Jean Brodie is the name of a fictional character in the Muriel Spark novel The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1961); and in the play and 1969 film of the same name—both by Jay Presson Allen—which were both based on the novel. Miss Brodie is a highly idealistic character with an exaggerated romantic view of the world; many of her catchphrases have become clichés in the English language. The fictional Miss Brodie claims she is a direct descendant of Deacon William Brodie, a fashioner of gibbets who was executed on a gibbet that he may indeed have designed himself. Character In the novel, Miss Jean Brodie is a school teacher at Marcia Blaine, a conservative girls' school in 1930s Edinburgh, Scotland. She is a charismatic spinster who appears to be out of place in her surroundings. In 1930, she declares that her prime has begun and sets out to make sure her class gets the full benefit of her Prime by making sure they are aware of drama, art and fascist beliefs. Out of her class she selects her favorite girls and attempts to mould them into the crème de la crème. In the novel, these girls are Sandy, Monica, Jenny, Eunice, Rose, and Mary MacGregor. There is also a tomboy, Joyce Emily, who attempts to force her way into the Brodie set, but she is summarily dismissed by Miss Brodie. Sandy eventually becomes a cloistered nun, Sister Helena; Mary MacGregor was killed in a hotel fire; and Joyce Emily enlists in the Spanish Civil War, where she is killed. The other teachers and the headmistress, Miss Mackay, bemoan the fact that Miss Brodie's "special girls" are different from the rest, displaying none of the team spirit the school tries to encourage. Years after Sandy and the others have moved on to the Senior School (where Miss Brodie does not teach) and into the world, Miss Mackay has an appointment with Sandy in which she regrets the fact that "it's still going on", that is, that Miss Brodie is training up another group of young girls who will come to think they are better than the other girls. Miss Brodie is betrayed by Sandy as Miss Mackay is told of her penchant for fascist political indoctrination (previously, Miss Mackay had tried and failed to get rid of Miss Brodie by catching her in some kind of sex scandal) which, at