A discussion of how the protagonist in the novel 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie', who has contradictory views, shows leadership skills which are similar to those of the dictators she admires so much, and her ultimate lack of success in doing so.
             'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie' by Muriel Spark is a novel in which the protagonist is a school teacher who has a very strong influence over her "girls." It can be seen that her leadership skills are similar to those of the dictators she admires so much. However Miss Brodie is also a leader who prefers not to lead from the front. She prefers to 'substitute' her girls into situations she'd like to be in but is too afraid to be. However Miss Brodie is proved to have contradictory views and the ultimate lack of success in her leadership skills is revealed when the girls end up rejecting her and go their own way in life.
             The title comes from the protagonist of the novel and the belief that she has reached the prime of her life at thirty-nine. The reader can see that Miss Brodie wished to share this with her chosen favourite pupils. She tells her girls that they should recognise their prime as she has and live it to the full. Miss Brodie believes that this is the moment you are born for.
             However the reader sees that the irony is that none of her girls are actually designed to reach their prime. It is proved to the reader the Miss Brodies influence on her set, though great while they are young, is short-lived and they all come to reject her beliefs. One of the girls, Rose Stanley "shook off Miss Brodies influences a dog shakes pond water from its coat." Meanwhile Sandy Stranger's rejection was the most hurtful, since she became a Catholic and then a nun. This was the very Religion that is hated by Brodie. The reader feels that Miss Brodies influence as a teacher has failed because none of her set actually reaches their pri...