English 12
Lesson:
Ms. Chobotar
Miss. Brill: Characterization and Point of View
Objectives
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Students will be able to:
Identify the main themes of Katherine Mansfield’s short story “Miss. Brill” (alienation and
loneliness, and the difference between appearances and reality).
Identify the symbolism used within “Miss. Brill”.
Create a thorough and thoughtful character sketch of the character Miss. Brill.
Identify how the use of third person, stream-of-consciousness narrative affects the
audience’s reading of the story.
Work effectively and cooperatively within groups.
Lesson/Activities:
1. Attendance
2. Katherine Mansfield’s Miss. Brill
 Read the short story as a class. Students are expected to
follow along as we read.
 Briefly discuss the ending of the story.
3. Character Sketch  Miss. Brill
 Students will be placed into groups of 3.
 Each group will be given the task of creating a well
organized, thoughtful, and thorough character sketch of
Miss. Brill.
 Handout criteria to each group. Go over criteria sheet as
a class. Be sure to explain the definition of a character
sketch. Also remind students to identify the type of
character Miss. Brill is (dynamic).
 Give a brief example of a character sketch using a popular
movie character.
 Students will be required to hand in their character
sketches.
4. Exploration Questions on Miss. Brill
 Students will be given several questions for Miss. Brill.
 These questions will explore literary devices such as
theme, symbolism, and characterization.
Resources/Materials:
Miss. Brill by, Katherine Mansfield
Character Sketch Criteria handout
Discussion Notes on Miss. Brill
Exploration Questions for Miss. Brill
Blank Paper
Felt Pens + Pencil Crayons
Literature Notes
Miss. Brill
By, Katherine Mansfield
Themes:
1. Alienation and Loneliness
2. Appearances and Reality
3. The use of delusional thinking to protect ourselves from loneliness and
alienation
4. The effects of reality can be heartbreaking
Characterization:
Miss. Brill is an English spinster, whose loneliness has caused her to become
disillusioned about her own appearance and identity. Miss. Brill comments on
others (who, ironically, are very much like her self), yet is unable to see the
comparisons between those she mocks and her self.
Miss. Brill undergoes a change at the end of the story, which makes her a
dynamic character. This change is character is made apparent through use
of symbolism.
Point of View:
Told in third person, stream-of-consciousness narrative; Miss. Brill’s
character is revealed through her thoughts about others as she watched a crowd
from a park bench.
The author never tells what Miss. Brill is thinking about her own life, yet we get a
very in-depth character portrait.
The third person, stream-of-consciousness narrative allows us to see further into
the psyche of the character.
Although the story is in third person, the stream-of-consciousness allows the
reader to see all of Miss. Brill’s thoughts, and none of the thoughts of those
around her.
The thoughts of others are revealed by dialogue or not at all.
Allows Miss. Brill’s character to comment on others without the recognition that
she herself is much like them.
Part of Miss. Brill’s character is revealed by what her stream-of-consciousness
narration fails to address.
Symbolism: The fur is the primary symbol in Miss. Brill. It is personified,
echoing the traits of Miss. Brill.
English 12
Short Story Unit
Miss. Brill
“How she loved sitting here, watching it all! It was like a play.”
Answer each of the following questions using full sentence answers. Be sure to
support your answers with the use of quotations.
1. List the important details of Miss Brill’s life. What do we know about how she
lives and the kind of person she is? Are there any clues to her age?
2. How would you describe the mood of the story up until the very end?
3. In what ways are Miss Brill’s thoughts and feelings about those around her
ironic?
4. What role do the “hero and heroine” (in Miss Brill’s words) play in the climax
of the story? What happens to Miss Brill as a consequence of her encounter
with them?
5. Consider the symbolism of Miss Brill’s fur. In what ways is it similar to her?
6. Miss Brill is a character who desperately seeks love, but is incapable of giving
or receiving it. What events in the story illustrate this?
English 12
Short Story Unit
Character Sketch
Miss. Brill
Miss. Brill is one of the most complex literary characters of the 20th
Century. Katherine Mansfield’s use of the third person, stream-ofconsciousness narration results in a very in depth look at the thoughts of
Miss. Brill, which allows the reader to understand part of her character.
The remainder of Miss. Brill’s character is revealed through what
Mansfield’s stream-of-consciousness narration fails to address.
A character sketch is a description of a character’s moral, dispositional, and
behavioral qualities, including specific examples and quotations from the
story. Be sure that do not just address the physical appearance of the
character, a true character sketch should be much more in depth.
In groups of three you will be required to create a thoughtful, thorough, and
well-organized character sketch of Miss. Brill. Be sure to support your
statements with quotations and specific examples from the story.
You should not only identify the mental and physical characteristics of Miss.
Brill but also the type of literary character that she is.