British Literature - Block I Ms. Nagel
February, 25, 2018
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie: The Power of Influence
INSERT CONTEXT HERE Dr. Frances Jensen, a neuroscientist at Harvard University, proclaims an adolescent’s mind to be “a brain that’s all revved up not knowing where it needs to go”1. Here, Jensen articulates that children are very impressionable during their adolescent years. Therefore, influential figures play a crucial role in shaping the minds of children. In Muriel Spark’s novel The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Miss Brodie, a teacher, manipulates her student’s growing perceptions to remain as much in alignment with her own as possible. However, as Miss Jean Brodie exploits the powerful effects of influence, one student, Sandy Stranger, …show more content…
When Miss Jean Brodie finds out that Sandy is having an affair with Mr. Lloyd she exclaims, “he is a Roman Catholic and I don’t see how you can have to do with a man who can’t think for himself” (6.180). Miss Brodie is angered by the fact that Mr. Lloyd does not “think for himself” since he indentifies with a religious group, as well as the fact that Sandy is interested in a man. Miss Jean Brodie practices an extremely unorthodox teaching style at the conservative school of Edinburgh. She does not conform to the school’s traditional values under any circumstance, and encourages her girls to do the same. Ironically, Miss Brodie is adamant on indoctrinating the Brodie set with her own set of beliefs, stripping the girls of their individuality. Sandy recognizes Miss Brodie’s hypocritical practices and wishes to remove herself as far away from Miss Brodie and her influence. Therefore, Sandy becomes a Roman Catholic nun as an act of rebellion against Brodie, as well as a strive for …show more content…
Sandy opposes Miss Brodie’s Fascist political views, diverges from the constricting image which Miss Brodie created for her, and becomes a Roman Catholic nun in order to escape from Brodie’s oppressive despotism and radical
February, 25, 2018
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie: The Power of Influence
INSERT CONTEXT HERE Dr. Frances Jensen, a neuroscientist at Harvard University, proclaims an adolescent’s mind to be “a brain that’s all revved up not knowing where it needs to go”1. Here, Jensen articulates that children are very impressionable during their adolescent years. Therefore, influential figures play a crucial role in shaping the minds of children. In Muriel Spark’s novel The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Miss Brodie, a teacher, manipulates her student’s growing perceptions to remain as much in alignment with her own as possible. However, as Miss Jean Brodie exploits the powerful effects of influence, one student, Sandy Stranger, …show more content…
When Miss Jean Brodie finds out that Sandy is having an affair with Mr. Lloyd she exclaims, “he is a Roman Catholic and I don’t see how you can have to do with a man who can’t think for himself” (6.180). Miss Brodie is angered by the fact that Mr. Lloyd does not “think for himself” since he indentifies with a religious group, as well as the fact that Sandy is interested in a man. Miss Jean Brodie practices an extremely unorthodox teaching style at the conservative school of Edinburgh. She does not conform to the school’s traditional values under any circumstance, and encourages her girls to do the same. Ironically, Miss Brodie is adamant on indoctrinating the Brodie set with her own set of beliefs, stripping the girls of their individuality. Sandy recognizes Miss Brodie’s hypocritical practices and wishes to remove herself as far away from Miss Brodie and her influence. Therefore, Sandy becomes a Roman Catholic nun as an act of rebellion against Brodie, as well as a strive for …show more content…
Sandy opposes Miss Brodie’s Fascist political views, diverges from the constricting image which Miss Brodie created for her, and becomes a Roman Catholic nun in order to escape from Brodie’s oppressive despotism and radical