The Heroine Is Very Normal And Real By Henry James Essay

The story told in Washington Square can be described as a not-so-typical one. The heroines of most stories are usually a spectacular, unimaginably beautiful and intelligent, causing all the men to chase after them. But in the book, the heroine is very normal and â€Å"real†, some might even say boring. This contributes to why this kind of writing is defined as realism. The author, Henry James seeks to portray the characteristics of this story as one that could happen in the specific era that he wrote it. Despite the fact that the story is written in the style of realism, it still manages not to be dull. The various aspects of each character were thought out impeccably, in order to match the direction of the story. It was as if each character had two faces; one for the public and the other true face that they came to reveal towards the course of the book. The main character’s realization of her true nature and of the true nature of those around her was the main focus of the story. The author was able to take the reader along on Catherine’s journey by using diction, imagery and sinking into the innermost consciousness of each character. Henry James was born in New York City, which can explain his familiarity with the particular society in Washington Square. He led a vastly intellectual childhood considering the fact that his father was a philosopher who believed in educating his children efficiently (Haralson Johnson, p.4). Spending most of his life abroad, Henry was able toShow MoreRelatedThe Picture of Dorian Gray and the Turn of the Screw in the Gothic Genre4189 Words   |  17 PagesOscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Gray and Henry James The Turn Of the Screw are key examples of the way in which gothic texts use and adapt the conventions of the genre. These changes occur due to the authors own personal context and values. The inexorable link between text, context and values is expressed through the way in which both authors choose to m anipulate, redefine and introduce new conventions to the gothic. Oscar Wildes first and only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, was writtenRead MoreJane Austen s Northanger Abbey1920 Words   |  8 Pagesfrom the unorthodox â€Å"heroine† that she is initially described as. In the novel, Catherine starts out as an incredibly naà ¯ve and inexperienced girl who confuses all facets of the real world as the plot in a Gothic novel. Catherine develops as a character through her social interactions with those around her as it helps her gain experience with how to correctly perceive the world. With her newly gained experience of her surroundings, Catherine develops and is able to see the real world through a socialRead MorePsychosexual Problem of Governess in â€Å"the Turn of the Screw†Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬1910 Words   |  8 PagesPsychosexual problem of governess in â€Å"The Turn of the Screw†Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬ The Turn of the screw by Henry James is regarded as one of the most fascinating psychological thrillers of all time. Published in the late nineteenth century, this novella sets up a narrative story of a young lady who appears to have seen the ghost of the former dead employers of the place where she was working. In this novella Henry James combined drama, suspense, and mystery to make it one of the most preferred stories among theRead MoreFeminism in Northanger Abbey and Persuasion by Jane Austen1940 Words   |  8 Pagesbeen individuals with equal creative and intellectual capacities to that of men’s since they were born. As it is written at the very beginning of the novel, where the author shows Catherine’s individuality by depicting the main character as anything but a heroine, ‘No one who had ever seen Catherine Morland in her infancy, would have supposed her born to be an heroine. (Austen, Jane, Northanger Abbey (1817), ed. Susan Fraiman, a Norton C ritical Edition (New York and London: Norton, 2004), pageRead More A Nineteenth Century Ghost Story in The Turn of The Screw by Henry James5496 Words   |  22 PagesA Nineteenth Century Ghost Story in The Turn of The Screw by Henry James The Turn of The Screw is a classic Gothic ghost novella with a wicket twist set in a grand old house at Bly. The story is ambiguous; we never fully know whether the apparitions exist or not and we are left with many more questions than answers. The Governess is left in charge of two young children, Miles and Flora, of whom she later becomes obsessed with, describing them as angelic. She hasRead More Homosexuality in the Works of Oscar Wilde Essay3123 Words   |  13 Pages     Ã‚  Ã‚   I turned half way around and saw Dorian Gray for the first time. I knew that I had come face to face with someone whose mere personality was so fascinating that, if I allowed it to do so, it would absorb my whole nature, my whole soul, my very art itself (7). During the Victorian era, this was a dangerous quote. The Victorian era was about progress. It was an attempt aimed at cleaning up the society and setting a moral standard. The Victorian era was a time of relative peace and economicRead MoreVictorian Novel9605 Words   |  39 Pagesanxieties of British conflicts around the world. Novels were full of overseas adventures, religious beliefs, doubts and a danger of psychic possession by the evil stranger Henry James, who spoke for the future changes in the novel, claimed that fiction would be always the same, described either by the means of imagination or real world. He emphasized the role of creativity in the process of producing novels. In contrast, Walter Besant stood for simplicity in the mentioned art that could not pass theRead More Structure and Characterization in Sense and Sensibility Essay3986 Words   |  16 Pagesinfluence of the novels. It was not until the middle of the nineteenth century that this attitude regarding fiction began to change. Due to this bias as well as the anonymity that Jane Austen sought by not putting her own name on her novels, there were very few critical reviews made of her work until the mid-1800s. Many early reviewers of Austens work were uncomplimentary. Among them were writers considered to be literary greats, such as Wordsworth and Mark Twain. Though Wordsworth conceded thatRead MoreRacism in Disney Movies Essay5488 Words   |  22 Pagesit is especially racist that Dumbo, who is seen as different and even freakish would be associated with Africa (Lugo-Lugo 167). Because Dumbo is different from everyone else, he is ridiculed for it. Just because his ears are bigger than those of a normal elephant, he is ostracized from the rest of the group. He only has one friend (Timothy Mouse), who ironically is also socially shunned because elephants are generally supposed to be scared of mice. This could be seen as another form of racism whereRead MoreFeminine Mystique12173 Words   |  49 Pagesdid these women feel about themselves and their contributions? What did society as a whole think? 3) What role did mass media play during the 1950s and 1960s in regard to supporting or undermining the â€Å"feminine mystique†? 4) Which television heroine -- Alice, Lucy, or Miss Brooks -- came the closest to TRULY overcoming the feminine mystique, and elaborate on that heroine’s situation and relationship to the men in her life. It was 1957. Betty Friedan was not just complaining; she was angry for