Order Description
1. What aspects of tragicomedy do we find in Spark’s novella?

2. Compose a character study of Jean Brodie. What kind of person is she? Noble, tragic, comic, villainous, silly (or, something else–anti-heroine)? What makes the character such an icon?

3. Explore the girls of the Brodie set, their relationship with each other, the school, and their changing attitudes toward Miss Brodie.

4. Compare and contrast Miss Brodie and Miss Mackay’s theory of teaching. Is their philosophy or pedagogy creative, dangerous, or well-meaning? Are their methods, principles, and practices correct
or misguided? What is the novella suggesting about teaching and education?

5. Analyze the roles of religion and politics in the novella and their links with the characters (esp. Miss Brodie, Sandy).

6. Examine how Spark uses the device of flash forward throughout the novella. How does it affect the story and reader?