Quotes from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

“To me education is a leading out of what is already there in the pupil's soul.”
― Muriel Spark, quote from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

“The word "education" comes from the root e from ex, out, and duco, I lead. It means a leading out. To me education is a leading out of what is already there in the pupil's soul.”
― Muriel Spark, quote from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

“Allow me, in conclusion, to congratulate you warmly upon your sexual intercourse, as well as your singing.”
― Muriel Spark, quote from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

“For those who like that sort of thing," said Miss Brodie in her best Edinburgh voice, "That is the sort of thing they like.”
― Muriel Spark, quote from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

“It is well, when in difficulties, to say never a word, neither black nor white. Speech is silver but silence is golden.”
― Muriel Spark, quote from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

“Give me a girl at an impressionable age and she is mine for life.”
― Muriel Spark, quote from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

“These years are still the years of my prime. It is important to recognise the years of one's prime, always remember that.”
― Muriel Spark, quote from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

“The word 'education' comes from the root e from ex, out, and duco, I lead. It means a leading out. To me education is a leading out of what is already there in the pupil's soul. To Miss Mackay it is a putting in of something that is not there, and that is not what I call education, I call it intrusion, from the Latin root prefix in meaning in and the stem trudo, I thrust.”
― Muriel Spark, quote from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

“One’s prime is elusive. You little girls, when you grow up, must be on the alert to recognise your prime at whatever time of your life it may occur. You must then live it to the full.”
― Muriel Spark, quote from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

“4:15. Not 4 not 4:30 but 4:15. She thought to intimidate me with the use of quarter hours.”
― Muriel Spark, quote from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

“Miss Brodie was easily the equal of both sisters together, she was the square on the hypotenuse of a right-angled triangle and they were only the squares on the other two sides.”
― Muriel Spark, quote from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

“... flattening their scorn underneath the chariot wheels of her superiority.”
― Muriel Spark, quote from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

“The Brodie set did not for a moment doubt that she would prevail. As soon expect Julius Caesar to apply for a job at a crank school as Miss Brodie. She would never resign. If the authorities wanted to get rid of her she would have to be assassinated.”
― Muriel Spark, quote from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

“Phrases like 'the team spirit' are always employed to cut across individualism, love and personal loyalties.”
― Muriel Spark, quote from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

“Six years previously, Miss Brodie had led her new class into the garden for a history lesson underneath the big elm. On the way through the school corridors they passed the headmistress's study. The door was wide open, the room was empty.
'Little girls,' said Miss Brodie, 'come and observe this.'
They clustered round the open door while she pointed to a large poster pinned with drawing-pins on the opposite wall within the room. It depicted a man's big face. Underneath were the words 'Safety First'.
'This is Stanley Baldwin who got in as Prime Minister and got out again ere long,' said Miss Brodie. 'Miss Mackay retains him on the wall because she believes in the slogan "Safety First". But Safety does not come first. Goodness, Truth and Beauty come first. Follow me.”
― Muriel Spark, quote from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

“Do you know, Sandy dear, all my ambitions are for you and Rose. You have got insight, perhaps not quite spiritual, but you're a deep one, and Rose has got instinct.'
'Perhaps not quite spiritual' said Sandy.
'Yes,' said Miss Brodie, 'you're right. Rose has got a future by virtue of her instinct.'
...
'I ought to know because my prime has brought me instinct and insight, both.”
― Muriel Spark, quote from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

“I am putting old heads on your young shoulders,' Miss Brodie had told them at the time.”
― Muriel Spark, quote from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

“I'm not saying anything against the Modern side.
Modern and Classical, they are equal, and each provides for a function in life. You must make  your free choice. Not everyone is capable of a Classical education. You must make your choice quite freely.”
― Muriel Spark, quote from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

“[...] there were other people's Edinburghs quite different from hers [...]”
― Muriel Spark, quote from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

“Sandy felt warmly towards Miss Brodie at these times when she saw how she was misled in her idea of Rose. It was then that Miss Brodie looked beautiful and fragile, just as dark heavy Edinburgh itself could suddenly be changed into a floating city when the light was a special pearly white and fell upon one of the gracefully fashioned streets. In the same way Miss Brodie's masterful features became clear and sweet to Sandy when viewed in the curious light of the woman's folly, and she never felt more affection for her in her later years than when she thought upon Miss Brodie silly.”
― Muriel Spark, quote from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

Video

About the author

Popular quotes

“И започнах да пътувам - в пространството и времето - чрез книгите, за да докажа това. Чрез Даниел Дефо се отбих в Лондон, за да направя обиколка с гид из чумавата година. Чух онзи, който бие камбаната, да вика "Изнесете мъртвите си" и подуших дима от подпалените трупове. Все още го усещам в ноздрите си.
Хората измират като плъхове в Лондон, всъщност плъховете също измираха - като хора. След като прекарах два часа там, усетих нужда да сменя пейзажа, при което отидох в Китай и се изкачих по стръмната, тясна пътека сред бамбук и кипариси, за да поседна на прага на малката планинска хижа заедно със стария Ту Фу. Тихо се взирах в млечната мъгла, издигаща се над долината, слушах вятъра в тръстиковите навеси и глухото ехо на камбаните в далечен храм - и двамата бяхме "всеки сам с десет хиляди неща".”
― Sam Savage, quote from Firmin: Adventures of a Metropolitan Lowlife

“If you remain calm in the midst of great chaos, it is the surest guarantee that it will eventually subside.”
― Julie Andrews Edwards, quote from The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles

“I'm sorry, I had a meeting"

I stand behind his chair. "Liar," under my breath.

"You weren't at a meeting," take a breath, gain speed, bursting,
"You were with Angie in the office.
I saw you. I saw you. You clamp us down, you think no one knows.
You hurt my brother! My sister!
You hurt my friend! Small trusting prey, huh?
You had to squash some weak person already in pain, thinking she loved you.
You could have chosen to hurt me!
But I'm not worth enough, I never am and you picked poor Angie, you were going to RAPE her, I SAW YOU TRY TO RAPE ANGIE, you fucking MONSTER!”
― Thalia Chaltas, quote from Because I Am Furniture

“I love you, asshole."
Then Gavin laughed. "Right back at you, dickhead.”
― Jaci Burton, quote from The Perfect Play

“I sunk down onto the bench in the middle of the car. So Alex had loved me the whole time, from the moment we'd seen each other again? All that time I'd been freaking out about Rachel? All that time I'd spent inches away from him, sleeping in his bed by myself; sitting opposite him at dinner, smashing plates; clinging to him on the back of his bike; sneaking peeks at him through a half-ajar bathroom door - and all the time he'd been in love with me? We'd wasted all that time when we could have been kissing? And he'd had to wait until two seconds before leaving me until he told me? If the Unit didn't kill him, I was going to.”
― Sarah Alderson, quote from Hunting Lila

Interesting books

About BookQuoters

BookQuoters is a community of passionate readers who enjoy sharing the most meaningful, memorable and interesting quotes from great books. As the world communicates more and more via texts, memes and sound bytes, short but profound quotes from books have become more relevant and important. For some of us a quote becomes a mantra, a goal or a philosophy by which we live. For all of us, quotes are a great way to remember a book and to carry with us the author’s best ideas.

We thoughtfully gather quotes from our favorite books, both classic and current, and choose the ones that are most thought-provoking. Each quote represents a book that is interesting, well written and has potential to enhance the reader’s life. We also accept submissions from our visitors and will select the quotes we feel are most appealing to the BookQuoters community.

Founded in 2023, BookQuoters has quickly become a large and vibrant community of people who share an affinity for books. Books are seen by some as a throwback to a previous world; conversely, gleaning the main ideas of a book via a quote or a quick summary is typical of the Information Age but is a habit disdained by some diehard readers. We feel that we have the best of both worlds at BookQuoters; we read books cover-to-cover but offer you some of the highlights. We hope you’ll join us.