Daisy Miller

A detailed Summary of Daisy Miller


Upon Winterbourne's return to Vevey, Switzerland, he had been resting on a park bench, conversing with a curious little boy when a "beautiful young lady," Daisy Miller, approached. After a brief prattle, the two arranged a day's trip to the Castle of Chillon and over the next few months planned on meeting again in Italy. Throughout the story, Winterbourne tries to descry Miss Miller's personality and at the same time question her reputation as a flirtatious American girl in the late nineteenth century. Henry James' famous novelette, Daisy Miller, is a timeless story depicting what results from the defiance of social customs, ignoring advice pertaining to one's reputation, and finally confronting reality.

From her first tête-a-tête with Winterbourne and until her last, Miss Miller defies all social customs pertinent in European society. During Winterbourne's first introduction to Miss Miller, to his surprise, she accepts his extremely bold decision to travel to the Castle without knowing if he was a respectable man. Later that same evening they met once more in the garden. She asked Winterbourne to take her out for a boat ride, but after gaining permission from her mother, she decided she would rather not go if no one wou


ld put up a fuss about her doing something so irrational. Winterbourne was left alone to ponder her whims and odd form of coquetry. After their parting, both agreed to meet again in Geneva, Italy. When Winterbourne first arrived in Geneva, he received news of Miss Miller's latest escapades from his very reputable aunt. During her stay in Geneva, her gentleman society was composed of "half a dozen of the regular Roman fortune hunters." As an American girl, she stayed true to her own values although she was in a foreign land. Daisy Miller was unaware of the social structure that depends on gender and class oppression and she developed a reputation for herself that would hinder her relationships with upper society.

In conclusion, Daisy Miller emphasizes that a person who resists their customs of an area will never be able to exist in his or her surroundings. Today people generally accept values and morals similar to their families and friends. Anyone who tries to diverge from the common path of "the way things are" should refer to the message of Henry James' story that transcends all time and place.

The repulse Miss Miller received from her friends was a rude awakening that caused her to confront the reality of her situation. She soon attended her last party at Mrs. Walker's home and was

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Approximate Word count = 879
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: Novels

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