Loneliness And Reality In Kate Mansfield's Miss Brill
“Miss Brill” by Kate Mansfield Loneliness can sometimes cause a person to desire an escape from reality. In many of Kate Mansfield’s literary works, she questions the idea of truth and reality. Mansfield’s “Miss Brill” explores loneliness and the realization of truth through the use of symbolism, single effect, and style.
The use of symbolism is significant in the understanding of the theme. The old and dusty fur that Miss Brill treasures the most represents her lonely life. The fur has been taken out of a box which is similar to Miss Brill’s small, dark cupboard of a home. As the fur is returned to its box, Miss Brill also returns to her dark solitary room:
But to-day she passed the baker’s by, climbed the stairs, went into the little dark
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She views herself as having a role in other people’s lives despite the fact that no one there actually acknowledges her presence. Miss Brill’s actions in the ending of the short story further increases the sympathy the reader feels for Miss Brill. Due to the young couple’s hurtful comments towards Miss Brill, she does not completely follow her Sunday routine and instead she goes straight home to her dark, little lodgings. In the end of the story, Miss Brill claims that she “heard something crying” (Roberts 199). It is not the fur that is crying; it is actually Miss Brill. This portrays the denial of her true feelings and her unwillingness to accept reality.
Mansfield’s technique in writing “Miss Brill” shapes the story as a whole. The immense use of imagery helps the reader visualize the scene in the protagonist’s perception. The narrator gives a detailed description of the public park, the people’s clothing, and the sound played by the band. Miss Brill’s avoidance to the reality of her situation is evident in Mansfield’s delivery of the story. When the narrator becomes aware of Miss Brill’s sadness and alienation, the statement is immediately rephrased. The repetition and denial of the word sadness signifies Miss Brill’s real
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