The controversial short story Daisy Miller: A Study, written by Henry James, depicts a story of a young European man named Winterbourne trying to come to terms with what he thinks about an American girl, named Daisy Miller. Henry James was born in New York in 1843, but lived most his life in Europe. While he was living in Europe he had many encounters with American tourists. After these encounters Henry decided he wanted to explore the difference between the innocent American, and the sophisticated European. (Werlock) The short story, “Daisy Miller” reflects on the idea of how innocence, gender roles, and stereotypes conflict with the views of Europeans, and Americans.
The meaning of innocence is explored by the character Winterbournes who has conflicting views of the American girl he meets named Daisy Miller. When he first encounters Daisy he questions if she really is just an innocent, naive girl or really is just scandalous and inappropriate American. “Some people had told him after that, after all, American girls were exceedingly innocent: and others told him that, after all, they were not.” (James 427) American girl tourists in Europe at that were thought as being just flirts and frowned upon in their society. Towards the end of the story when Daisy dies he still was undecided if Daisy Miller was truly innocent, “He said to himself that she was too light and childish, too uncultivated and unreasoning, too provincial, to have reflected upon her ostracism or even have perceived it. Then at other moments he believed that she carried about in her elegant and irresponsible little organism a defiant, passionate, perfectly consciousness of the impression she produced.” (James 454.) I think Daisy was old enough to understand ...
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Works Cited
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The novella Daisy Miller: A Study, is an excellent example of the cultural differences and conflict between American and European culture during the post Civil War Era. The character Daisy Miller is a symbol of American culture and values, whereas Winterbourne is the symbol of European culture and values, though American himself. Daisy and Winterbourne are metaphors for not only the differences between American and European culture, but also a prime example of how Europe viewed America during this time. According to the Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia Of Literature “Daisy Miller uses the contrast between American innocence and European sophistication as a powerful tool with which to examine social conventions” (Daisy). This was apparent through
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Daisy is the "pretty American flirt" throughout the novella (James 474). She is nice and sweet, but also rebellious and ignorant. Daisy really does not care what society thinks of her. You see this throughout the course of the novel when she goes to Chillon with Winterbourne alone and when she frolics the streets at night with Giovanelli. Most Europeans look down upon American travelers in Europe, especially when they do not follow the customs and culture of their country. This is something that still has not changed today. The Miller family treats their carrier, Eugenio, like one of the family. Typically carriers live and sleep on the lower levels of the house, while Eugenio sleeps on the same level and interacts with the family. This is something that stands out to Winterbourne's aunt, Mrs. Costello because that is unheard of in European culture. When Winterbourne tells Mrs. Costello about Daisy, you can see the symbolism already becoming very prevalent, "They are very common; they are the sort of Americans that one does one's duty by not- not accepting" Mrs. Costello feels very strongly about the Americans in a negative way. She refuses to be introduced to Daisy and tells Winterbourne that she should be more like his cousins from New York. Ironically enough, he has heard that his cousins are "tremendous flirts" (James 478). This is interesting because of Winterbourne's belief that all American girls are flirts.