Features of Realism Embodied by Daisy Miller (Coursework Sample)

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Henry James was a renowned writer and spend most of his time writing novels and other short stories given that he had been exposed to this kind of reading writing culture by his father during his early stages of growth, whereby they traversed throughout the world and could interact with diverse cultures. Daisy Miller is one of the many literary works that he wrote, a study developed in 1978 entails a novel that has got its focus on a young American girl who was independent-minded who had traveled abroad with her family members and came across Fredrick Winterbourne, an American also living abroad. Their interactions provoke an examination of the means in which those who had acclimatized to European culture viewed Daisy with reference to the behavior and etiquette for young women as it is depicted by Winterbourne's strong desire to comprehend whether she was innocent as advanced in the large section of the plot. James employs a realism style in the novella and, in the end, leaves unanswered questions regarding the character of Daisy and the future of Winterbourne.
1 What features of Realism do you see in Daisy Miller? How does James use point of view in the novella? For example, who is the narrator in the story? What effect does the narrative voice have in conveying the story as gossip?
The study is realistic due to the fact that the author gives a realistic description regarding the socially accepted norms which are prevalent in the European culture and compares them to those of Daisy, who was of American descent and had a different culture. The features of realism in the story include the idea concerning what diffuses across the minds of the characters as it is seen in the thoughts and perceptions that Winterbourne held regarding Daisy, which he, later on, came to realize that she was innocent. This demonstrated the real issues that faced women during the 19th century. Another instance of realism was the free-will ability of Daisy to make her own choices and decisions devoid of external influence. The author employs a third-person point of view in the narration of the story with some instances of first-person narration, which is marked by subjectivity, and therefore the narrator is an ambiguous one. The narrative voice has an effect of irony in conveying the story as gossip.
2 Is Daisy Miller truly an innocent? Is she a victim of a cynical, hypocritical culture? Or does she bring about her own fate?
Winterbourne was initially preoccupied with some questions questioning the character of Daisy because of the preoccupations that he had since she behaved in a different manner contrary to the European culture and norms to which he had been acculturated to. He initially judges Daisy Miller and views her as just ignorant, but he concludes that she acted out of due innocence. Therefore, Miller is a victim of the cynical, hypocritical European culture ignorant of diversity, although she eventually brings her fate when she contracts the Roman fever out of her own actions and decisions and succumbs to the illness (James 76).
3 How is Winterbourne, also an American abroad, different from Daisy? Through what lens does he view Daisy?
Winterbourne and daisy were all of American descent, although they moved to Europe at different times. These two characters were different in that since Winterbourne moved abroad, he had accepted and incorporated the cultures of the European people and abandoned his native culture to the extent