Daisy Miller's Essay

Is Daisy Miller's innocence and naïveté an excuse for her odd behavior in the mid-1800's?

Innocence is considered as a state of ignorance and an immature quality that could be a

significant aspect of childhood. In Henry James story " Daisy Miller",the author expresses to his

readers how Daisy appeared immoral and childish by not behaving as Europeanized Americans

in the mid-1800's. She was innocent, uncultivated, and incautious, but to the Europeans who met

her, she was a disgrace to all women because she refused to change her natural ways to please a

culture to which she did not belong. She was aware of the rules' violations that would damage

her reputation, but she rejected the European social standards, and lived her life to the fullest. So,

the Europeans considered her as breaking the laws of the society. Although she looked innocent,

naive, and fool of life, she ignored the consequences that led to her the expulsion from the

society and to the punishment.

Throughout the story, Daisy experienced some adventures that result to an expulsion and

rejection from the European society. During her stay in Europe, she traveled all over town, all

hours of the night, with new, strange men, unaccompanied. Daisy openly portrayed her affection

toward a man who she was obviously crazy for, Mr. Giovanelli. The instant that she met

Winterbourne, she agreed to a night out with him. She did not know a thing about him, but just

wanted to have some fun, as normal people did. As she to Winterbourne, "I'm a fearful, frightful

flirt!" (James p.45). She met all kinds of men, and pranced around in

public for all to see and talk about.

At many times, Daisy was questioned on why she did these things with men. People around

her told her that she was making a fool out of herself. Basically, they told her she was making

herself out to be a bad girl. As Mrs Costello said, "She goes on from day to day, from hour to

hour,