The story of Miss Brill takes the third person view focusing on what this aging woman sees, hears, and thinks. Miss Brill and her precious ermine regularly take a stroll to the public garden of this small French town every sunday afternoon. There she takes her seat and becomes "part of the crowd." She carefully observes all the people within the garden, what they wear, how they look, and what they do in a condescending manner. This is her Sunday ritual. However as Miss Brill continues, she notices subtle changes within the people, change, that she connects with her own life, changes that will ultimately reveal her flaws.
The story provides no physical description of her, only one can allude that Miss Brill is single and thinks highly of herself and ermine, but why would she spend her days at the park? The story plays off with Miss Brill and her ermine fur going to the park garden. The day was bright and clear, a large crowd gathered around the band in the rotunda, the perfect atmosphere for a stroll in the park. This is how it was at the park and during these moments is when Miss Brill would arrive and just do her thing. However, at this particular park Miss Brill notices something odd about it. Like a song, the more often a person listens to it, they pick up new sounds in the background, develop new thoughts; the same moment was occurring within Miss Brill. "They were odd, silent, nearly all old and from far away they stared they looked they'd just come from dark little rooms or even- even cupboards!" (pg 318, paragraph 2). Miss Brill would observe people from the poor beggar, plain peasants, to the beautiful women, describing their clothes and behaviors. It's puzzling why a woman like Miss Brill would spend her time at the park trifling in the lives of other people. The reasons for her actions are unknown and this play she is part of seems too staged - it seems as if she is trying to hide who she really is behind the facade she wears.
Also, Miss Brill is poor. ... Miss Brill is not wealthy. ... The fur that miss Brill wears to the park symbolizes Miss Brill. ... Miss Brill lives vicariously through the lives of other people. It is as though she has enjoyed living in their lives for the moment because she feels as though her life is not exciting enough. ...
