Characters Were Similar and Different in Their

¶ … characters were similar and different in their ways, personalities and attitude. This paper also highlights some quotes from the stories to support its claim.

Compare and Contrast

Rose For Miss Emily by William Faulkner and Miss Brill by Katherine Mansfield relates the stories of two women who had been through a lot in their past lives and were trying to relive their past in their present. The characters of both Miss Emily and Miss Brill are the same. While Miss Brill relates her past to her present with happy thoughts, Miss Emily considers her present an era that is trying to drift her away from her past. Both the characters of Miss Brill and Miss Emily symbolize loneliness. While Miss Brill tries to communicate with the outer world, Miss Emily on the other hand shuts herself away from her neighbors and town people. Both the characters are the same and yet so different in their attitude and their personality.

A the beginning of both the stories, the audience very well realizes that both women are lonely. While Miss Brill tries to fight her loneliness away, Miss Emily tries to make her peace with it. Miss Brill would come out every Sunday out into the park and witness the people around her go through so much. She would sit in her seat and watch all the actors perform for her.

There were a number of people out this afternoon, far more than last Sunday. And the band sounded louder and gayer. That was because the Season had begun. For although the band played all the year round on Sundays, out of season it was never the same. It was like some one playing with only the family to listen; it didn't care how it played if there weren't any strangers present" (Katherine Mansfield, Miss Brill).

Miss Emily finds it hard to let go of her past after her father's death. She, unlike Miss Brill possesses an obstinate outlook towards life and completely refuses to change her style of living. "After her father's death she went out very little; after her sweetheart went away, people hardly saw her at all" (William Faulkner, A Rose For Miss Emily).

As a result of loneliness, both Miss Brill and Miss Emily are dependent upon certain figures in their lives. Miss Brill is dependent upon the band and her fur, her companions during the times of forlornness.

Miss Brill put up her hand and touched her fur. Dear little thing! It was nice to feel it again. She had taken it out of its box that afternoon, shaken out the moth powder, given it a good brush, and rubbed the life back into the dim little eyes... Oh, how sweet it was to see them snap at her again from the red eiderdown!... But the nose, which was of some black composition, wasn't at all firm. It must have had a knock, somehow. Never mind - a little dab of black sealing-wax when the time came - when it was absolutely necessary... Little rogue! Yes, she really felt like that about it. Little rogue biting its tail just by her left ear. She could have taken it off and laid it on her lap and stroked it (Katherine Mansfield, Miss Brill).

The above quote shows how concerned and attached she was to the fur, as if it were some living creature. Miss Brill had come to know everyone around her all by herself and only through her observation. She would notice all the changes, if there were any in the people around her. This is clearly seen when she notices the conductor's new coat. It only showed only frequently she visited the band. "Wasn't the conductor wearing a new coat, too? She was sure it was new" (Katherine Mansfield, Miss Brill).

Miss Emily cause of loneliness was due to the death of the most beloved figure in her life, her father. After her father's death she depended greatly upon Homer who was opposite to her in many ways. She refused to adopt anything that the new time had to offer her. She disallowed the newer generation to attach metal numbers above her door and attach the mailbox when Jefferson got free mail service. Miss Emily unlike Miss Brill only communicated with the world through her servant name Tobe. The physical and the emotional decay of Miss Emily and her house emphasized her mental retrogression.

After reading both the stories, the audience realizes that the loneliness that both characters experience is the prime theme of both the books. The only difference was how each character dealt with her desolation.

While Miss Brill is presented to the audience as a compassionate figure, Miss Emily's impression is that of a staunch and harsh lady. Miss Brill had an eye of admiration for everything.

The old people sat on a bench, still as statues. Never mind, there was always the crowd to watch. 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. Little children ran among them, swooping and laughing; little boys with big white silk bows under their chins, little girls, little French dolls, dressed up in velvet and lace (Katherine Mansfield, Miss

Brill).

Miss Emily was not only impolite but also disrespectful.

On the first of the year they mailed her a tax notice. February came and there was no reply. They wrote her a formal letter asking her to call at the sheriff's office at her convenience. A week later the mayor wrote her himself, offering to call or to send his car for her, and received in reply a note on paper of an archaic shape, in a thin flowing calligraphy in faded ink, to the effect that she no longer went out at all. The tax notice was also enclosed, without comment (William Faulkner, A Rose For Miss Emily).