Miss Brill Character Analysis

And when she breathed, something light and sad—no, not sad, exactly—something gentle seemed to move in her bosom.

She had become really quite expert, she thought, at listening as though she didn’t listen, at sitting in other people’s lives just for a minute while they talked round her.

Oh, how fascinating it was...It was exactly like a play.

They were all on the stage. They weren’t only the audience, not only looking on; they were acting. Even she had a part and came every Sunday.

“Yes, I have been an actress for a long time.”

“Why does she come here at all—who wants her? Why doesn’t she keep her silly old mug at home?”
“It’s her fu-ur which is so funny,” giggled the girl. “It’s exactly like a fried whiting.”

If there was an almond it was like carrying home a tiny present—a surprise—something that might very well not have been there.

She unclasped the necklet quickly; quickly, without looking, laid it inside. But when she put the lid on she thought she heard something crying.

And when she breathed, something light and sad—no, not sad, exactly—something gentle seemed to move in her bosom.

She had become really quite expert, she thought, at listening as though she didn’t listen, at sitting in other people’s lives just for a minute while they talked round her.

Oh, how fascinating it was...It was exactly like a play.

They were all on the stage. They weren’t only the audience, not only looking on; they were acting. Even she had a part and came every Sunday.

“Yes, I have been an actress for a long time.”

“Why does she come here at all—who wants her? Why doesn’t she keep her silly old mug at home?”
“It’s her fu-ur which is so funny,” giggled the girl. “It’s exactly like a fried whiting.”

If there was an almond it was like carrying home a tiny present—a surprise—something that might very well not have been there.

She unclasped the necklet quickly; quickly, without looking, laid it inside. But when she put the lid on she thought she heard something crying.