Brodie Girls

By: Alicia Godwin, Ashton Howard, Calista Morrison, Linnea Olson, Sarah Griffin

 

In Muriel Spark’s The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, there is a clear development of a unique set of girls. Through the influential teachings of Miss Jean Brodie, these girls were brought together as a group within which they matured together as a whole instead of separately. Eventually, these and outside influences cause them to grow apart, and consequently instilled a sense of rebellion against Miss Brodie. The Brodie set were characterized as a whole, a small private society, but through the novel’s development there is the concise birth of individuality among the girls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Brodie set was the union of five girls who were distinct from each other in their own ways, and who, in any other situation, would not have been friends. First, there was Monica Douglas, who was known for her developed and superior abilities in math, and an uncontrollable temper.  Rose Stanley was a beautiful, blonde haired girl who became known for sex and her tom boy traits.  She was regarded as “Venus incarnate” by Miss Jean Brodie and was said to be endowed with instinct because of her lack of curiosity in sex (p.38).  Mary Macgregor was a nobody whom everybody blamed, and often the victim of much cruelty.  People had a low tolerance for her and could not even handle looking at her face without getting upset.  Her death is often reflected upon as a humorous story of a silly girl, running back and forth before finally dying in a fire.   Eunice Gardiner was known for her sprightly gymnastics and her impressive abilities in sports, which inevitably drew her into a team spirit frame of mind.  Several times when the Brodie set were together they would ask her to do summersaults and various tricks for entertainment.  Jenny Grey was the prettiest and the most graceful of the girls. She attended elocution classes and aspired to become an actress.  Often she would fashion fairy tales and amazing adventures with her friend Sandy and compile these works of fiction into their private, fantasy novels.  These girls had amazing imaginations that were kept secret from Miss Jean Brodie.  Jenny’s closest friend was Sandy Stranger, whom was the Brodie girl who was most highlighted throughout the novel.  Sandy was appreciated by Miss Jean Brodie for her insight and unique pronunciation of vowel sounds due to her English background.  Her eyes are an accentuated trait that is commonly brought up to reveal her inner thoughts.  Each of the girls in the Brodie set were their unique person, for each had their different likings, interests and different styles.  This was established almost initially by the author as each girl had a unique shape and position for their panama school hats.

 

The children were formed into a group at a young age by Miss Jean Brodie. She was their teacher, and had chosen them specially to be her pupils for more than just education. Miss Brodie took the children to many places, including an Old Town and a dance performance. All the children originally looked up to Miss Brodie, but as time went on they all began to have their own reasons for not trusting her, and being no longer completely devoted to her. They were known throughout the school and town as the Brodie Bunch, and the children were always together, even when Miss Brodie was not present. They had the highest marks in their senior school, and their private society was the envy of the other children.

 

Miss Jean Brodie, through her obscure teaching and eccentric activities outside of school influenced the Brodie set into a life style that mirrored hers. Throughout specific events within the novel, there is evidence of disrespect and hypocrisy between the girls and Miss Jean Brodie. For example, some of the girls desired to join the Girl Guides and attend their own social events, but were denied these opportunities. They were, however, offered the privilege of being in the company of Miss Jean Brodie and being awarded with her distinct knowledge. As they matured, there was a realization to the reward of their individual actions and character apart from the set and Miss Jean Brodie.

 

The ultimate betrayal of Miss Brodie by Sandy occurred when Sandy divulged Miss Brodie’s political preferences and practices to the head mistress. This however, is not the first time that Sandy has gone against her beloved teacher. Once, while on a walk through town, Sandy had the urge to me nice to Mary. Unfortunately, her fear of what Miss Brodie and the other girls would think of her forced the idea from her mind. The next act of betrayal was when Sandy had the affair with Mr. Lloyd, which was originally planned for Rose by Miss Jean Brodie. The plan for Sandy was to be a messenger between these goings-on and Miss Brodie, and subsequently Rose had taken on this role. Again, when Sandy became a Catholic nun, Miss Brodie perceived this as Sandy going against her wishes again, as Miss Brodie had denounced almost everything religious. Sandy forms the idea that “it is only possible to betray where loyalty is due”, meaning she gave loyalty up to a certain point (p.127).  This shows that Sandy felt that Miss Brodie has surpassed that point, and so feels that she has not in fact betrayed her.  It is important to note that Sandy was one of the first girls to observe that all the portraits of the girls, that Mr. Lloyd painted, resembled Miss Jean Brodie.  Sandy was able to recognize that there was a problem with each one of them only being observed as different versions of their teacher, and in effect losing themselves in the group.

 

Muriel Spark used a unique method in her characterization of the Brodie girls both as individuals and as a member of the Brodie set. Where each girl is distinct in her own way, there is a desire to belong within a community. However, over time this treasured private society began to develop unattractive qualities that weakened the loyalty between the girls and then between the set and Miss Brodie. In the end, the desire for individuality resulted in the collapse of the group itself and Miss Jean Brodie’s authority over the girls.