thematic critical essay

Thematic critical essay

Two stories , Miss Brill ' by Katherine Mansfield and A Rose for Emily ' by William Faulkner , are stories about two women 's lives , so different and yet so similar . Mansfield 's Miss Brill is a character which does not provide us with many details about itself . This is a woman who goes to the same park every Sunday to observe the same people and is not given by the author any particular details to her appearance or character . The only exact thing we know about her from the story is

that she is a teacher . Also the conversation of a young couple in the end of the story gives us a little idea of the Miss Brill 's age

Here "No , not now " said the girl "Not here , I can 't "But why ? Because of that stupid old thing at the end there " asked the boy "Why does she come here at all--who wants her ? Why doesn 't she keep her silly old mug at home (Mansfield 124 ) the dialogue gives a feeling that Miss Brill is probably a woman in her late forties . So , the character of this story is not a strong individuality at all , but is more like a mirror-character , which only reflects ' the story . And though the reader seems can read only about one small episode of Miss Brill 's life , it is vividly understood from the context , that this short episode is actually a photocopy ' of her whole , everyday routine . This woman seems doesn 't exist . The author shows a human being , living in the society , but there are no interests , dear things , personal ideas or thoughts brought in there with her . It was like a play . 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 (Mansfield 122

In Faulkner 's story A Rose for Emily ' we are told the life story of Miss Emily Grierson . Unlike in Miss Brill ' we find here more facts about her life events . We find some information about her background her noblesse oblige (Faulkner 72 , about her relatives , about her personal life , about her life activities , like china-painting etc . Not a small episode of Emily 's life is described , but the author shows us its different stages , periods and accompanying them events . Nevertheless , it does not help us to reveal the Emily 's character . We know nothing about her feelings , her thoughts and ideas about her life events . We meet no comments of hers as to the things happening with her in the story . We only can observe some changes in her appearance with the time flowing but we are completely unaware of the character 's inner world . We can find and read the judgmental statements or ideas as to Emily 's life what it must be or mustn 't be like , of those surrounding her , like So we...