Interpretation of Characterization in Miss Brill
Abstract: Miss Brill is a short story penned by Katherine Mansfield, which depicts Miss Brill, a lonely and isolated English woman in Paris, deludes herself being part of the society and needed by others. Ultimately, she is dragged into the reality and only to find that it's all of her illusions. This paper focuses on the characterization in this story, I will interpret the different approaches that Mansfield uses to characterize the protagonist and the other characters, such as the portraying of round characters, dynamic characters, the use of direct or indirect revelation and representing characters' thoughts.
Key words: characterization, indirect revelation, dynamic characters, loneliness, isolation;
Introduction
The characterization of Miss Brill
2.1 representing Miss Brill' thoughts
2.2 indirect revelation
2.3 round character
2.4 Dynamic character
3. Reference
Introduction
In Miss Brill, Katherine Mansfield introduces readers to an uncommunicative and seemingly simple-minded woman who is a middle-aged English teacher in an unnamed French vacation town. It follows her on a regular Sunday afternoon in the park, which she spends walking and sitting in the park, wearing an old but beloved fur which appears to be her dearest friend in life. Her weekly visits to the park are undoubtedly the highlight of her week, bringing her great joy and satisfaction. She sees the world as if it is a stage, imagines herself to be an actress in this absurd musical and enjoys watching the people around her, often judging them condescendingly. However, she overhears a young couple's cruel remark about her, and the story ends with her realizing that she is not really needed in the busy world, and she thinks that she heard the fur crying. After reading it, we are encouraged neither to laugh at Miss Brill nor to dismiss her as a grotesque madwoman. Though Mansfield at no point tells what Miss Brill is thinking about...