement in other people's lives seems to be fulfilling for her, even though there is no actual interplay with others. The most telling evidence that Miss Brill is happy (and that her happiness is based on a false impression) is when she comes to the conclusion that she's somehow needed at the park. "No doubt somebody would have noticed if she hadn't been there; she was part of the performance after all... Miss Brill nearly laughed out loud" (100). This realization eventually moves Miss Brill to tears. Being a part of something as full of life as the park scene gives her a sense of belonging. However, by this point in the story, the reader is aware that Miss Brill has

...