The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie

THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE

This is one of Muriel Spark’s   best known and most critically acclaimed works., which centres on morality,manipulation and betrayal at a school for girls in Edinburgh., during the 1930’s.Praised for its structural complexity,the novel juxtaposes past present and future events as well as fantasies as it documents the decline of the central character, Miss Jean Brodie and her effects on her students.. This is indeed a brilliantly woven novel.

When I started to read this novel,I attacked it like reading a Jane Austen novel , reading about the lives of 6 girls and their teacher, only to realise that the book had much deeper meaning.The novel is more of a social realism of the 1930’s, steeped in art.romance and the changing politics with the rise of Fascism, Nazism, General Franco in Spain.The book is very revealing, is witty in part, amusing and has a much deeper resonance to it.
Themes are,control, manipulation,, psychological development especially in adolescent/ pubescent girls , religion and of course the politics of the time.
This book at first would appear to be humorous and full of wit , however a deeper understanding and depth to Muriel Spark’s novel   becomes evident in this short novel.
The primary action takes place at the Marcia Blane school for girls , focusing on a small group of girls the “Brodie Set”, the crème de la crème.Brodie attempts to influence the girls actions and beliefs., she tells them that they are “the elite”.She tries to imbue them with her views on culture and life. One begins to realise that the teacher has a distorted view of reality, and suggesting her authority and control over the girls.   Miss Brodie’s admiration for Fascism reinforces the theme.Her ideas of conformity liken the Brodie Set to Mussolinis soldiers.
Cleverly portrayed through flash backs and flash forwards over a 6 year period.This theme is also reflected in Spark’s narrative style.
Many scholars   consider the novel to be a...