Port Versus Daisy: Similar Fates, Different Reasons

Main Characters, No Longer With Us
“Port's death from typhoid may be in the tradition of Daisy Miller's succumbing to Roman Fever and the perils of European civilization, but Bowles goes beyond this metaphor for transcultural dangers to suggest that Port died not from the terrors of an unknown society, but from an incapacity to accept the terrors of existence itself.” –Burton Kendle

In Burton Kendle’s article “Paul Bowles: Overview”, he makes an interesting comparison between Port’s death in The Sheltering Sky and Daisy’s death in Daisy Miller. There are not many obvious traits that these two characters share other than both being Americans in foreign lands. Daisy Miller is a young, impulsive girl who doesn’t care to follow the rules of the place she is visiting. She epitomizes the idea of a tourist who expects a foreign place to be an extension of their home. Port on the other hand is well traveled, respects the cultures he visits, he is a traveler. Port does not really belong specifically to America as Daisy does. He is a citizen of the world. Their choices in destinations, Europe versus North Africa, further emphasize how different these characters are.

While there are inherent differences between Port and Daisy, the both die while traveling, indicating that there must be some similarity to them. Kendle asserts that Port was aware of the terrors of the society he was surrounded by. I think that while Port is certainly a more worldly traveler than Daisy, the fact that he is unaccustomed to the culture around him contributes to his death in some way. I would say that Port’s main downfall is his inability to connect with the world and the people around him. He spends time wanting to be alone, free of any responsibilities, which leads him to the ultimate aloneness of death.

Kendle notes that Port’s death can also be contributed to the terrors of life. I absolutely agree with this statement. Daisy Miller seemed blissfully unaware of the dangers of the world, and I think that Port has a better understanding of these dangers; he just is not able to avoid them. One of the novel’s first major plot points finds Port running from an angry mob of men after his encounter with the prostitute. He seems to find trouble wherever he goes, which makes it easier for the reader to accept his death, it seems like a natural progression for his character.