The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

by Muriel Spark

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Chapter Three

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Chapter three suggests that, during the 1930s, many women like Miss Brodie were in their prime, including feminists who interacted with men on equal footing, progressive women involved in social welfare and art, and aides who supported the Scottish Nationalist Movement. There were lots of women like Miss Brodie who were proponents of birth control and felt as she did, arguing that "Birth control is the only option for the working class. However, Miss Brodie stands out because she has confidence in her ability to evolve and adapt, particularly when faced with ethical predicaments.

In 1931, a year into Miss Brodie's “prime,” the girls remain highly preoccupied with sex. Miss Brodie talks about her trip to London and Italy, praising Mussolini, while Miss Mackay enters the classroom and encourages the girls to chat with her. This is a trick of Miss Mackay's to get the set to divulge Miss Brodie's teaching methods, subsequently getting her in trouble.

Miss Brodie emphasizes again that education involves leading out, mocks Mary for not knowing the meaning of "nasally," and boasts about her experiences, including seeing the Colosseum in Rome. She also distributes apples from Mr. Lowther's orchard but neglects to teach history, the designated subject she was meant to teach the girls. 

Colleagues at the school turn against Miss Brodie, except for Mr. Lowther (the music teacher) and Mr. Lloyd (the art teacher), who are infatuated with her. The girls notice the two men have romantic interest in their mentor, especially during an art lesson when Mr. Lloyd's behavior becomes a subject of laughter. Later, Monica claims to have seen Miss Brodie and Mr. Lloyd kiss, sparking skepticism among the girls.

Sandy, suspecting an affair, discusses the possibility of Miss Brodie's involvement with Mr. Lowther with Jenny until Eunice's religious musings interrupt their conversation. Years later, now in the 1940s, Miss Brodie reveals her affair with Mr. Lowther to Sandy during a meal; in this flash-forward, the narrative hints at a betrayal within the Brodie Set. 

Back in 1931, Miss Brodie returns after a brief absence, prompting Miss Mackay to invite three of the girls for tea in hopes of extracting information about Miss Brodie. Jenny faces an incident by the Water of Leith where a strange man shows her his genitals. The girls begin weaving fictional love correspondence between Miss Brodie and Mr. Lowther.

As Sandy and Jenny keep the Water of Leith incident secret, they speculate about Rose's maturity. During a vacation in Crail, the pair complete their fictionalized love correspondence and decide to bury it, deciding to move ahead and focus on their futures instead. 

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