Some questions and issues you might think about:
Twain and James are both considered archetypal “Realists,” yet there are many obvious differences between their texts. What are connections or distinctions, in terms of style, subject matter, thematic concerns, etc.? How does each author rely on irony as a rhetorical device, and what is the effect of this irony? If Huck represents a certain kind of “American,” in what ways does Daisy represent another typically American figure? How is the word “American” used and invoked within the text? What kind of a narrator is Winterbourne? What role does social class play in the novel, and how do such factors as style, taste, language, national identity, and money intersect with the idea of class? How does the oft-repeated maxim that “knowledge is power” emerge within this story?
February 1, 2008 at 5:40 am
Both James and Twain write in a realistic manner by means of using irony; however, they do so in a different way. For instance, Jame’s style is ornate, careful, and poetic. His characters are indirect in what they say. Hence, he writes in a serious manner. Twain, on the other hand, writes in a way that is comedic. Specifically, Twain uses direct language that is spoken in vernacular. Thus, Twain and James essentially have the “job” of pointing out flaws in society to their readers and they both do so in their own way. Twain does so by presenting Huck Finn as a rebel who doesn’t follow the rules and can “light out for the Territory.” In constrast, James does so by presenting Daisy in the same way as Huck, except she cannot “light out for the territory” (mainly because she is very “uncultivated”).
February 1, 2008 at 6:02 am
I find that “Daisy Miller” and “Huck Finn” are quite complimentary when juxtaposed against each other. As talked about in class, there are many themes which overlap. Furthermore, Henry James and Mark Twain utilize language in their own unique way, respectively. In class, we talked extensively about Twain’s use of the Southern, uneducated, dialect; at times the reader can barely understand what is being said.
However, this notion of language brings me to a question about James’s narrative. One will notice his choice to percolate French words within the novella. This might not seem like a major concern until the time period in which the story was first published is taken into consideration. During this time in Great Britain, there was much criticism about authors who incorporated random interruptions of French words, for authenticity purposes. (The contemporary movie “Chocolat” does this a lot, by the way). There were, however, exceptions to such criticism. Readers of the Blackwoods Edinburgh review, for example, were well versed in French and thus it was considered acceptable for authors to interject French words (this would not be so much for authenticity as for description purposes). Hence one might look at the audience to whom James was writing. Perhaps more information about Cornhill Magazine and its 1878 audience would be insightful here. In any case, the parallels between Twain’s and James’s use of dialogue are worthy of further inquiry as to how such methods contribute to the overall themes of the texts.
February 1, 2008 at 4:51 pm
After discussing the power of vision in “Daisy Miller” in class Thursday, I scanned through the text a second time paying special attention to James’ use of voyeurism. Interestingly, Daisy does more “looking,” “glancing,” and “fixing her eyes upon” than any other character in the text (393). In the first chapter, she spends the entirety of their first meeting “simply gaz[ing]” at Winterbourne and giving him “the benefit of her glance” (393-4). Yet, it is crucial to recognize that although Daisy does the majority of the gazing, it is always “simple” or “pretty”; Winterbourne’s gazing, on the other hand, is spoken of as if it is scientific “observation” and “analy[sis]”(394). As the novella continues in the manner, Daisy’s looks become less pretty and Winterbourne’s observations, more critical. Daisy, the naïve and disrespectful American, had no fear of looking or being looked at. This courage gained her the last look as Winterbourne “felt the young girl’s pretty eyes fixed upon him through the thick gloom of the archway” (427). Her last look is pretty, but, more importantly, it “fixe[s] upon him” and causes him to feel (427). Daisy is greatly empowered by her last look; she is in control. But, such empowerment of vision (especially from a young, single, flirty, American girl) is intolerable at this time in high society Europe. Daisy paid the price of her life for gazing and allowing others to gaze at her.
February 1, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Great posts above… Katie’s comment about the use of French does indeed highlight some of the expectations James might have had about his audience. Certainly most readers of James’s class would be familiar with French (and probably Latin and a few other languages too), if not through their formal education, then through their use in “highbrow” literary publications.
Anne’s comment about Daisy’s “looking” reinforces Foucault’s idea about the “disciplinary gaze” and it role in perpetuating the power relations of society. Who is doing the gazing, and who is under the gaze, determine and reinforce the hierarchical structure of modern society.
February 1, 2008 at 6:27 pm
I found the most similar aspects of Twain and James books to be the deep character analysis. Realism aims at representing what people are actually like. Twain shows how the average citizen lived in the South. But he also showed how people view African Americans–the assumptioins they have because they’ve never been taught differently. In “Daisy Miller,” James showed how Americans view themselves. The stereotype of Americans today is “arrogant.” In Daisy Miller, these same views can be seen. Class separation has always been more fluid in the US but that doesn’t mean that the members of the higher echlons automatically accept those moving up. James shows how these assumptions affect and do not affect people.
February 1, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Twain and James are both “realists,” but their individual writings Huck Finn and Daisy Miller are different in several ways. Yes, they both concentrate on character development and center around the uniting theme of absolute freedom. And yes, the opposition of freedom in both writings is usually conveyed with females (the widow and Tom’s aunt in Finn and almost all of the women in Daisy Miller). But both writings have individual alternative themes. In Huck Finn, it becomes apparent that Mark Twain is also concerned with the theme of distinguishing historical truth from nostalgia, and this is not such a prominent theme in Daisy Miller. James is much more focused on Daisy Miller exclusively and the societal judgment she endures until her death.
Clear differences can also be drawn between culture context. Clearly the language in both books is contrastive, and that is primarily because both writing take place in two different “Americas.” Finn takes place within the racist and at times impoverished South U.S. of the early 1800s and Miller takes place in the sophisticated American vacation locales of Europe.
February 1, 2008 at 1:24 pm
I believe Twain and James both bring out the same point but in different ways. All throughout Huck Finn, Huck struggled with the notion of doing what is right and always kind of felt bad for helping Jim escape. Huck always seemed to have a sense of social order that he felt he had to follow but found escape from that on the river with Jim. James shows the same type of social order/class with Winterbourne in how he always follow the rules and directly sees and follows those social standards. Although both authors use complete opposite characters, the critizing of social classes remain the same.
February 1, 2008 at 2:15 pm
After discussing the narration of the story yesterday in class, I went back and looked more closely at some of the examples. The use of free indirect discourse gives the story a different feel than most standard narrations. I think this style allows the reader to interpret the characters in their own way, because there is never a direct statement as to what they are feeling or thinking, only statements made by the narrator who is looking down on the characters from a distance. I don’t think “Daisy Miller” would have been as interesting if Winterbourne was constantly telling the reader “I thought she was pretty,” or “I was amused by her.” It would have been too straight forward for the purpose of the story.
February 1, 2008 at 3:16 pm
The difference I see in Huck and Daisy is that Huck displays characteristics of an American free spirit we see today. Many people now do live simply and find ways to move through the obstacles of conformity. But Daisy Miller to me represents the typical snooty, rich girl that prances around like she knows what the world is about. To many women (and men) today have a certain drive in them that makes them feel more superior to people because of their class or financial ties. Just like that of Daisy Miller, people with too much power gone to their heads will end up forgetting certain rules and terms that are set around the world and end up breaking them. It is the free spirited man I see in Huck that has some good left to expect to observe the rules set in front of him. He may either abide by them or slip past them, but if he does the latter, it is in a way that no harm or foul is done.
February 2, 2008 at 4:12 pm
It seems that in both “Huck Finn” and “Daisy Miller” there is this recurring theme of freedom/Americanism that are always tied. Why are Americans so profoundly associated with this subject? I mean Huck isn’t any more free than he is just running away. Daisy is never free, she can reject her social role all she wants but she is constantly being scrutinized for her behavior and snubbed for it (which bothers her). Huck takes this sense more literal with the raft and running away while Daisy Miller has an inner sense of her freedoms. Both characters resist their situations but ultimately Daisy pays her price and Huck isn’t left with his paradise on the raft.
February 2, 2008 at 4:35 pm
I really like what Anne had to say about the use of the gaze. An argument lending support to her comment is Laura Mulvey’s essay on feminist film theory, “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema” which focuses on the male gaze. This article stems from earlier gaze theories of both Jaques Lacan (think, the mirror stage) and Michel Foucault. Next time you go to a film (particularly a romance), watch how the camera becomes the main male character’s eyes. A lot of the BBC productions of Shakespeare’s plays portray this, especially, “The Taming of the Shrew.” Additional films such as “Casablanca” as well as more contemporary romances do this as well.
Another way to treat the use of the gaze within “Daisy Miller” is the gaze of the audience. As we discussed in class, the novella is framed in such a unique way that the reader is actually gazing upon the unnamed narrator, who is gazing upon Winterbourne, who is gazing upon Daisy. Furthermore, the fact that Henry James chose to add the subtitle “A Study” to the text further reiterates this theme of looking upon the subject. Furthermore, this leads me to question whether Daisy or Winterbourne is the protagonist of the story.
February 3, 2008 at 7:36 pm
In my opinion, Huck and Daisy are free spirits, and they do what they want… It is interesting to consider the different perspectives through gender. But, there are limits to what society deems acceptable. Huck, a teenage kid, runs away from home and floats down the Mississippi River. No big deal. We aren’t outraged: It’s okay, because he had a rough childhood. Daisy talks to a few guys and stays out too late. This irritates her friends and family as well as readers. Her death kind of serves as a gruesome “I told you so” for her family. Daisy probably had a difficult childhood, and may have been unhappy touring Europe. Her uncommon dating habits could have been her way of dealing with her discontent. If Daisy and Huck switched places, Huck wouldn’t be criticized for seeing two girls, and Daisy probably wouldn’t run away from home. The period in time plays an important role in our perception of characters and society; if they were set in present day, there would be no story at all.
February 4, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Twain and James are strictly different in their styles of writing and interpretations of irony. Twain portrays the simpler life of the everyday American and James prefers to explore the lives of the higher society. James has a lot more sophistication in his writing because he takes the time to carefully plot out his events and create a solid point for the reader to clearly find. Twain on the other hand insists on throwing random events together in order to “fill out ” the novel. He also states of the beginning that the reader should not look for a plot or moral in his story. That in itself deems him quite unprofessional.
In terms of their irony, they both have specific styles as well. Twain narrates the story through a member of the lower society and James perfers the elegance of sophistication. The irony in James’ novella is a lot more eleborate because everyone knows of Daisy Miller’s dark corner antics, though insist on doing nothing but gossiping behind her back. The reader constantly sees the irony represented with the astonishment of the other people in the society, though in a way is on Daisy’s side for her defience. The ultimate irony in Daisy Miller is how even though she prided herself on not listening to other’s advice on staying away from walking at night or in dark corners because of the “Roman Fever,” she gets it and dies. The irony in Huck Finn is pretty much wrapped around the fact that Huck is helping a runaway slave though is in constant battles with himself for doing it. Even though he sees himself doing a bad thing, hardly anyone knows about it so it isn’t that well established. Overall I thought James’ novella was a lot better written and got his point across strong. Twain, however, tells the reader right off to expect nothing from the novel before even reading it so there can be no hope for a strong moral. If the author has no affection for the novel, why should we?
February 4, 2008 at 2:04 pm
The story of “Daisy Miller” is very interesting in the fact that it showcases a society that is ruled by men, but is governed by women. Women of wealth articulate what is proper and what is improper and scrutinize Daisy for living as a free spirit as Jordan said. I don’t believe it is coincidence that Henry James writes a novella about such a free spirit when in fact his own sister was a free spirit of her own because of her intelligence. This intelligence was hindered by the males around her and also perhaps by females. Maybe this story was James’ way of giving somewhat of a voice to his sister, even though the end of “Daisy Miller” proves that in the end, popular opinion of society outweighs those free spirits.
February 4, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Twain and James to both extensively use realism though they go about this in very different ways. Twain and James may differ the most in their subjects, as Twain discusses the average uneductaed souther american their dialect and attitudes James focus on well bred and educated people automatically lends itself to the more verbose dilaogue charhcterisitic of his work. The two charachters of Huck and Daisy they of greatly different backgrounds do ahve a lot in common; mainly their desire to be free of the rigid rules of society, neither charachter lives bound by laws of class or custom but rather set out to be something in spite of what they were born; though seperated by birth the two our alike in their uniquely American spirit that spirit which encourages them to set out on their own path not join the rank and file of tradition.
February 4, 2008 at 8:11 pm
I found Daisy Miller to be interesting. I guess I find it ironic that Daisy did not care about what others thought yet Mr. Winterbourne did care what others thought. Even though Winterbourne let others opinions matter that still did not stop him from “studying” Daisy. I also think Winterbourne shoul have just been a man and confessed his feelings for Daisy, then she would not have went tramping around town with other gentleman and getting sick and dying. If Winterbourne would have not let others opionions matter they story would have ended differently. However, James was probably drawing from real life experiences of his sister and this is how her story ended. All in all I found this book to be an okay read, but would have like to see more excitement.
February 4, 2008 at 9:48 pm
The more I’m revisiting it, the more it seems to me that Twain and James are writing almost the same character. Both Huck and Daisy represent “Americans,” and in almost the same mannerisms. Both are seen as lower class, both are having “adventures” away from home, both have the same idea of a free spirit who disregards the way things should be according to society’s rules, both have parental figures that struggle to contain them, etc… Except for the obvious differences like gender, setting, and the surrounding characters, they really seem to be portraying the same idea.
February 6, 2008 at 10:54 pm
I enjoyed the story of Daisy Miller. I wished Daisy could have seen from the beginning what we saw the whole time, and especially at the end. Giovanelli either wanted all or nothing from Daisy, as he could tell that she really only liked Winterbourne. He wanted nothing to do with her when she got sick, but Winterbourne had always cared for her, and spent a great deal of time trying to figure her out, not caring about what Mrs. Costello or Mrs. Walker might have to say about the whole thing.
February 11, 2008 at 12:24 am
The power of irony in both stories is what both entertains the reader as well as forces him or her into viewing a social institution in a light that makes it appear utterly absurd. The irony of Daisy Miller being seen as “common” is a strange notion when one recognizes that her status economically is not enough to guarantee her acceptance into the well-guarded social circles of Europe. Instead, by her behavior is how she is judged/punished in the novella. In Huck Finn, Twain focuses on slavery as the target of his often humorous irony. Unfortunately, one can suspect that some of the readers at the time of its publishing missed the irony entirely, as they saw the story all too familiarly through eyes similar to Huck’s. The same might be said about Daisy Miller.
February 12, 2008 at 12:37 am
I view Daisy and Huck in a very similar light. In regards to the term “American,” Daisy and Huck fit into the word in terms of doing what they want and being their own individuals. Also, aside from Daisy and Huck making decisions that are polar from society’s thoughts at the time, this leads me to believe in their fates that eventually come to serve them, in regards to Daisy’s final day and Huck’s change of judgement. I believe Twain and James’ use of individualism and the protagonist’s eventual fate are what keeps them very similar.
February 24, 2008 at 11:06 am
Twain is definitely more comical and realistic, true to the characters actual nature, whereas James is more formal and more withdrawn from the characters. Twain doesn’t directly talk about being American but James does, Class is also more important in James’ work. James deals more with American social classes and appropriate behaviors. As far as characters Huck is much more of a character that one can get attached to, feel connected to, whereas Daisy I didn’t get that connection.
While the authors have their differences there are similarities. Both Huck and Daisy are typical Americans in that they want to do things their way. They want to have adventures in life (Huck tries to abide by the rules for the most part but Daisy flat out ignores them).
April 29, 2008 at 4:29 pm
I could see a lot of similarities between Huck Finn and Daisy Miller, but I think Daisy Miller was a little harder to relate to. I agree that James seems to reveal very little about the characters. Both are dealing with issues that were at a time very prominent in history. However, I feel that James rushes through his story, and the readers have basically read a headline in a newspaper. Twain makes us sympathize with the characters, and we learn a lot about them. This really helped understand the underlying issues that Twain is writing about of the time.
April 30, 2008 at 1:12 pm
I was kind of pissed at how easily Winterborn just wrote off Daisy’s death. Here he was, the whole time he was with her, saying how extraordinary she was and how much he liked her, then when she started thumbing her nose at society he let her go. When she got sick and died, he was just like well that’s what you get. That either shows a lot about his character-that he’s fickle and heartless, or that his affection and admiration was just like most other emotions of the time-surface deep. It could just be that he feels that she got what she deserved. He believed that she did not respect their society or the rules and was justly punished. Either way… I still think he’s an ass.
April 30, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Both Huck and Daisy come off as very care free people who have no regard for societal rules or authority figures. I personally liked Hucks character better because Twain was able to portray him as a child who really was good at heart he just never really was shown how to act properly. I never really understood Daisy’s character until the end when we find out that she knew what she was doing all along and it really didn’t matter to her what other people thought just as long as she was satisfied with her own life. However, i do feel that Daisy grew more as a character through the story than Huck did because of Huck’s failure to stand up to Tom at the end of Huck Finn.
May 2, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Daisy plays a very stereotypical American girl. She acts the way many girls today act. She was outspoken and flirty. She didn’t let a man or even a classy European woman allow her to feel inferior. She was very carefree and didn’t do the bidding of others. She didn’t mind that people were talking about her. She seemed to enjoy the attention. Daisy and Huck were individuals in a world of conformity.
May 3, 2008 at 3:53 pm
Compared to Huck’s persona as a typical American who just wants to be free and experience adventure, Daisy is what many consider the typical American girl. She’s inquisitive and desires just as much as huck does to be free and experience adventure. She’s naive though and doesn’t respect the rules of authority which puts in the little bit of American hutspah that many experience.