The story of Daisy Miller starts off in Vevey, Switzerland with Winterbourne and Daisy meeting through Daisy's brother Randolph. Winterbourne is immediately attracted to her stating, "she was strikingly, admirably pretty" (James 470). The story continues with Winterbourne giving Daisy a tour of the Chateau de Chillon, and Winterbourne returning to Geneva, where he had an older women waiting for him. Daisy ends up meeting an Italian man, Giovanelli, which eventually leads to her death of malaria. Although the characters seem simple enough, they symbolize much more than themselves. In Henry James's Daisy Miller, Daisy symbolizes all American women who travel abroad to Europe, while Winterbourne symbolizes the European mentality of American tourists.
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.
Daisy did not help her case any of being the typical American flirt when she goes to Italy and meets many different men, including Giovanelli. If the Europeans have not met many Americans and the usually the ones that can afford to travel are rich, they can only assume what America is by what they have seen.
Daisy Blunt is described as a young, beautiful, dark-skinned women who was always nicely dressed. When Daisy walked by the store, the men started to compliment her and said what they would do for her. For example, one of the men, Jim claims he’ll buy Daisy a steamship and hire some men to run it for her.(pg. 69). From Janie’s perspective, Daisy is uncomfortable with all the attention that is suddenly placed upon her. When Daisy shows discomfort, the men would laugh loudly making fun of Daisy. (p...
Daisy Buchanan is the preeminent female character in the story. Her name, Daisy fits her exceptionally, she is bright and sunny like the flower. Daisy is best represented by the color yellow. She’s the story’s golden girl, the wife of wealthy broker, and the love of the mysterious Gatsby’s life. Grok describes the color yellow as “Deities with glowing halos and golden hair…But it also evokes a few negative responses in associations with dishonesty, cowardice, egoism, betrayal, and caution” (Grok). Daisy is described physically as a blonde, and back then the style along women was the flapper headband, like the glowing halo. In the story Daisy is dishonest, she cheats on her husband with Gatsby. Daisy is also a coward, she couldn’t leave Tom, her husband, who treats her like property for Gatsby, who truly loves and idolizes her. Daisy once tells Nick when telling him about her daughter, “I hope she’ll be a fool. That’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool” (1.17). Daisy is immensely obsessed with what people think of her, she likes being the girl who has this beautiful and graceful aura. This quote displays how she want’s her daughter to grow up to be just like her, the image of a weak foolish girl who lets men push her around. Betrayal is the emotion that Nick feels when she skips town instead of attending Gatsby’s funeral. Grok also writes that, “When paired with black, it suggests warning” (Grok). Gatsby is the color black, while Daisy is the color yellow. When the couple reconcile there is a multitude of trouble that eventually leads to the death of Myrtle, George, and Gatsby himself. Daisy isn’t just the bright ray of sunshine; she is also just as troublesome as Grok describes her, which is why th...
Daisy Miller and her family are what people would consider a nouveau rich, also known as new money. This was very common in America at the time, this was due to businessmen 'making it big' after the Civil War. This was symbolic of America because America was basically the national equivalent of nouveau rich during this time. America was much like the American dream itself. A brand new start full of new and amazing opportunities. During the story this is displayed multiple times, such as when Daisy speaks to Winterbourne for the first time. “And she had ever so many things from Paris…Whenever she put on a Paris dress, she felt as is she were in Europe...“'it has always made me wish I were here. But I needn't have done that for dresses. I am sure they send all the pretty ones to America'” (James 333). Daisy believes this because in her experience, the dresses they sell to America are the brightest and flamboyant. The reason this is the case is because Europe viewed America as flashy itself, and so sells America that type of wares. However, by Daisy's comment, there are no such dresses in Europe. Since she is new rich her having the newest, prettiest, and flashiest clothing was a norm in America, where there were many new rich all doing the same as her, and therefore appropriate for her culture. However, the
Daisy Buchanan is married to Tom Buchanan and cousin to Nick Carraway. During World War I, many soldiers stationed by her in Louisville, were in love with her. The man who caught her eye the most was Jay Gatsby. When he was called into war, she promised him that she would wait for him. Also that upon his return they will be married. Daisy, lonely because Gatsby was at war, met Tom Buchanan. He was smart and part of a wealthy family. When he asked her to marry him, she didn't hesitate at once, and took his offering. Here, the reader first encounters how shallow Daisy is, making her a dislikeable character. Another event that Daisy is a dislikeable character is when she did not show up to Gatsby's funeral. When Daisy and Gatsby reunite, their love for each other rekindle. She often visited Gatsby at his mansion, and they were inseparable. This led Gatsby on because he dedicated his whole life into getting Daisy back, and she had no gratitude towards it. At the hotel suite scene, Daisy reveals to all that she loves Gatsby, but then also says that she loves Tom as well. This leaves the reader at awe, because after...
Daisy’s actions and words contrast greatly with her husband, Tom, and his grave nature. Her impression on the reader is frivolous with her “charming little laugh'; (13), and her light manner. In addition, Daisy’s tendency to murmur, rumored to make people lean closer to her, also reflects on her coquettish personality. Nick’s ability to read Daisy so well from her facial expressions and body language attests that her mannerisms are very illustrative; “Daisy took her face in her hands…I saw that turbulent emotions possessed her, so I asked what I thought would be some sedative questions. She also welcomes Nick’s charming but cheesy flattery, when talking about Chicago and she treats him the same way in return by referring to him as a rose and also by saying “I am p-paralyzed with happiness'; (13).
Despite her affection for Gatsby, Daisy still chooses to stay with Tom because of Gatsby’s shameful past and his connection to bootlegging and crimes, even though she’s also aware of Tom’s affair, which implies her lack of intellectualism. Tom and Daisy don’t care enough about their relationship emotionally to be bothered by indefinites, which establishes the lack of values they embody. Daisy is presented in a manner where she lacks morality and proceeds without conscience; she is selfish and doesn’t value others. Fitzgerald conveys wealth as being a corruption of morality and destroying the good values the American dream embodies though the characterization of Daisy.
Daisy, the wife of Tom Buchanan, has no goals in life; no discipline, nor any morals. She can't even think for herself because she has never had to before. She talks to Nick as if he is part of a group which is secluded from the lives of the East Eggers and in some aspect he is " 'All right,' said Daisy. 'What'll we plan?' She turned to me helplessly. 'What do people plan?'," (153). Daisy lacks competence. Daisy has nothing to do or care about each day. She has no idea of how to plan something because she hasn't had to do anything that requires thinking since the day that she thought money would solve her problems. She can go through life without having to think about anything that would probably require an elementary education. In the scene where Daisy runs over Myrtle, she doesn't care what has happened, she just cares about herself. "For Daisy was young and her artificial world was redolent of orchids and pleasant, cheerful snobbery and orchestras which set the rhythm of the year, summing up the sadness and suggestiveness of life in new tunes," (158). This quote shows that Daisy is living in a dream world where she doesn't have to obey any laws. Her snobby personality gets her in trouble. Killing Myrtle has no affect on her. She just keeps living her boring carefree life with no regard for other people.
Daisy is one of the characters that is trying to search for her American dream but the readers don’t really notice this because it seems that Daisy has everything already – wealth, a husband, love and family. It is everything she could possibly want but as we get to know Daisy, the reader sees that there is something else Daisy desires besides wealth and luxurious material. “I’m glad it’s a girl. And I hope she’ll be a fool – that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” - Pg 21. Daisy’s America dream is to be this “beautiful little fool” she envisions. Daisy is beautiful and it is told through the characters that she is charming and beautiful but they could see right through her. They knew what she wanted in life and the fact that she was void of any loyalty or care. Daisy sought after this image of being this “beautiful little fool” so that she could hide her selfish ways and put on this fake façade so the other characters would see she is innocent.
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...
Characters in The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald are often described differently than they actually act throughout the novel. In the beginning of the novel, Daisy is told to be “by far the most popular of all the young girls in Louisville”. She was said to have great beauty, and its even said that she holds her popularity spot because of it. She is also described as a “fool” which means she is beautiful, just like an angel. As we read on, we come to see that Daisy is actually very careless, selfish, and only focuses herself on wealth and power. She never looked at the consequences of her actions; and she let others clean up the messes she made. She wanted her daughter to grow up just like her, even though it’s a life nobody wanted to live. She even gave up her true love to be with somebody who had money and a good repetition. As perceived in the novel, Daisy is the most despicable character in the novel of The Great Gatsby.
So much through chapter 1 we are getting the idea of Daisy being well, stupid. But when alone with nick she explains to him she is sophisticated but cynical, proving to us to think she is much smarter than Tom. She does also show criticism on women’s status when talking about her baby hoping it’s a girl “I hope she’ll be a fool – that’ the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.” This portrays the idea of women in the 1920s. But we do as well see that Daisy is very complex as she is in a secret society of which is she and Tom.
Daisy’s sense of happiness is based on her materialism; resulting in her lack of wisdom or empathy regarding human relationship. She disregards the welfare of other human beings, because she only cares about the things that Tom gives her; the house, money, and jewelry. Furthermore, Daisy's focus on materialism causes her to act out like a selfish human being through her thoughtless lifestyle. Nick states,
The central concern in Daisy Miller is of the "analogies and differences" between people. In this story, a young American man, Winterbourne, is confused and intrigued by the behavior of a young American woman, Daisy Miller. Winterbourne had wondered about all of the cold shoulders that had been turned towards her, and sometimes it annoyed him to suspect that she did not feel at all. He said to himself that she was too light and childish, too uncultivated and unreasoning. Then at other moments he believed that she carried about in her an elegant and perfectly observant consciousness from the impression she produced. He asked himself whether Daisy's defiance came from the consciousness of innocence or from her being, essentially, a young person of the "common" class. After getting to know Daisy, he was confused about getting to know his and her emotions. It is far evident that Winterbourne does not come to conclusions about people easily. He was very much influenced by the biases of his upbringing in culture, and he questioned them occasionally.
At first glimpse, Daisy is portrayed as a "pretty American flirt" whose innocence Winterbourne is unsure of, and yet he says he was "almost grateful for having found the formula that applied to Miss Daisy Miller" (James 1563)." Like many people do in first impressions, Winterbourne feels the need to label Daisy right away." In the beginning, the stereotype seems to fit." Daisy is young, unsophisticated, chatty, and brags about all the society, especially gentlemen"s society she had in New York (1562)." She enjoys teasing and getting reactions out of people just for the sake of it." For example, the second time she and Winterbourne meet, late one evening in the garden, she asks him if he wants to take her out in a boat on the lake." Of course, her mother and the courier protest while Daisy laughs and declares, "That"s all I want " a little fuss!"She had no intention of going; she just wanted to get a rise out of someone." Bidding good-night to Winterbourne, she says, "I hope you"re disappointed, disgusted, or something!" (1572)." She is being flirtatious, but this kind of teasing is also just part of her sense of humor.
Daisy Miller starts out in a hotel in Vevey, Switzerland when a gentleman named Winterbourne meets Daisy, a young, beautiful American girl traveling through Europe. Daisy, her younger brother Randolph and her mother, Mrs. Miller, are traveling all over Europe while her father is home in Schenectady, New York. While Daisy is in Europe, she does not accept European ideas to be her own. Winterbourne, to the contrary, has been living in Europe since he left America when he was younger. Winterbourne takes a strong liking to Daisy even though his aunt, Mrs. Costello, does not approve of him even speaking to Daisy. Winterbourne claims that Daisy is an innocent person, but his aunt believes she is too common and not refined enough for him. Winterbourne and Daisy spend much time together, and even had a date at a close by castle named Chillon. Winterbourne then returns to Geneva where he is studying, but agrees to visit Daisy again that winter in Rome.