Character Analysis
As a matter of fact, characterization is described as the manner in which an author brings a character to life by portraying the appearance of the heroes; revealing their thoughts and displaying their interactions with one another. A reader should be interested in the plot of the narration, thus he/she should be eager to follow the story line and find out or imagine what is going to happen next. That is why an attentive reader is analyzing what is done and said by the characters and drives is/her own conclusions whether their actions and deeds are right or wrong as well he/she can guess what was not said or not done that may have been performed and have a direct influence on the situation improving the current affairs.
It is also essential to pay attention to the scenery and environment in which the tale is being told and the period when the tale was written (Scott 67). The scenery or the setting can have a very important aspect in the way a writer depicts the characters. When these different elements are brought together, they help in driving a story to its conclusion and making a logical end. Authors have a lot of different ways of portraying their characters in the story or novel (Garfinkel 32). The main heroes that will be discussed in the essay are featured and described differently, and each author is trying to reveal the uniqueness of his own character as they are mostly confidential, lonely and deeply absorbed in their routines and habits.
In Katherine Mansfield’s “Miss Brill,” the main character is portrayed as a lonely and desperate woman who lives in a fantasy world that she creates in her mind. In fact, in such a way, she tries to hide her lonesomeness and escape from the thought that she is aging. Throughout the story, her denial is revealed with the help of her social interactions as well as her actions. She spends her Sunday afternoon in a park where she watches the people that surround her and imagines that they all are the characters of some play. Thus, she turns out to be just an observer who watches the play that is held right in front of her. This clearly portrays her fantasies and denial of the reality in the novel. She lives in a fantasy world, and as a result of such a way of life, she turns out to be a victim of habit and familiarity and, moreover, of her own fantasies where she seems to hind a comfort. In the park, she listens to the other people’s stories and takes notice of every little detail and possible fault of other humans and her surroundings. This boosts her self-worth. The band also plays a significant role in her life; all through the story, the tempo of the band is pointed-out. In Miss Brill’s fantasy world, the band is depicted as an accessory in her story.
The novelist uses a-number-of ways to exclusively characterize Miss Brill and describe her in some unique way. And that is evident as this character is very interesting and needs a further development on the story because featuring and explaining the actions and thoughts of this person, the author discloses and reveals to the readers the numerous hidden sides of her character as well as her involvedness in the story. It is intricate to understand the whole nature and character of Miss Brill because she does not understand herself. She strives to make her life more fascinating by listening to the other people’s dialogues. However, perhaps, she lacks courage to act directly and do something on her own, in order to stop being a passive character who just watches and listens, but plays a major role. Her fur signifies what her life is and what it has turned out to be.
It is through Miss Brill’s fur that she starts to realize what her life is like, although she wishes to deny it. All through the story, readers are able to relate to Miss Brill’s loneliness, hence they understand why she lives in denial. In the beginning of this story, she is portrayed as a woman of the upper class society who enjoys spending Sunday afternoons in the Jardins Publiques (Mansfield 74). Nevertheless, she enjoys her time in the parks for reasons that surpass the casual dialogues and social aspects of the Sunday meetings. She listens to the dialogues of other people in the park because she feels as if she is in control of their lives for a moment. She lives through the lives of the people surrounding her. She feels as though her own life is full of disappointments, and so she struggles to be a part of other people’s lives. Her habits portray the depth of her loneliness and seclusion. Listening to the band and other people’s conversations makes her life a little bit more interesting. It is sad to know how Miss Brill lives her life; to some extent, the reader sympathizes with her.
In “New Grub Street story,” Edwin is the central character who is full of self-pity, wits and lacks confidence (Gissing and Arata 77). He feels poor and lonely when he finds out he cannot write for social status and reputation. Just like Miss Brill, Edwin feels lonely and does not have a self-esteem. Edwin is a poor man, who is married to a woman who does not support him. He considers himself an artist but faces so many challenges. Supporting his family is a great challenge because he does not have finances. His wife loves him, but their financial crisis exasperates her; her husband’s self-defeating attitude is also a major problem (Gissing 88). This internal strife creates quarrels that cause separation. Edwin is portrayed as a talented author whose broken marriage frustrates him. His wife separates with him because he cannot maintain the family; she cannot endure dreadful conditions and poverty anymore. They reconcile temporarily when their son becomes sick, but soon after, he dies.
Edwin also has a poor health due to poor living conditions and constant worry; his health deteriorates drastically, and later, he also dies. Edwin and his son die because of the problems and the depression they face. Edwin is a poor man, his life is full of stress because he cannot realize his dream as an author or feed his family. He is also lonely because his wife does not support him. She sees him as a lame person and cannot endure poverty. This loneliness and misery push Edwin to his grave. Just like Miss Brill, Edwin lives a lonely life without support of his family. Amy is discontented with her husband’s mediocre status and his financial crisis. He lives in his own world that no one understands; Miss Brill also lives a secluded life full of dreams and fantasies. Edwin’s problems frustrate him; his life does not inspire him to be a good writer; he is an enervated author. Miss Brill’s life is also uninspiring, that’s why she loves listening to people’s conversations.
Miss Brill and Edwin have been portrayed as lonely individuals; their lives are private and secluded. They wish their lives were more inspiring and interesting. Miss Brill spends her time in a park listening to other people, and this rises her self-confidence. She leaves in denial, and the only accessory in her life is the band. She lives vicariously interpreting other people’s situations. She does not recognize the people around her; this is why, she describes them by the clothes they wear. She is featured as a woman lonely sitting on a bench in the park. The fur she wears symbolizes something weary and old, something that has lost its splendor and loveliness over the eyes. On the other hand, Edwin believes he is not a good writer that is why he becomes the one and begins to write nonsense. He believes that his writing career will become more agonizing in the end, and his money will run-out. His wife’s good will and patience also run out, and his depression prevents him from restoring their love. This can be predicted by the reader; Edwin’s death is also predictable. He is facing so many challenges and does not have the strength to endure or fight back. His broken marriage brings him so much grief and depression. His son’s death also makes him feel miserable and alone till his own death.
Works Cited
Garfinkel, Asher. Screenplay Story Analysis: The Art and Business, New York: Skyhorse Publishing Inc, 2007. Print.
Gissing, George. New Grub Street Easyread Large Edition, Broadview Press, 2007. Print.
Gissing, George and Stephen Arata. New Grub Street. Canada: Broadview Press, 2008. Print.
Mansfield, Katherine. Miss Brill. Leipzig: Reclam Verlag, 2001. Print.
Scott, Orson. Elements of Fiction Writing – Characters & Viewpoint: Proven Advice and Timeless Techniques for Creating Compelling Characters by an Award-Winning, USA: Writer’s Digest Books, 2011. Print.