Developing Character of “Miss Brill” Essay Example

point Is reinforced further at the end of the story, when she has been ridiculed, and is putting away her coat away, "But when she put the lid on she thought she heard something crying" (Mansfield p. 61 The author tells the reader that the fur is crying, but the metaphor shows that it is Miss Brills that is crying. Similarly, "the old people sat on the bench, still as statues", Is also a metaphor for MISS Brail. She Is one of the old people sitting on the benches, watching everyone else. It Is Ironic, because she seems to dislike these people, but at the same time, she is one of them: "They were odd, silent, nearly all old" (Mansfield p. 358). Miss Brills, like the other old people, is peculiar, quiet, and old.

What she sees in these people, is what the reader sees in her. This metaphor symbolizes what she is in reality and what other people in the story see her as; "Because of that stupid old thing at the end there.. " (Mansfield p. 60) Is what a young couple says when they see Miss Brills. The old people symbolize the old pathetic nature of Miss Broil's routine of viewing everyone else's experiences, but never experiencing herself. Finally, the symbol of her "special seat" is the most important and drives home the point of Miss Brills never experiencing life.

The seat symbolizes her vantage point of the world. The metaphor of a play is also used, but they both symbolize the same experience life, instead of doing it herself. "How she enjoyed it! How she loved sitting here, watching it all!

It was like a play" (Mansfield p. 359). Furthermore, she feels that he is living life and experiencing everything, because Miss Brills feels that she is apart of the play "They weren't only the audience.... They were acting" (Mansfield p. 59). The author effectively uses the metaphor of her "special seat" and of a play to symbolize Miss Broil's character, and how she feels that she is fully living life, but actually, she is only watching. Throughout the short story "Miss drill", by Katherine Mansfield, three important symbols are used to characterize Miss Brills; they are the fur, the old people, and her "special seat". All these show that Miss Brills is a watcher, who experience life through watching.