Henry James
Analysis
Daisy Miller
The part that makes this story so unique is it’s superficial meaning. According to Smith (2012) “ In Daisy Miller, the reader encounters characters who travel and insert themselves into other societies simply as a means of asserting and affirming their social pedigree” (Para. 1). Just by reading the text, I first observed that Daisy was in terms the “bad person” However, it took diving deep into the text to gain true insight into the story line James has presented. This story appeals more pathos but doesn’t result in tragedy although Daisy does lose her life. Throughout the entire story, the plot is built up in a way in which the reader focuses on Winterbourne’s continued push to be involved with Daisy. It is perceived in a way in which the reader may question why Daisy is choosing to not become involved with Winterbourne fully. The plot continues to describe times in which they see each other and go places together. However, the plot continues to describe that Daisy drifts away as she goes to Rome. She reunites with Winterbourne and he is quick to learn she is involved with other men. The interpretation of the reader shifts so that Daisy is seen as a girl who is involved with many men and that she doesn’t treat Winterbourne the way he deserves.
In fact, James makes it out as if Winterbourne has been seeing other woman as well. However, this is not the focus of Winterbourne or his aunt. They instead choose to dwell on Daisy’s action with other men. They choose to make it known that she is ruining her reputation. Winterbourne chooses to focus on her actions with other men rather than his own life. It is seen he becomes so involved with Daisy he cannot focus on his own life, and instead becomes completely concerned with her. Winterbourne is so overlooked by her relationships with other men, he completely overlooks her innocence.
KnowledgeNote (2002) argued “Americans who are touring Europe and are unschooled in the formal social codes followed by Europeans as well as by Americans who have moved to Europe.” (para. 7). In his story, James is trying to speak about the life of Americans when they go to Europe. He does this by showing that Daisy was seen the way she was because she would not condemn to the strict social norms of Europeans. James uses his experience in Europe as a way of inspiration for his writing.
James is not trying to prove that Daisy is a bad person because she is associated with many men or that she will not live the lifestyle of Europeans. Instead, he is trying to show the perception of how our society views women. Winterbourne felt as if he was entitled to a relationship with Daisy. However, he does not consider what Daisy wants. He instead assumes that she is a trashy woman due to her being seen with other men. This directly correlates to how society views women. Men consider themselves to be entitled to a relationship or certain actions with women. If the women do not do this, then they are shamed by men as well as society. James is trying to dig into a deeper meaning and show support for feminism. At the end of the story, Daisy chooses to let herself die. In fact, Daisy is offered medicine in which will heal her, but she refuses. This in the end is saying that she would rather be dead than have to be with Winterbourne or live under the impressions others have put upon her.
Washington Square
In this short novel, James presents the story of a young girl who he father acts as a strict authoritarian. She hopes to marry a handsome suitor, but her father disregards him as a fortune hunter. The battle takes place in their New York home, which happens to be inspired by James childhood home. This novel is unique because it’s setting takes place inside the United States, unlike much of his works that take place in foreign subject. James uses irony in the creation of Dr. Sloper. Despite his work of medicine, he is not a nice person. In public, he is seen as popular. However, this is the ironic part. He saves lives, but his wife and son are dead. By evaluating his name, we see that he is a disappointment, which suggests the use of the name Sloper. Dr. Sloper constantly criticizes Catherine. Catherine strives to be good, unlike Dr. Sloper who is clever. Dr. Sloper’s way of life including his acts, communication, and education all suggest a metaphor with tyrannical government that is overpowering.
In the text, the constant theme of betrayal is lingering. Dr. Sloper feels betrayed by his family and Catherine. His sense of betrayal by Catherine is brought forward because she does not follow his advice involving the engagement with Morris. He feels betrayed by his family, due to his son and wife passing away. In fact, it states Catherine’s mother “betrayed alarming symptoms” while she was a baby (Tanner,1989, p. 4).
James uses imagery of the fireplace to represent the principles of home. James shortly describes Dr. Sloper moving his “household gods”, relating to the memories and inheritance he is figuratively representing. However, Dr. Sloper experiences a lack of family feeling. The doctor is disregarded as cold and cruel. This is a contrast to the described warmth of the fireplace that represents the feeling of home. Dr. Sloper’s harsh approach to life results in Catherine finding warmth in the fire place, instead of her own father. The home stays at the center of the conflict, with characters not moving away. The home serves as a small society that governs Catherine’s actions. This is a society in which Catherine feels as if she cannot escape, due to her father’s strict control. The Sloper home contrast the Almond home as it is declining but the Almond home is flourishing.
The story ends in Catherine using the home as living tomb. Catherine had indeed found domesticity, but not enough physical aspects to make an actual home for her. Catherine :had picked up her morsel of fancywork, she had seated herself with it again- for life, as it were." (Claudia, 2012, para.7). The reality is no matter how much authority Dr. Sloper used to keep Catherine in her home and to see the truth, it was not home to her and it controlled her life completely.
In both of these works of James, the theme of the unlived life is prioritized. In both of the novels, the characters realize too late they have waiting to long to live out their life as desired. Winterbourne never realized Daisy’s innocence and instead focused on Daisy regardless of his own business of living. Catherine realizes much too late she cannot escape the authority of her father, and waste her entire life trying to.