Symbolism in Daisy Miller by Henry James :: Henry James, Daisy Miller

The story of Daisy Miller starts off in Vevey, Switzerland with Winterbourne and Daisy come across by Daisys 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 understandm simple enough, they symbolize overmuch more than themselves. In Henry Jamess Daisy Miller, Daisy symbolizes all American women who travel foreign to Europe, while Winterbourne symbolizes the European mentality of American tourists.Daisy is the pretty American wager throughout the sweetla (James 474). She is nice and sweet, but also rebellious and ignorant. Daisy really does not c atomic number 18 what society thinks of her. You see this throughou t 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 refinement 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 personify and sleep on the lower take aims of the house, while Eugenio sleeps on the same level and interacts with the family. This is something that stands out to Winterbournes aunt, Mrs. Costello because that is un comprehend of in European culture. When Winterbourne tells Mrs. Costello about Daisy, you can see the symbolism already becoming very prevalent, They are very super C they are the sort of Americans that one does ones duty by not- not judge Mrs. Costello feels very strongly about the Americans in a negative way. She refuses to be introduced to Dais y 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 Winterbournes 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 unremarkably the ones that can afford to travel are rich, they can only copy what America is by what they have seen.