The Lonely lady

Katherine Mansfield’s Miss Brill is a story of loneliness and disillusion. Miss Brill is an English teacher who goes to the park every Sunday and enjoys eavesdropping people’s conversations. One of these Sundays she decides to go to the park wearing her fox fur, although the weather was not cold. As usual she pays attention to people’s clothes, chats and actions, as she tries to forget her own sadness. She thinks about …

…does she come here at all – who wants her? Why doesn’t she keep her silly old mug at home?” She goes away (apparently) with no sign of anger but she is immerse in deep sadness. Mansfield shows us that life can be tough for people on their own in an unfriendly world. But she also shows us we don’t have to give it up, although fighting sometimes can be such a painful task.