Novella: Daisy Miller

Intro
"Daisy Miller" is a novella composed by Henry James, released in 1878. The novella explores the intricacies of social conventions during the late 19th century and tells the story of a young, independent American girl named Daisy Miller who defies the expectations of European upper class.

Setting and Plot
The novella is embeded in the late 19th century in Switzerland and Italy, and informs the story of an American lady, Daisy Miller, and her mom, Mrs. Miller. They are investing their time in Europe and encounter Winterbourne, an American expatriate residing in Geneva who becomes infatuated with Daisy.

The story begins with Winterbourne, visiting his auntie, Mrs. Costello, in the Swiss resort town of Vevey. While walking in the hotel garden, he fulfills a captivating and non-traditional girl, Daisy Miller, along with her young bro, Randolph. Winterbourne is right away fascinated by Daisy's unusual behavior. She is sincere, open, and carefree-- qualities that are not valued by the Europeans.

The plot unfolds as Winterbourne tries to figure out whether Daisy is an innocent girl or if she is deliberately flouting social conventions. His confusion deepens when he sees Daisy strolling with a good-looking young man, Mr. Giovanelli, and ends up being worried that Daisy is becoming too included with him.

Daisy's Rejection of Social Conventions
Daisy's actions and behavior represent a strong difficulty to the norms of European society, as she freely defies its rigorous social codes. She is frequently seen alone with boys, which is considered scandalous. This neglect for social conventions earns her displeasure from high society, particularly from Winterbourne's auntie, Mrs. Costello.

In spite of cautions from Winterbourne and others about the possible effects of her habits, Daisy stays shockingly indifferent. Her open displays of love towards Mr. Giovanelli make her social standing plummet, however she continues to rebel against what is anticipated of her.

Winterbourne's Inner Turmoil
Winterbourne's character is constantly torn in between his tourist attraction to Daisy and his adherence to the social expectations of the time. He is mesmerized by Daisy and her boldness but worries for her track record and the prospective damage it could cause to them both. Regardless of his issues, Winterbourne is unable to distance himself from her and invests much of the book helplessly observing her from afar.

Winterbourne's sensations for Daisy end up being much more inconsistent when he sees her with Mr. Giovanelli at the Colosseum late during the night, which leads him to think that Daisy is having an affair. This discovery stress Winterbourne's feelings even more and he ends up being worried about how he will be perceived if he continues to connect with Daisy.

Awful Climax and Conclusion
Daisy's constant flouting of social norms eventually results in disaster when she contracts malaria throughout her nighttime check out to the Roman Colosseum with Mr. Giovanelli. Despite the efforts of physicians, Daisy dies from the disease.

Winterbourne, who stays taken with Daisy, is once again torn between his affection for her and the scandal that continues to surround her habits. Daisy's death ends up being a turning point for Winterbourne as it requires him to recognize his own failure to break free from his suffocating cultural expectations.

In the end, "Daisy Miller" functions as a powerful examination of the complex interaction between social restrictions, personal freedom, and the consequences of challenging the status quo. Daisy's unforeseen death serves as a tip of the high price one might pay for defying social expectations, leaving a lasting influence on Winterbourne and the readers alike.