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The 100 best novels: No 79 – The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark (1960)
(read article here)
"The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is so short that it was first published, in its entirety, in the New Yorker, and then reissued in volume form by Macmillan in the UK in 1961. The character of Miss Jean Brodie became Spark’s “milch cow”, and brought her international fame, especially after the novel was made into a film starring Maggie Smith, who won an Academy (best actress) award for her performance."
Ceri
I chose ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’ because 2018 marks the centenary of the birth of Muriel Spark, and I heard some programmes about her on Radio 4 recently. It was a pleasure to read this again, about 25 years since my first reading of it. The book captures a bygone age of sewing teachers and singing masters, and, of course, I’m captivated with books set in schools. Jean Brodie also reminds me of Joyce Grenfell, whose recordings I also enjoy. The setting of Edinburgh is also charmingly described. It is interesting how JB bent the girls’ minds so that they were independent of ‘team spirit’ and yet she herself admired the blackshirts and brownshirts of the fascists. JB is full of contradictions. She spouts facts to the girls which she wants them to learn, and yet she despises rote learning delivered by others. She wants to educate her ‘set’ yet she refuses to give them a broad and balanced curriculum (very little maths). She shows bullying behaviour towards Mary and appalling political incorrectness throughout. My favourite quote- “Art is greater than science. Art comes first, and then science.” Second favourite quote- “all but one counted on their fingers.”
Gradually, the pace and tension quickens as JB’s termination nears and the girls develop greater awareness. It is interesting how Sandy transitions from a giggling girl into a nun.
8/10
Pippa
I’ve underlined so many things- so many funny things in this book! So much humour- chuckling on every page. But, sick feeling throughout that this woman so appalling . Repulsive, deluded self-obsessed, dangerous ideas. Disastrous consequences- Spanish civil war. I went to a school where we wore boaters- private school – some similarities- meant to be an artistic school. Maths and Art teachers were headteachers- both terrifying- very eccentric teacher there. Could identify with their thought processes. Couldn’t believe the way that Rose was sent to model – nude- just wouldn’t happen in this day and age. Really enjoyed the book- tried to read it again. Also tried to separate it into each chapter. None of it was chronological. So much tragedy. But JB deserved what she got.
9/10
Rob
I saw this film when I was at school myself. It’s a fairly accurate picture of school days. I went to a grammar school like this. The influence that a charismatic teacher has is very profound. JB refers to a Jesuit saying to this effect. The books is shot through with refs to Catholicism/ Calvinism. It’s a novella. Fells like there’s a lot in it. From my point of view- could feel peoples’ personalities e.g. the Kerr sisters. She captures them- a real skill. Then we come to JB. I kind of want to say – how ghastly, but what an influence she has on Sandy- who writes her book on moral reasoning. An interesting take on a mature attitude to morality. Contrast between rights and obligations. So, what did Sandy get out of JB, yet the closing lines indicate ‘she probably loathed her’… that’s well expressed in the book. JB- the idea that she’s freeing people- she’s intruding into their lives. Most people would be very influenced in this age. In the convent- all have their different take on JB. Why does she end up in a convent? Very early on in the book, Sandy has 2 ways of looking at things- she is 1 of the narrators, and a participant- has a fantasy life which finds its way into her book. A romantic idea- similar to JB- a romantic figure, both in what she does herself and what she says. She has a fatal flaw- a lack of insight into her own behaviour. 7/10
Caroline
Thank you for this book. Really enjoyed it. Read it – sense of laughter- started laughing straight away. After few pages, I felt that I liked the language. She gets very repetitive, but I liked her style. Economical, easy to read, a poetic feel to it. Very funny, but a bleak book. Felt antagonistic towards the author. Characters seem so ghastly nobody comes out of this well. Brilliant how Eunice shook off JB. Maybe Sandy dobs her in. I don’t get the guilt of the girl who went to Spain. JB changed her mind about the side she went to fight for. I didn’t buy the idea of liberating girls at all. The fight against the closed institution. Self centred & self interested. Can never truly offer an alternative to a traditional education. Headmistress was terrific- brilliant section. A great book. Sad in some ways, but well written. Sandy is the other side of JB.
7/10
Sheila
I think this is a really amazingly written work- way it written just wonderful, very funny. Caustic. Awful lot of what flows is to do with the personality of JB & Muriel Spark. V little warmth. V little human contact. Description of Mary is offensive- desensitisation of a person- is almost a lack of empathy incredible. Areas of the narrative where you felt it was the writer. Maybe I’m looking too deeply but great deal of bitterness, personal sense of injustice. Mary was one of the set- because you need someone to blame, the fall guy. But a brilliant book. Absolutely loved it. I laughed. I should have made a note of things as I went along, but it’s bitter sweet. The Kirsty Wark recording confirmed to me this was a lady who wanted to enjoy life, and she had an affair. But she portrayed herself as being a free woman. Supposedly liberated lady. I think Kirsty W must have read this when she was at a pubescent stage because she adored JB. A work of art.
7/10
David
I did enjoy this book - stylized, but pithy writing. V grateful of the YouTube video (thank you John). She was writing after the 1st world war. Set in that period when all the issues of feminism- all the uncertainties- huge amount of psychology there. Mother English- father not a practising jew- influences- Spanish civil war affecting her thinking. MS wanted great independence- went to S Africa. Marriage failed. Back to England- all packed into the bk . Her attitudes to relationships – maybe she had to work through in her growing up period. From her point of view this is an intelligent woman- had ideas way before it was accepted that a woman should be free to run her life as she wished. But she felt imprisoned- Catholicism didn’t answer all of the questions. Religion didn’t fulfil. This is why Sandy gripped the bars of the grille. In comparison with DH Lawrence- wrote of personal relationships- far warmer than Muriel’s. A real conflict for her- she wants liberation. But can’t come to terms with emotional impact. Backs away from relationships in bk. Complex on many levels. Lot of contradictions in MS played out in this bk by JB.
8/10
John
Ian Rankin has a great admiration for her and reads the book every year. Sex. is a strong theme throughout the book. Rose is famous for sex. One of the housemaids has had an unexpected child- so the girls struggle to understand the idea of - ‘urge of the moment’. The girls are puzzled! ‘The contents of the sleeve’ as a description of teddy Lloyd’s missing arm = v funny and so pithy and effective. Then, Mr Lloyd’s pointer follows the curves of a painting - beautifully described. Monica catches JB and the teacher kissing- pages of interrogation follow this. Sandy wanted to get the feeling of it. Awful lot of ambiguity about the whole business. Mr Lowther grabs the prettiest woman in the school and marries her. Having instinct- is very interesting. A great choice. On the strength of this I’m going to read another one.
9/10
Matt 8/10
(read article here)
"The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is so short that it was first published, in its entirety, in the New Yorker, and then reissued in volume form by Macmillan in the UK in 1961. The character of Miss Jean Brodie became Spark’s “milch cow”, and brought her international fame, especially after the novel was made into a film starring Maggie Smith, who won an Academy (best actress) award for her performance."
Ceri
I chose ‘The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie’ because 2018 marks the centenary of the birth of Muriel Spark, and I heard some programmes about her on Radio 4 recently. It was a pleasure to read this again, about 25 years since my first reading of it. The book captures a bygone age of sewing teachers and singing masters, and, of course, I’m captivated with books set in schools. Jean Brodie also reminds me of Joyce Grenfell, whose recordings I also enjoy. The setting of Edinburgh is also charmingly described. It is interesting how JB bent the girls’ minds so that they were independent of ‘team spirit’ and yet she herself admired the blackshirts and brownshirts of the fascists. JB is full of contradictions. She spouts facts to the girls which she wants them to learn, and yet she despises rote learning delivered by others. She wants to educate her ‘set’ yet she refuses to give them a broad and balanced curriculum (very little maths). She shows bullying behaviour towards Mary and appalling political incorrectness throughout. My favourite quote- “Art is greater than science. Art comes first, and then science.” Second favourite quote- “all but one counted on their fingers.”
Gradually, the pace and tension quickens as JB’s termination nears and the girls develop greater awareness. It is interesting how Sandy transitions from a giggling girl into a nun.
8/10
Pippa
I’ve underlined so many things- so many funny things in this book! So much humour- chuckling on every page. But, sick feeling throughout that this woman so appalling . Repulsive, deluded self-obsessed, dangerous ideas. Disastrous consequences- Spanish civil war. I went to a school where we wore boaters- private school – some similarities- meant to be an artistic school. Maths and Art teachers were headteachers- both terrifying- very eccentric teacher there. Could identify with their thought processes. Couldn’t believe the way that Rose was sent to model – nude- just wouldn’t happen in this day and age. Really enjoyed the book- tried to read it again. Also tried to separate it into each chapter. None of it was chronological. So much tragedy. But JB deserved what she got.
9/10
Rob
I saw this film when I was at school myself. It’s a fairly accurate picture of school days. I went to a grammar school like this. The influence that a charismatic teacher has is very profound. JB refers to a Jesuit saying to this effect. The books is shot through with refs to Catholicism/ Calvinism. It’s a novella. Fells like there’s a lot in it. From my point of view- could feel peoples’ personalities e.g. the Kerr sisters. She captures them- a real skill. Then we come to JB. I kind of want to say – how ghastly, but what an influence she has on Sandy- who writes her book on moral reasoning. An interesting take on a mature attitude to morality. Contrast between rights and obligations. So, what did Sandy get out of JB, yet the closing lines indicate ‘she probably loathed her’… that’s well expressed in the book. JB- the idea that she’s freeing people- she’s intruding into their lives. Most people would be very influenced in this age. In the convent- all have their different take on JB. Why does she end up in a convent? Very early on in the book, Sandy has 2 ways of looking at things- she is 1 of the narrators, and a participant- has a fantasy life which finds its way into her book. A romantic idea- similar to JB- a romantic figure, both in what she does herself and what she says. She has a fatal flaw- a lack of insight into her own behaviour. 7/10
Caroline
Thank you for this book. Really enjoyed it. Read it – sense of laughter- started laughing straight away. After few pages, I felt that I liked the language. She gets very repetitive, but I liked her style. Economical, easy to read, a poetic feel to it. Very funny, but a bleak book. Felt antagonistic towards the author. Characters seem so ghastly nobody comes out of this well. Brilliant how Eunice shook off JB. Maybe Sandy dobs her in. I don’t get the guilt of the girl who went to Spain. JB changed her mind about the side she went to fight for. I didn’t buy the idea of liberating girls at all. The fight against the closed institution. Self centred & self interested. Can never truly offer an alternative to a traditional education. Headmistress was terrific- brilliant section. A great book. Sad in some ways, but well written. Sandy is the other side of JB.
7/10
Sheila
I think this is a really amazingly written work- way it written just wonderful, very funny. Caustic. Awful lot of what flows is to do with the personality of JB & Muriel Spark. V little warmth. V little human contact. Description of Mary is offensive- desensitisation of a person- is almost a lack of empathy incredible. Areas of the narrative where you felt it was the writer. Maybe I’m looking too deeply but great deal of bitterness, personal sense of injustice. Mary was one of the set- because you need someone to blame, the fall guy. But a brilliant book. Absolutely loved it. I laughed. I should have made a note of things as I went along, but it’s bitter sweet. The Kirsty Wark recording confirmed to me this was a lady who wanted to enjoy life, and she had an affair. But she portrayed herself as being a free woman. Supposedly liberated lady. I think Kirsty W must have read this when she was at a pubescent stage because she adored JB. A work of art.
7/10
David
I did enjoy this book - stylized, but pithy writing. V grateful of the YouTube video (thank you John). She was writing after the 1st world war. Set in that period when all the issues of feminism- all the uncertainties- huge amount of psychology there. Mother English- father not a practising jew- influences- Spanish civil war affecting her thinking. MS wanted great independence- went to S Africa. Marriage failed. Back to England- all packed into the bk . Her attitudes to relationships – maybe she had to work through in her growing up period. From her point of view this is an intelligent woman- had ideas way before it was accepted that a woman should be free to run her life as she wished. But she felt imprisoned- Catholicism didn’t answer all of the questions. Religion didn’t fulfil. This is why Sandy gripped the bars of the grille. In comparison with DH Lawrence- wrote of personal relationships- far warmer than Muriel’s. A real conflict for her- she wants liberation. But can’t come to terms with emotional impact. Backs away from relationships in bk. Complex on many levels. Lot of contradictions in MS played out in this bk by JB.
8/10
John
Ian Rankin has a great admiration for her and reads the book every year. Sex. is a strong theme throughout the book. Rose is famous for sex. One of the housemaids has had an unexpected child- so the girls struggle to understand the idea of - ‘urge of the moment’. The girls are puzzled! ‘The contents of the sleeve’ as a description of teddy Lloyd’s missing arm = v funny and so pithy and effective. Then, Mr Lloyd’s pointer follows the curves of a painting - beautifully described. Monica catches JB and the teacher kissing- pages of interrogation follow this. Sandy wanted to get the feeling of it. Awful lot of ambiguity about the whole business. Mr Lowther grabs the prettiest woman in the school and marries her. Having instinct- is very interesting. A great choice. On the strength of this I’m going to read another one.
9/10
Matt 8/10