Daisy Miller free essay sample

This quote establishes the setting and time of the story, while the narrators tone remains composed and conversational. Interestingly, the whole story is a gossip about Daisy Miller, and the gossip seems to manifest itself in the narrators flashback. By the narrator stating that he â€Å"hardly [knew]whether it was the analogies or the differences in the mind of a young American,† it portrays the narrators lack of knowledge about Winterbourne, yet he continues to talk about him. Thus, the introduction of the novel sets up the atmosphere of incessant gossip between individuals, even though it only describes the location and time of the events. Interestingly, at the end of the novel, the narrator once again takes over the story from Winterbourne, stating another piece of gossip about the intentions of his return to Geneva and the rumors of him that continued to circulate about his â€Å"studying. † â€Å"I havent the least what such young ladies expect a man to do. We will write a custom essay sample on Daisy Miller or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page But I really think that you had better not meddle with little American girls that are uncultivated, as you call them. You have lived too long out of the country. You will be sure to make some great mistake† (370). Winterbournes aunt Mrs. Costello relays this message to Winterbourne with their discussion of Daisy. Mrs. Costellos warning to stay away from Daisy has no impact on Winterbourne in this instance; however, Mrs. Costello criticism of Daisy serves as a source of foreshadowing, as Winterbourne does, indeed, â€Å"make some great mistake† by pursuing Daisy. The mistake is most likely the blind judgments he made about Daisy being an innocent and naive girl. His misreading caused him emotional stress through jealousy of Mr. Giovanelli and confusion of Daisys overly flirtatious personality. At the end of the tale, Winterbourne returns to Geneva, ironically subjected to rumors and gossip about him once again. Interestingly, this perhaps suggests that Winterbourne has learned absolutely nothing from his â€Å"great mistake† and experiences with Daisy. The narrators tone near the end seems indifferent of the whole event, implicating that Winterbourne has returned to Geneva easily and as the same man. Daisy Miller free essay sample Alexander Jack Papetsas AP Senior English Assignment: James’ use of Ambiguity in Daisy Miller and theme Ambiguity Conveys Theme in James’ Daisy Miller In the novella, Daisy Miller by Henry James, the complexities of social conventions, gender stereotyping and conformity are exposed through the actions and words of the protagonists. Daisy Miller is the young woman who invites a multitude of speculation regarding her personality and behavior. James creates ambiguity around Daisy as an insightful glimpse into the harsh social expectations of the day. Daisy is outgoing and forthright, desires attention, and strays into an area that is considered unbecoming of a young woman traveling in Europe. Winterbourne acts a foil to Daisy’s character. His pragmatic approach to life skims the tightrope between a restricted and highly critical analysis of Daisy’s actions, and a desire to delve into her mind and world. The ring of characters that surround Winterbourne and Daisy serve to enhance James’ focus on the outdated circle of social fire which places anyone who does not conform to societal codes under a burning, magnifying glass of scrutiny. We will write a custom essay sample on Daisy Miller or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Through Daisy Miller, James uses ambiguity to delineate a multilayered personality which seeks to establish its voice amidst a sea of conjecture, criticism and conventionality. Daisy Miller cannot be pigeonholed into a specific category of mindset and she embodies the ambiguity that James desires to convey in his exposure of gender and conventional stereotyping. Men and women are obliged to live by societal rules, â€Å"†¦a young man was not at liberty to speak to a young unmarried lady except under certain rarely occurring conditions† (1169). When Winterbourne first encounters Daisy, he perceives her confidence and lack of embarrassment at talking to a strange man; her glance was, â€Å"†¦perfectly direct and unshrinking† (1170). These basic traits are what set Daisy Miller apart from her female counterparts. Winterbourne’s Aunt is generally holed up inside a room with a headache, and Mrs. Miller is deemed to be, â€Å"†¦a simple, easily managed person† (1180), who tires easily and who is â€Å"dreadfully nervous† (1177). Daisy is neither a recluse nor is she easily anaged by anyone. Her given name of Annie is one which she rejects in favor of a name which represents something simple and pure with radiating white emanating from a large yellow circle. This symbol for joy and purity is represented in Daisy, a lovely, young, innocent woman who embodies a sun drenched heart which is open and inviting. Winterbourne, by comparison and name alone, is a stiff, cold and restricted persona. He is drawn to Daisy exactly for what she represents to him, an enigma and the opposite of himself. He has never encountered someone like her before and uses a number of adjectives to place her in a more understandable light. At first glance, he projects the term coquette upon her, however, Daisy does not directly endeavor to gain the attention and admiration of men, it happens effortlessly. While it is true that she is playful in her discourse with men, especially in the exchange with Eugenio and Winterbourne with, â€Å"Oh, I hoped you would make a fuss! That’s all I want – a little fuss! † (1182), this is not a device which she uses insincerely. Winterbourne is puzzled by her ambiguous nature and her desire to incite him to interact with her, â€Å"I like to make you say those things! You’re a queer mixture† (1183). He simply cannot define her and this makes him uncomfortable, and it becomes the foil which James uses to define the era. Outspoken women who embrace every breathe of every day without falter must be, in Winterbourne’s limited vision, ignorant, coquettish, uncultured or audacious and he struggles to comprehend and balance Daisy’s apparent, genuine innocence with the description that his Aunt pins on Daisy with, â€Å"†¦hopelessly vulgar† (118 6). James devises a blunt commentary on social conventions through the ring of characters that surround Daisy and insist upon corralling her spirit and squelching her independent nature. Women in James’ historic period are immediately categorized and must act in accordance with what is expected of them. The determination of a woman’s character is established, usually after only a brief encounter or even without an encounter. Mrs. Costello knows only what she has heard about Daisy Miller and her mother and condemns Daisy with, â€Å"The girl goes about alone with her foreigners†¦They are dreadful people†¦bad enough to dislike†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (1186). In a similar manner, Mrs. Walker’s concern for Daisy’s reputation is more a concern for her own reputation and maintaining a certain level of protocol for the young woman and keeping her at the social level which she deems acceptable. If Daisy strays beyond this level it imposes a certain level of embarrassment to the entire strata and all those women who prescribe to it. Daisy rejects this classification with, â€Å"I don’t think I want to know what you mean†¦I don’t think I should like it† (1193). Daisy absolutely cannot relate to this level of scrutiny. She truly does not perceive any error of attitude on her part that would incite so many of those who surround her to point a disgusted finger and demean her. Daisy continues to admonish Winterbourne, who falls prey to Mrs. Walker’s extreme level of perturbation, with a violent laugh, â€Å"I have never heard of anything so stiff! If this is improper†¦then I am all improper and you must give me up†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (1193). Daisy sees absolutely nothing improper in her desire to engage in friendly behavior with someone of the opposite sex and refuses to accept the consternation that everyone tries to impose upon her. James’ ambiguity extends to Daisy’s use of the word ‘exclusive’ and furthers his attempt to delineate the differences between the wealthy and privileged Daisy and the other well-indulged women around her. This word exclusive has a double meaning, one of which connotes snobbery and aloofness. The other connotation means stylish and fashionable. When Daisy speaks about Winterbourne’s Aunt she is emphatic in her assessment of Mrs. Costello’s ‘exclusive’ nature, â€Å"I want to know her very much†¦ She would be very exclusive†¦I’m dying to be exclusive myself. Well, we are exclusive, mother and I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (1178). Daisy is almost giddy in her exchange with Winterbourne and her desire to meet Mrs. Costello despite the fact that Mrs. Costello’s opinion of her is something completely different, â€Å"They are the sort of Americans that one does one’s duty by not- not accepting† (1175). Daisy has grown up in an exclusive world which has, to an extent, excluded her from communicating with everyone acceptably, but which has allowed her to be stylish and enjoy the fashions of Paris that she loves. The ambiguous meaning of this exchange with Winterbourne serves to set Daisy apart from the small minded Mrs. Costello who refuses a meeting with her. This fact does not upset Daisy in the least; she actually seems to admire the fact that Mrs. Costello is so ‘exclusive’ in her actions. This forgiving demeanor of Daisy is a stark contrast to the elder women who act in a manner that is neither ‘stylish’ nor fashionable’. James draws upon the apparent defiance in Daisy’s behavior to further expose the artificiality and superficiality of the time. Daisy does enjoy the company of gentlemen; however, it is not intended to perturb either her family or her friends. She acts from impulse and a heartfelt desire to absorb the beauty of the world around her. When Daisy is accused of flirting with Giovanelli she counters this with, â€Å"†¦we are neither one of us flirting, we are too good friends for that; we are very intimate friends† (1197). When Daisy makes this declaration with the use of the word, ‘intimate’ it provokes the use of the word love in Winterbourne’s language. The word intimate could indicate some type of sexual connection, but for Daisy, the concept of intimacy conjures a different connotation, one of a warm friendship from the innermost reaches of the mind and heart. Mr. Giovanelli escorts her to the places that she wants to visit: St. Peter’s, the Colosseum, the galleries of Rome. He plays the piano beautifully and is expressive, a contrast to the closed, stiff mind of Winterbourne. Giovanelli is the conduit through which Daisy may explore the world. Winterbourne’s hasty advice to Daisy appears to distance him from her in this area, yet he still refers to her personality as opulent with splendour. Winterbourne is jealous of the possibility that Giovanelli might ever be lucky enough to find himself married to someone like Daisy and be part of her high social level. At the same time though, he discredits the Millers with, â€Å"†¦Daisy and her mama have not yet risen to that stage of- what shall I call it? of culture†¦I believe they are intellectually incapable of that conception† (1200). Winterbourne is James’ representation of the type of indecisiveness which leads to the stereotyping that is being exposed. Winterbourne spends more time analyzing the behavior of Daisy than living his own life or enjoying life with her. He is an outsider, compelled by a desire to peek into her mind and world, offer advice, make generalized statements and hold his own emotions in check. His concern for Daisy’s well-being and the maintenance of her reputation may stem from a sincere place within him, however; it is misguided. Daisy may have assumed the name of a delicate flower, but she is far from a wilting bloom. When she gravely looks at Winterbourne and professes, â€Å"I have never allowed a gentleman to dictate to me, or to interfere with anything that I do† (1191), she is, in essence, describing the innermost reaches of her being. She makes her own decisions, and whether those decisions are ‘audacious’, ‘uncultivated’, ‘vulgar’ or ‘defiant’, they are her decisions alone. Malaria is James’ symbolic representation of the societal diseases of stereotyping. inflexibility, and exclusion. Daisy cannot escape the impositions of her inner circle and falls victim to these multilayered ‘diseases’. Her open and spirited personality is highlighted on the night of her final adventure at the Colosseum. At this point in time Winterbourne has separated himself from her, â€Å"She was a young lady whom a gentleman need no longer be at pains to respect†¦What a clever little reprobate she was, and how smartly she played at injured innocence† (1204). Regardless of his assessment, he approaches her in her last moment of independent glory. â€Å"Daisy, lovely in the flattering moonlight† (1204), was delighted and unafraid of any danger lurking around her and firmly speaks from her heart, â€Å"All evening†¦I never saw anything so pretty† (1204). Her determination to view the Colosseum in moonlight is a final testament to her uncontrollable nature and instinct. During the final days of Daisy’s life she asks her mother to remind Winterbourne of the day they spend at the castle in Switzerland. Winterbourne spends a great deal of time admonishing both Daisy and Mr. Giovanelli for his interpretation of their time alone together, but he chooses to either forget about his insistence upon being alone with Daisy at the castle, or to forgive himself for those actions. Either way, he represents the double standard that exists in his world or he embodies it. After Daisy’s death, the description of her life as a ‘scandal’ further James’ case for the inflexible and contrived views which influence and encircle Winterbourne. In the same moment he declares her to be the most innocent person he that he has ever encountered. This ambiguous disclosure of incongruous sentiment gives the final words on Daisy’s life, scandal and innocence. Hypocrisy flows around the protagonists in Daisy Miller and it is their interpretation of what is publically accepted behavior that drives the themes of the novella. When Mrs. Costello refuses to meet Daisy or her mother, â€Å"I can’t my dear Frederick. I would if I could, but I can’t† (1176), it defines both the tone and mood of the story and establishes James’ disillusionment with the customary guidelines of the day. Daisy operates outside accepted protocols. She invites the attention of gentlemen as it is through these channels that she is able to escape the inner confinement of her mother’s world. Mrs. Miller is a stagnant character, usually ill and unable to accompany her on her endeavors into the world. Her little brother refuses to go to certain places and so the ‘gentlemen’ who find interest in her function to serve her needs. Their intentions may not be honorable, but this fact is insignificant to Daisy, men do not dictate to her, she dictates to them. Her actions are scrutinized by women like Mrs. Costello and Mrs. Walker who simply cannot approve actions that might ruin a young girl’s reputation. This soiled reputation flows over conventional lines, and could potentially bring ruin and rumble to the entire social strata in which these small minds operate. Throughout most of the story, Winterbourne cannot decide whether he wants to be on Daisy’s team or stay locked in the world that his Aunt creates as a safe haven for him. It is only at the very last moment in the story, when Daisy is dead, that he declares her innocence to be fact. It is too late for Daisy at this point. She spends her life clinging to an almost childlike demeanor without inhibition. Winterbourne and the others are the dramatic contrast to this level of freedom of expression and their ambivalence, prejudices and ambiguous nature projects James’ distaste of this social hierarchy of controlled minds. Daisy is simply too passionate and spirited for her time and place. She often acts without regard for either consequence or danger and her petulant attitude is disturbing to most individuals who share her world. However, it is through the stark contrast between Daisy and Winterbourne and the surrounding characters that James portrays the social distinctions that separate and categorize individuals. Daisy meets an unfortunate end, however, she breathes in the world around her and meets her misfortune with, â€Å"I never was sick, and I don’t mean to be† (1204). Daisy’s lack of prudence is exactly what gives her life a sense of meaning that exists above all the social conventions, hypocrisies and foibles of those who would limit her life to the view from either within her house or a carriage. She is the embodiment of these themes and must fall to fully expose their tragic consequences.