Miss Brill

"Miss Brill"
Katherine Mansfield

When I first read "Miss Brill," I was pretty confused as to who the narrator was.  I initially thought that she was the narrator, speaking in first person and telling her story.  But when I finished it, I realized that she was not the one telling the story.  The point of view is also very important in this story because it allows for the characterization of Miss Brill.  It was very interesting because many parts seemed like they were coming from the thoughts of Miss Brill, not an outsider.  "Miss Brill had often noticed--there was something funny about nearly all of them" (Mansfield, page 183).  I don't know how the narrator could determine this without actually speaking with her.  I was also confused with the ending--was Miss Brill actually a part of the performance or was she just sitting at the end of the row?  The point of view also seemed omniscient, as when the narrator discussed the young couple who "had just arrived from his father's yacht" (Mansfield, page 185).  And that part was so sad.  Was the crying Miss Brill, or was she just imagining the fur or something making that noise?