The Prime of Miss. Jean Brodie I read it for my tutorial reading class. I was really excited to discuss the book with the professor, but Sunday night we learned he had died earlier that day. The book is about a group of girls and their teacher/mentor. The girls get special treatment from her, even after they are no longer her students. The story is very complex and interestingly written. I really enjoyed it... I copied my paper from class below if anyone is interested in reading it, I know it isn't that great, but whatever...
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie was one of those novels that left me thinking what just happened after I finished reading it. I feel the urge to read it again so that I could pick up on what was happening and better understand it. I get the basic plot of the story, but after finishing I am left wondering why, what was the motive behind Sandy and the rest of the characters. At the same time, I think that is what makes the story so good. In life you don’t know others motives. I really am not sure how to write about the novel. It was a quick read, under 200 pages with a large font. I read most of it in one sitting. I wanted to keep reading it, because I was waiting for the climax and after I finished I realized I missed it while I was reading. That is because the story jumps around so much, which is also why I wanted to keep reading it. Early on you find out that Miss. Brodie was betrayed and you want to know who, when you find it out is Sandy the new question is why.
I love Sandy. In the beginning of the book it is obvious some characters are more important, and even though the book flashes forward, you don’t know the characters personalities completely, till the end. The reason I love Sandy is because in many ways she is the smartest in the book. Her and Miss. Brodie are the two that really seem to know what is going on and have the most control over the situation. Sandy was the one that, as a young girl, was curious and pieced together Miss. Brodie’s personal life. Then when she saw what was going on with Mr. Lloyd she took advantage of it. At first I thought Sandy was just someone who lived in their head, but you learn that she is just as manipulative as Miss. Brodie. She was the girl who worshipped Miss. Brodie the most, and to be the one who betrays her, shows how deep she is, so realistic.
I think the reason I liked this story is because I could escape into it. I did not have to over think the situation I was reading about. I am so used to reading for class where I have to get everything that was happening, and I started reading this novel like that, but then I gave up. Spark includes so many details about the girls that are not necessarily important, or that she later brings up. For example the first time the girls were introduced I thought I would have trouble remembering their personalities, but Spark reminds you many times that Rose was known for sex and Monica for math and her temper. In many ways most of the characters do not matter anyway. In the end this is a story about Miss. Brodie and Sandy.
I have mixed feelings about Miss. Brodie. I think she is interesting, but I haven’t decided if she is good or bad yet. Which is a good thing. I don’t think people are one or the other, we are too complex for that. I think Miss. Brodie genuinely thought it was better for students to get a more well rounded education. I also think she was full of herself and went too far at times. I wonder if the Brodie set was a group of girls she wanted to succeed, or that she was looking for a group to worship her. I would love to read another version of the novel written through Miss. Brodie. I want to know how far into the future she had planned things. I feel like I only got half of the story as it is now. Which I do appreciate from a novel, not giving it all away, living some for the reader to think about.
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about life, and taking things as the are and going with them. This novel adds to that for me. I’ve been trying to stop questioning why things happen and how things are suppose to be, instead just letting them be. Miss. Brodie tried so hard to control her life and others. Especially the girls in her set. It backfired, she lost her job. It shows that you never know who will betray you, or who will come or leave your life. Life is going to happen, no matter what you do, things go on. No matter how well you plan, you can’t really plan. We only have so much control, getting anxious and worrying does nothing. Fixating on the situation won’t change things. Next year is going to be very different for me and I’ve been having a heard time not focusing all my attention on what it will be like. I won’t know what the future is going to bring until it is happening. Living in the moment and taking what you have now is so much more important. Miss. Brodie spends so much time plotting out the future and then fixating on the past. I do not want that to happen to me, then you lose out on what you have now. Every minute and every decision matters so I don’t want to get caught up in a few of them, too much in the details and lose out on life.
i like your paper
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