Wednesday, November 17, 2010

"Miss Brill" by Katherine Mansfield

2. What nationality is Miss Brill? What is the story's setting? Why is it important?

The nationality and setting of the story are important because they are different from each other. Because Miss Brill is an English teacher, I would venture to say that she is an Englishwoman. In contrast, the setting of the story is in France, as is hinted through the location of the "Jardins Publiques". This is where the story takes place and is French for the Public Gardens. I think that this fact is important because it is commonly known that the English and French are not too fond of one another. They have differing customs and culture, which may help explain the reaction of other characters towards Miss Brill. Since there is a lack of understanding, they do not interpret her the way she sees herself. Although this may be due to the fact that she in naive by nature, I also think that her nationality and the setting are contributing factors.

No comments:

Post a Comment