“Daisy Miller” follows the story of a young, rich, American girl from Schnectady, New York, traveling around Europe along with her mother and younger brother. The novel expresses Daisy as a multifaceted mixture of characteristics. She’s independent and well intentioned. On the other hand, she’s also petty, oblivious, naïve, and is mainly interested only in manipulating men and making herself the center of attention. Throughout the story, Winterbourne is obsessed over the issue of whether Daisy is good or bad, but her behavior doesn’t reveal which of the two she is or isn’t. An accurate depiction of Daisy as fusion of good and bad intensifies her influence on us since we too have dual natures. Winterbourne seems to struggle with really …show more content…
His expedition leads him back and forth on the scale of good and bad. This dual of nature continues to confuse Winterbourne as he fusses over Daisy as she continuously presents herself as an unreadable mixture of boldness and innocence. He asks himself whether Daisy’s disobedience comes from the perception of innocence, or from her being a young adult in in a reckless class. She’s “defiant” and “passionate.” She’s “common,” but “innocent.” These opposing pictures constantly spin through Winterbourne’s mind as the question, “Is Daisy a good girl?” becomes more and more bewildering, as he searches for a clear “yes” or “no” …show more content…
Strangers see her as bad-mannered and rude. Yet, Daisy emphasizes that they really don’t care what she’s doing. Her goodness lies deep within herself. Her virtue isn’t an open book as soon as you see her, but deep assessment shows brightness and goodness that displays itself in all the actions she does everyday. Daisy does what she wants, when she wants, with who she wants. Not only does she not allow anyone to order her, but concern over the judgment concerning the choices she makes doesn’t seem to bother her. When she’s found strolling with Giovanelli, her statement “Gracious me!…I don’t want to do anything improper” (48) reeks of irony and further portrays Daisy’s general attitude towards the criticism she gets. She just follows her heart and finds no accountability in her actions. It’s Giovanelli who remarks on Daisy’s goodness when he calls her “the most beautiful young lady I ever saw, and the most amiable…and she was the most innocent” (82). Through this observation, we see the assurance of Daisy’s
Frederick Winterbourne, for example, comes to a realization of his internal struggle between conventionality and instinct not in and of himself, but because of Miss Daisy Miller. Winterbourne meets the young Miss Miller in Vevay, Switzerland, while v...
The ironic thing is, she is already behaving somewhat “paralyzed” because she is doing nothing to save her marriage with Tom. Daisy says foolish statements with radiance which shows that she does not think before she speaks. For example, she “always watch[es] for the longest day in the year and then miss[es] it” (11) which shows how much spare time she has. Funnily enough, Daisy cannot even watch for the longest day successfully because she “miss[es] it.” This statement also implies how the wealthy people like Daisy do nothing; they just watch society without any contribution because they are aimless. Also, since Daisy is always “watching” for something, in other words she always wants something; in the process, she forgets what she already has, revealing her to be insensitive. Lastly, Daisy “want[s] her life [to be] shaped immediately – and the decision must be made by some force – of love, of money, [or of] unquestionable practicality,” (151) she cannot bother to take a decision herself showing her to be unthinking. Out of the three things she says, she picks the one “that was close at hand” which is Tom’s
that she never loved him." (pg.91) Daisy is not worthy of the pedestal on which
Daisy’s character can also be identified by the way she speaks of her daughter, Pammy, “I hope she'll be a fool, that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool” (17). This implies that woman don’t have power in the world compare to a man. Daisy thinks it’s best to have beauty rather than brains. Daisy treats her daughter as an object, showing her off to guests at her house, which suggests her lack of concern for her child and how careless she is. Daisy’s relation with Tom is unstable at sometimes. Daisy and Tom both came fr...
Her only profession is finding ways to keep her husband satisfied. So, that he should procure whatever she currently desires. The constant state of leisure that surrounds her everyday life gets too boring for Daisy. She seeks new, exciting, and passionate beginnings in her life. After all, Daisy Buchannan always gets what she wants. When Jay Gatsby finds himself reacquainted with his lost love, Daisy takes this opportunity to entertain her presently dull lifestyle. Their escapades all suited Daisy, until Gatsby presented Daisy with an ultimatum. She had to tell Tom she never loved him, and then she can run away to live happily with a man who adores her. The idea seemed romantic, until Tom caught on to Daisy’s deception. Of course he would still want her, and he made a few convincing arguments to keep Daisy from leaving him. Daisy left for the Buchannan’s house with Gatsby feeling conflicted and confused about Tom’s promise of a better marriage. In her disgruntled state, Daisy wound up killing Tom’s mistress in a hit-and-run car accident, a true show of irony. She didn’t even stop to see if the person she hit was alright, and she honestly didn’t care. Daisy continued her way home, because her relationship was more important than the death of a human
When winter comes around Winterbourne goes to Rome to visit Daisy. While Winterbourne was away Daisy met a suitor named Mr. Giovanelli. Later, when a mutual friend named Mrs. Walker throws a party, Daisy arrives with Giovanelli. Mrs. Walker does not approve of Daisy being seen in public with all of these men and makes the decision to stop speaking to Daisy. Daisy is not happy about Mrs. Walker snubbing her, but still continues to be with Giovanelli. Daisy continues to be with Giovanelli even while Winterbourne is visiting. Winterbour...
takes no responsibility for her actions. Daisy even goes back to Tom, who cheated on her and
As you read on, Daisy’s true character is slowly revealed, and you come to achieve that she is a very careless person. She seems to never care about the consequences of her actions, and this is proven when she is driving home from the city, and hits Myrtle with Gatsby’s car. Unlike most other people, she didn’t even hesitate and just drove home, without a care in the world about what she had done. One of Nick Caraway’s final assessments of Daisy after the accident is that she is very careless. He even says; “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy – They smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back to their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made”. (Fitzgerald 187) This quote is proof that people i...
When discussing her son Donny’s performance and behavioral issues with the principle, Daisy feels a sense of “shame” and assumes that the principle views her as a “delinquent parent” (188), although the principle never states this in the exchange. During their second meeting, Daisy proceeds to include her husband, Matt, in her interpretation of how she is perceived. In this instance, Daisy not only faults their physical appearances when she calls them both “failures,” but also brings into question their intellect in saying that they are “…are always hurrying to catch up, missing the point of things that everyone else grasps at once” (189). At the conclusion of the meeting, Daisy holds “her stomach in,” and gives the principle a “firm, responsible handshake,” in an attempt to regain some sense of dignity (189). Daisy’s ability to create these false perceptions develops from her low view of herself.
Daisy's carelessness reveals her corruption as a human being. She uses her wealth and social status to escape whatever she chooses, like the death of Myrtle. Additionally, her actions demonstrate the dishonest exploitation of power for personal gain and attention. Daisy’s character, due to her money, inherently values her advantage over the lower class, revealing a nature of entitlement. Additionally, she gives no respect to anyone around her, sometimes n...
One illustration of her humor takes place at Mrs. Walker"s party when Winterbourne is criticizing her for her relations with Giovanelli." He says they don"t "understand that sort of thing here"--not in young married women. Daisy cries, "I thought they understood nothing else!" and goes on to say, "It seems to me more proper in young unmarried than in old married ones. " Daisy typically speaks and behaves frankly, almost in a child-like fashion, but this shows, as the narrator describes it, a "startling worldly knowledge" (1587). " Daisy is somewhat rustic but smart."
However, when Daisy Miller develops an intimate friendship with the Italian gentleman, Mr. Giovanelli, she is scorned, talked about, and ridiculed within the social group. As noticed in the novella, women are judged more harshly than men for their behavior, particularly when it comes to sexual impropriety, but women are also the harshest critics. Furthermore, neither Mr. Winterbourne nor Mr. Giovanelli are ever given responsibility for leading Daisy astray; only Daisy is given the full burden for any impropriety. For instance, upon hearing that Daisy planned to visit the castle in Geneva with Mrs. Winterbourne unchaperoned, Mrs. Costello refuses to meet Daisy. However, even though Mr. Winterbourne is just as
“Guided only by Nick’s limited view of her, readers often judge Daisy solely on the basis of her superficial qualities” (Fryer 43). What the reader sees through the eyes of Nick only appears as a woman whose impatience and desire for wealth and luxury cost her the love of her life, Gatsby. Nick’s narrow perception does not allow one to see that “. [Daisy’s] silly manner conceals a woman of feeling or that her final ‘irresponsibility’ towards Gatsby stems from an acute sense of responsibility towards herself” and that Nick “.clearly does not understand what motivates her” (Fryer 43).
The claim of this link is adequately supported by instances of Winterbourne’s judgement of both Daisy and Mr. Giovanelli, and the hypocrisy that follows these judgements; this evidence is presented from beginning to end of her analysis. For instance, her strongest point is the example of Winterbourne’s judgement of Daisy’s flirtatiousness. He looks at this as being improper, yet he is involved with a woman that is married. This accurately portrays Winterbourne as a hypocrite, and sells the reader on Baylard’s point instantaneously. Because Baylard uses evidence directly from the novel “Daisy Miller” to portray Winterbourne as both judgmental and hypocritical, her claim is completely logical and accurate.