My Brilliant Career: Chapter 11 Summary & Analysis

The next morning, Sybylla scolds herself in the mirror for thinking herself so interesting. She is humiliated at having accepted Everard’s flattery, and she resolves to refute any more compliments he might pay her. She reminds herself that she is “ugly and useless,” which is a routine that has replaced her morning prayers.

At breakfast, Everard tells Mrs. Bossier that she is robbing the world of an artist by preventing Sybylla from traveling to Sydney to be trained as a performer. He even offers to pay the expense himself. Mrs. Bossier considers performers immoral and unrespectable, and she insists that Sybylla will never be “a bold bad actress.” Sybylla agrees that she will never be a bold bad actress, putting special emphasis on the adjectives rather than the word actress itself. Everard tries to convince Mrs. Bossier that Sybylla could have a “brilliant career” on the stage, but Mrs. Bossier scoffs that girls should not think of careers and should focus on marriage and motherhood. Everard presses the issue, but Mrs. Bossier puts her foot down. Finally, though, she says that Sybylla may take a trip to Sydney with Aunt Helen and Everard in the autumn.

Sybylla and Everard spend more time together. She appreciates the company of a well-bred gentleman with knowledge of culture. When Everard once again compliments her, however, Sybylla gives him a sarcastic bow and thanks him for amusing himself with “a little country bumpkin.” She runs off to her room, ignoring Everard calling after her. Sybylla knows she is ugly, and she doesn’t want anyone to “perjure his soul” by pretending otherwise. She mopes until the smell of flowers by the garden tempt her outside, and she gathers several blossoms to decorate her room.

While she arranges the flowers in vases, she overhears Everard Grey talking with Aunt Helen. She admits that a “heroine of a story” might have run away or covered her ears to prevent herself from eavesdropping, but Sybylla remains and listens to their conversation. Everard complains about Mrs. Bossier’s resistance to bringing Sybylla into show business. He believes that Sybylla would succeed, and he could protect her from scandal by marrying. Helen warns Everard not to be rash, since he is known to be something of a fickle ladies’ man, and Helen does not want Sybylla to have her heart broken and grow into a cynic. She tells Everard to hide his attraction to Sybylla for the rest of his stay at Caddagat.

Sybylla leaves their conversation, offended that Aunt Helen considers her a child who will fall in love with every man she sees. She cries aloud, “I hate and detest men!” Hawden overhears her, and he tells her it is his right to pursue Sybylla romantically. Sybylla agrees, but she tells Hawden it is also her right to reject those pursuits.

Sybylla leaves Hawden. She goes to play piano, but she is interrupted by Everard, who asks her to sing for him. She runs away from him, only to again be confronted by Mr. Hawden. He apologizes to her, and when she rejects his apology, Hawden confesses that he loves her. Sybylla is unmoved, and declares that there is no such thing as love. Hawden tries to argue, but Sybylla only mocks him. He tells her she will reject her treatment of him, but she laughs off his anger and departs.