the prime of miss jean brodie sparknotes

They are, however, unaware of certain secrets, such as her affair with and continued attraction to Mr. Her set are aware of what goes on in most of Miss Brodie's life as they spend most of their time with her, even Miss Brodie's weekends with Mr. That year, Miss Brodie begins a relationship with the school's somewhat conservative music teacher, Gordon Lowther (Gordon Jackson), although she is still attracted to the school's married art teacher, Teddy Lloyd (Robert Stephens), with whom she had an affair and who still loves her. Miss Mackay's mission is to fire Miss Brodie, despite Miss Brodie having tenure. Miss Brodie is at odds with most of the other staff, but especially the strict head mistress, Emmeline Mackay (Celia Johnson), not only because Miss Brodie does not teach the prescribed curriculum, but because of what Miss Mackay sees as Miss Brodie's improper attitude on life which she brings into her classroom.

In the 1932/33 school year, when thirty-something Miss Brodie considers herself in the prime of her life and as such has more of her experience to impart, she has amongst her set: Sandy (Pamela Franklin), the insightful one Jenny (Diane Grayson), the pretty romantic literary Monica (Shirley Steedman) and timid, stuttering orphan Mary McGregor (Jane Carr), who accepts the guidance of anyone who will provide it to her. She almost feels that she can preordain her students' futures, especially those of her set, and as such, she has the loyalty of those girls.

As she sees herself as a teacher first and foremost, she wants to impart as much of her self to her eleven and twelve-year-old students, but especially to her 'set', the small group of girls who she finds special. Amongst its staff is flamboyant Jean Brodie (Dame Maggie Smith), who has a romantic view of everything she experiences, including the politics of such leaders as Benito Mussolini and Francisco Franco. Marcia Blaine is a conservative private girls' school in Edinburgh.

The prime of miss jean brodie sparknotes