She is outspoken, progressive, romantic and proud. She has her favourite 'set' of six girls - 'the creme de la creme', and is in her own unorthodox way, dedicated to their education, but not just in terms of academia. One of the things she talks about with her girls is her own love life. The author also explores attitudes toward religion through Miss Brodie who claims that 'only people who did not want to think for themselves were Roman Catholics'. Her teaching methods are opposed by other more conformist members of staff, but she inspires a deep loyalty in the girls, although one of them will turn against her. The book is set in the 1930's and has an authentic old fashioned feel. The school for girls in this novel was modelled after the girl's school that Muriel Spark herself attended in her childhood.