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How Is Miss Brodie Controlled

Decent Essays

A common theme in the novel “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” is control. In The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Spark depicts the negative influence Miss Brodie has on the girls dubbed the Brodie set.
A specific scene in which Miss Brodie has a negative influence on the girls is academically when Mary Mcgregor goes to sign up for the classical side, when she does not have the grades. “Why do you want so much to go on the classical side, Mary? You aren’t cut out for it. Don’t your parents realize that?” she replied “Miss Brodie prefers it” (Spark 67).
A specific scene in which Miss Brodie has a negative influence on the girls is when she attempts to convince Rose to become sexually involved Mr. Lloyd, to get him off of her back and distract him. “It was plain that Miss Brodie wanted Rose with her instinct to start preparing to be Teddy Lloyd's lover, and Sandy with her insight to act as informant on the affair” (Spark 116). The use of the phrase “preparing to be Teddy Lloyd’s lover” implies that Miss Brodie had plotted to manipulate Rose into sleeping with Mr. Lloyd. Recall that Mr. Lloyd is married and has children, but that does not hinder or stop Miss Brodie from proceeding with her plan. Miss Brodie does not want …show more content…

On her way to Spain she is killed in an accident when the train she is on gets attacked. Miss Brodie takes no responsibility for her death and eludes the fact that she had anything to do with it. Headmistress Mackay even shares her own opinion of Miss Brodie throughout the novel. “I’m afraid she put ideas into your young heads” (Spark 133). The use of the phrase “afraid” suggests that headmistress Mackay does not have any personal hatred toward Miss Brodie, she just wants what's best for the girls of the Marcia Blaine School. The phrase shows her genuine concern for the

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