Quote
"On her way home she usually bought a slice of honey cake at the baker's. It was her Sunday treat. Sometimes there was an almond in her slice, sometimes not. It made a great difference. If there was an almond it was like carrying home a tiny present-a surprise-something that might very well not have been there. She hurried on the almond Sundays and struck the match for the kettle in quite a dashing way.
But to-day she passed the baker's boy. climbed the stairs, went into the little dark room-her room like a cupboard-and sat down on the red eiderdown. She say there for a long time. The box that the fur came out of was on the bed. She unclasped the necklet quickly; quickly, without looking, laid it inside. But when she put the lid on she though she heard something crying."
Response
WOW! Maybe I am overly sensitive but this really made me feel bad for Miss Brill. She was and older women who liked watching people and did so every Sunday. It was her routine for Sundays and as you can read in this quote she broke the routine. What you can not read in the quote is the reasoning as I see it for her change in routine. I feel that every human being out there is routine. Even if it is the simplest things that you don't even notice everyone of us has some sort of routine. For example, one my routines is giving my daughter a bath at 7pm, playing for 30 minutes, reading her a book and then tucking her into bed. Routines are sometimes broking but in Miss Brill's case I think that she was seriously hurt. Everyone knows that not all "young adults" respect their elders but in this story you can see how much that hurt Miss Brill. She took great pride in how she put herself together and when she was laughed at by those young adults it must have crushed her. I am sure that when you get to be Miss Brill's age you look forward to doing the things that make you the happiest and in her case it was watching people, nature and just being outdoors. She thought that others would enjoy her being there too, so when she was hurt it effect more than her feelings. She then wonders about everyone is feeling about her. Is she a burden to everyone? Is she in the way when she goes out on Sunday's? Does she really not know how to dress herself? What was wrong with her precious furs? All of this will be weighting on her heart and mind for quite a while now. Poor thing!
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I felt bad for Miss Brill at first. I imagined a lonely old lady, but that was my perspective. I read the story again and picked out the positive parts and it seems though lonely to you and I, to Miss Brill her life was full and meaningful that brought joy and happiness to her at times, and many other emotions at other times.
ReplyDeleteDon't worry this passage made me sad too. I work as a CNA in an Alzheimer facility and see elderly people everyday and know how important routines are to some of them. In this passage was really good to me was how she did not stop to get cake. In my line of work something so small as on of my residents not wanting dessert could be an alarm to me that they would be depressed all day. It is also heart breaking that when she was putting her neck-let away she thought she heard a cry. In made me think she felt as if she had to choice between it which she loved so much but was ridiculed for or going to the park which she also loved.
ReplyDeleteI thought this reading had the potential to change the way in which we act towards other people in general. Sometimes people get so caught up in themselves that they forget that their actions can affect other people. It shows that we have, when we are given it, the power to make someone feel good or bad. This is definitely one story that really has the potential to influence our actions.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think you are oversensitive. I think her life does appear to be very sad but she does find her own joy. They way the people view her and talk about her is very rude and I think that is unfair to the old women. She is happy and that is all that matters!
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