"Miss Brill" by Katherine Mansfield

After reading “Miss Brill,” a short story by Katherine Mansfield, the theme of isolation becomes very apparent. However, it is not revealed until the end of the story. Throughout the tale, Miss Brill, an old woman, and her daily actions are discussed. She is described as watching life go by as though it is a play and she is the audience, first hinting at the isolation theme. Although she seems to enjoy that idea, it does isolate her from the others. Her joy of people-watching and experiencing the lives of others sets her apart from her community, alienating her as the “strange one” or “oddball.” Furthermore, the story continues to the rude comments of a young man and his girlfriend. He states, “Why does she come here at all – who wants her?” (Mansfield, 186). This only further isolates Miss Brill from the rest of her society. It becomes apparent that she lives alone and has no friends or even acquaintances, and it separates her from the others, sparking the hurtful comments like those of the young man. Miss Brill, although no one really knows her, is seen as a nuisance because she is always in the background, always in the way. This attitude towards her drives Miss Brill to leave the common grounds and go home, where it seems as though she begins to cry due to her isolation.