She's Not That Innocent

Daisy Miller
After I finished reading “Daisy Miller” by Henry James, I was, and still am, left with a few impressions of the story and its relation to travel. First of all, my interest was immediately piqued by the quaint and thoroughly European town of Vevey, Switzerland and was sorry I didn’t know more about Geneva. I also really wanted to know more French and more about French culture besides the word “cheese omelet” (thank you Dexter’s Lab), and lacey white parasols.
However, after all of that superficial stuff was through, I began to go deeper. In particular, I looked into Winterbourne’s eternal defense of Daisy and her proclamation of “innocence”. Now, I understand she was an American on tour in Europe, but does that really give her the excuse of “innocence” and social 'untouchability'? Just because she is away from home, does that really let her be immune to the social norms of another country? In my opinion, Daisy should have had more of a certain respect for the rules of society her new country, especially since her family had intentions of residing there. I do however, applaud her bravery and rebellion from the watchful eyes of the elder Europeans and their scrutinization. I don’t think she was “innocent” though. She knew she was gallivanting around with different boys and that others were watching. She knew because Winterbourne, for one, told her numerous times. Yet, she kept doing it. I suppose there is a degree of naivety to it, particularly on the onset, but after a while I felt like she would have caught on.
Additionally, another point is brought up. One characteristic feature of Daisy was the fact that she was a foreigner, specifically a “common” New Yorker. Now, from personal experience in defense of Daisy, when I traveled to the United Kingdom two years ago, I admit it was fun to play underneath the alluring title of being an “American”. Being miles away from home, I could laugh a little louder and chatter a little too much, and thus fascinate others with my accent, or lack thereof, and sparkling American humor. But those are just little things, hardly with the intention of impropriety. And though Daisy’s ways may have seemed simple enough, I still feel like she would have picked up on the social laws governing her surroundings. Isn’t it natural to adopt the views of your environment, whether right or wrong, traveler or tourist?
All in all, Daisy’s “innocence” might have been a personal choice and thus self-imposed in rebellion, but I don’t think it should have been used as the excuse of a foreigner.
Daisy’s innocence is also referenced in this article: http://ezproxy.library.nyu.edu:15610/ps/i.do?action=interpret&id=GALE%7C...