"Miss Brill": The Omniscient Nonparticipant Essay

“Miss Brill” Point of View Essay

Katherine Mansfield’s point of view in her short story “Miss Brill” is accentuated in a nonparticipant and omniscient perspective, which is told through the narrator. A nonparticipant is portrayed in a story as a narrator who isn’t included as one of the characters—or even in the story at all. An omniscient character is portrayed in a story as a narrator who knows what the characters are thinking and feeling. Such was the type of narrator Mansfield chooses for “Miss Brill”. Also, with these two views engaged into one narrator, the author’s purpose of the story is delivered. The protagonist Miss Brill, in her own story, is secluded in her own realm of consciousness, where she believes that society is one way, but not all the way that things really are, in the view of everyone else surrounding her.

The story “Miss Brill”, if not read thoroughly, would seem to be about a helpless woman with nothing better to do with her time than observe people at the park every Sunday—while wearing a fur coat. Then, towards the end, an adolescent couple insults her and she leaves the park—offended. She goes home and hurriedly puts away her fur coat and she hears something crying. But when reexamined, one will realize Miss Brill is an old, delusional woman, and yes, wearing a fur coat to the park. She believes she is part of a play, one where everyone around her is a member of the crew, and she is excited for this. Not only does Miss Brill believe she is a part of a play, she believes she is a part of society, one that accepts and endorses her. Little did she know that her beliefs were not the case. This comes as a twisted reality check for Miss Brill at the end. Things weren’t so black and white for her anymore. Her state of delusion disintegrated the moment she put away her fur coat.

If it weren’t for the two point of views, reexamining the story would have been pointless and in vain. The point of views helps in identifying the author’s purpose, which is what one might see or feel is occurring, isn’t what’s really going on. In these times, society could be very cruel when it chooses to be, but unfortunately, not everyone has the ability to realize this. Miss Brill puts on her fur coat, in this case plays as her costume, and feels highly of herself. “Brill was glad that she had decided on her fur…Miss Brill put up her hand and touched her fur. Dear little thing!” (Mansfield 33). One can imagine the look of approval on her façade, the feeling of acquiescence traveling up and down her spine. At this point, she confidently strolls out to the park—being her Sunday routine and all, and sees one thing, while others are seeing another. She notices different aspects of the “actors” around her, and Mansfield’s purpose comes into play of how society can be cruel at the times least expectant. Later on during the day, Miss Brill spots two teenagers resting on the area where a previous elderly couple sat before. She thinks well of the couple looming about her. She sees the love between them and their pleasant attire. Suddenly, the boy speaks out in offense to Miss Brill. “Because of that stupid old thing at the end there? Why does she come here at all—who wants her? Why doesn’t she keep her silly old mug at home?” (36). This was more than a degrading moment for Miss Brill. She didn’t see it coming at all. If the young couple thinks of her in such a manner, it’s hardly conceivable what everyone else in town might deem of her. They leave her to go home feeling rejected from society. In her costume, it is as if she is rejected from an audition and society was her judge.

The author’s point of view is directed through the narrator of “Miss Brill”. Although there might be more, the two key views are from a nonparticipant and an omniscient perspective. The reader should be able to confide and trust the narrator because he is receiving the story from an unknown character not mentioned in the story, meaning that it is unbiased, making the read one story, not complied from the opinions and views of the other characters involved. Also, with a nonparticipant narrator, one will never find first person, unless a character is speaking to another. Without first person, it adds to the experience and again to the trust of the narrator. Miss Brill, even as the protagonist, doesn’t speak in first person. “Wasn’t the conductor wearing a new coat, too? She was sure it was new,” (34). The nonparticipant narrator is also omniscient, especially with this quote. The narrator knows how Miss Brill feels and what she thinks. The point of views of the author/narrator is the basis of the author’s purpose. Through the point of views of the narrator, the reader can unveil how society can impact a character like Miss Brill, and how different the outcome of what is thought to be, actually really is, almost like irony.