Henry James And The Turn Of The Screw

Considering the environment in which James grew up certainly had an impact on his life. Some of the influences in his life were being poor, racism, his parents and the church. The areas that affected his moral development stem from when he grew up, doing the time of segregation. Segregation had an impact on how he viewed the world. He felt that everyone should be treated equally. James’s moral belief was that blacks should have a choice, and have the same opportunities as others. When he saw the separate drinking fountains for whites and blacks, he recalls the mental pain, but for him only God could take care of. He used his music as away to communicate how he felt. Growing up poor affected James’s emotional development. He never wanted any handouts.

The society that raised Daisy Fay Buchanan is a direct catalyst for her being a vile person. To begin, one of Daisy’s

Born Daisy Fay in Louisville, Kentucky, Daisy was always the princess in the tower, the golden girl that every man dreamed of possessing. ?She dressed in white, and had a little white roadster, and all the day long the telephone rang in her house and excited young officers from Camp Taylor demanded the privilege of monopolizing her that night,? (79). Daisy is beautiful, rich, and appears very innocent as a young woman, although it is later

Daisy Buchanan was introduced in chapter one. Daisy is a ditzy, petite, beautiful, young lady. Nick introduces her in the first chapter and explains how she’s every guys dream girl. Daisy is married to Tom, a cheating rich guy who has old money

In Henry James's “Daisy Miller,” the main character Frederick Winterbourne masks Daisy Miller’s personality with his own imagination. Told from a limited narration point of view, this novel solely emphasizes Mr. Winterbourne’s perception of the world around him, focusing most on Ms. Daisy’s character. Mr. Winterbourne aims to unravel Ms. Miller’s character make-up throughout chapter one, using only his and his aunt’s preconceived notions of women in American society. By being too introspective and imaginative, Mr. Winterbourne is unable to see Ms. Miller as anything more but a conquest, and therefore he is unable to empathize with her as another human being.

Daisy Buchanan was a character whose obsession with wealth started from the beginning. Her first decision based on her preoccupation with financial gain was to marry Tom Buchanan. Daisy

This perfection, however, remains just out of reach, as people struggle their entire lives to become this impossible image. Daisy Miller, a young girl in the Victorian era where traditionally men and women did not socialize with each other unless they were married has “always had, she said, a great deal of gentlemen's society” (James 9) and brags that she attracts so many men, mostly just to make others jealous and pursue more male admirers. Daisy cares more about herself than anyone else and constantly acts in her own self interests with no regards for the society’s rules or anyone’s feelings. She is well aware that her behavior of flaunting herself around town is highly controversial and openly admits to being a “fearful, frightful flirt. (Asking) did you ever hear of a nice girl that was not?”

Interpreting The Turn of the Screw by Henry James from a Marxist point of view brings about serious social class distinctions and consequences of violation within that code. Miles and the unnamed Governess’ relationship demonstrate the wrongdoing of social and legal norms. The Governess’ indeterminate social status leave her as a forbidden woman in Victorian society taking on the role of primary caretaker to children, while Miles embodies the character of the absent master to whom the Governess feels intimately attracted. Mile’s union with rebellious, symbol of threat, Peter Quint, ultimately possesses him and lead to the breakdown of the social hierarchy. The Governess and Mile’s connection display the

James' manipulation of appearances in Daisy Miller as well as other character's notions of these appearances provides us with a novella of enigmatic and fascinating characters. Daisy, the most complicated of these ambiguities, is as mysterious as she is flirtatious. James gives her a carefully constructed enigmatic quality that leaves the reader wondering what her motivations were and who she truly was. He structures the novella in such a way as to stress the insights that the supporting characters provide into Daisy's character, weather accurate or erroneous. Despite their questionable reliability, they allow James to make commentary on both European and American cultures and social class.

Taking Daisy with appreciation and without alarm, we also re-read her character and re-evaluate her moral status. We (the readers) seem to meet James’ sophistication with out own, by agreeing on a mixed interpretation of Daisy: she is literally innocent, but she is also ignorant and incautious. (1)

Reading Response to Daisy Miller The story of Daisy Miller, by James Henry is told by a male narrator and is related by a young, American man named Winterborne. Winterborne meets a young lady named Daisy Miller. Winterborne notices Daisy’s naiveté, and befriends her very quickly. Daisy and her family decide to visit Italy, while in Italy several months passed until Daisy speaks to Winterborne again, with an invited to Italy.

In 1878, Henry James wrote, Daisy Miller, a novella about a young American girl and her travels in Europe. Daisy Miller is a complex short story with many underlying themes such as appearance versus reality, knowledge versus innocence, outward action versus inward meditation, and Nature versus urbanity. In this short story, one is left to judge whether Daisy Miller, the main character of the story, is “a pretty American flirt” or a misunderstood, modern young woman. By probing into the complexities and contradictions of Daisy’s character, it is obvious that Ms. Miller is merely a misunderstood young woman.

In Henry James’s “novella,” his heroine: Daisy Miller is a young woman who dared to challenge the old guard. Her nature, though rebellious was pure and innocent, and her death was in itself her last rebellion. She died a martyr for a cause in which she believed: the freedom of women. She was the first of a new generation of independent women, women outside of the control of the Mrs. Walkers of the world: women who were free. Alive Daisy was bound by the chains of society, in death she was let loose from her bindings. Her death was not an example of failure, it was the greatest gift she could have given. In life, Daisy was looked at as a woman of ill repute by the socialites who mattered in Europe, but in death, she superseded this role, and became something much more: a symbol of rebellion. In this way Daisy’s death challenged the social order. By loosing her life, she showed just how powerful a woman could be.

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.

Daisy Miller" by Henry James, is a study of a young American girl's rebuttal of all things "proper" and refusal to conform to social standards. One can see that realism is apparent throughout the text. The characters utilize free will throughout, are affected by their environment and familial relationships, and ultimately make their own choices. These choices eventually affect the outcome in an unhappy ending. Jame's creates characters that encompass both sides of the social sphere in this work. Winterbourne, Mrs. Costello and Mrs. Walker are all individuals that come from old money, a higher societal background, and expectations of what is deemed right and proper. In contrast, Daisy Miller, Mrs. Miller, Randolph and Eugenio are the opposite in many ways coming from an average societal realm and more realistic, modest lifestyle. Winterbourne has a rather telling conversation with Mrs. Walker and her statement to him upon asking what exactly it is that Daisy does that pushes "too far" sums up the overall reputation Daisy is establishing for herself. "(she does) Everything that is not done here. Flirting with any man she could pick up; sitting in corners with mysterious Italians; dancing all the evening with the same partners; receiving visits at eleven o'clock at night"(James, p. 1537). Daisy's ability to make her own choices and follow her free will are aspects of realism which writers began to utilize. Again, her environment and family most definitely affect her behavior.