Alienation Unit 1

Miss Brill
Katherine Mansfield

One important literary technique used in Miss Brill is the technique of setting. Mansfield does a nice job of keeping the setting somewhat unknown to the reader. I felt as though I could tell that the setting was somewhere that was somewhat public, but I could not figure out many more specifics beyond that. "To and fro, in front of the flower beds and the band rotunda, the couples and groups paraded, stopped to talk, to greet, to buy a handful of flowers from the old beggar who had his tray fixed to the railings"(Mansfield, 183). This quote indicates that Mrs. Brill's location is somewhere that is in the open. She is able to observe everything that is going on around her. I feel as though Mrs.Brill enjoys watching everyone's happenings more than she enjoys actually being a part of them herself. The setting is important in indicating that Mrs. Brill enjoys surrounding herself with activity.  I was a little bit confused as to where specifically the setting took place. However, I feel as though the setting a bit ironic because Mrs. Brill is amidst a great deal of activity and yet she is just sitting in solitude watching everything happen around her.