Tell me what you really think: The irony of Miss Brill

"'But why? Because of that stupid old thing at the end there?' asked the boy. 'Why does she come here at all- who wants her? Why doesn't she keep her silly old mug at home?'" Pg 186
Throughout the story Miss Brill considers herself to be quite extravagant and wonderful. She thinks herself an actress in this grand play she is a part of every sunday. She does however spend quite a lot of time critiquing the other actors and actresses. She scorns the old uptight old people in the park. She gets bored listening in to a couple's conversation about glasses. She also finds great drama in the love affair between different members in the park. She is quite judgmental and she believes the big love scene could be coming up when a couple sits down at the end of the bench she is sitting on. Then to her surprise the couple begins to bash her and mock her. Then as she heads home she begins to realize just how pathetic her life has become. She also begins to see that she is no different from the other old people she was criticizing in the park. This ironic situation was a large dose of humility for Miss Brill. The irony plays into the theme of the story which is that every person judges and gets judged.