Literary Characters in Desperate Need of Love Advice

I would like to commemorate the classic American novelist Henry James who wrote his novels in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries.  The main themes that James explored were social class and culture conflicts and women’s liberation issues, such as the anguish of male parental dominance and women's betrayal by other women. The three books that I have read by Henry James are Daisy Miller, Washington Square, and Portrait of a Lady.  The judgment of their characters is heavily affected by social expectations. The characters are victimized by parental dominance and friends of questionable character.  Will these characters be able to overcome these psychological influences, or will they forever be sadly affected by not overcoming them?   

I took the liberty of writing what I imagine the characters would write to a love advice columnist about the harrowing decisions that they need to make.  What advice would you give to each of these characters?  

[Transcriptions of these handwritten notes can be found at the bottom of the page]

Read these three absorbing novels and watch the movie adaptations to learn if these characters followed your needed advice!

Daisy Miller

Washington Square

Portrait of A Lady

Daisy Miller

The Heiress

The Henry James Collection

Transcriptions

Dear __________,

My name is Frederick Winterbourne, and I am an American expatriate who resides in Europe. I am becoming acquainted with an American young lady by the name of Daisy Miller whom I met through her younger brother Randolph in the tourist town of Geneva, Switzerland.  I am dazzled by her beauty and seemingly naïve charm, but I honestly do not know what to think of her.  She has agreed to accompany me unchaperoned on a tour to a Swiss castle, and this type of consent seems questionable to me.  I wanted to introduce her to my aunt, but my aunt is convinced that Daisy and her nouveau riche family are common.  She is not even open to meeting Daisy.  Daisy’s family is going to Rome, and she invited me to accompany her family to Rome as her brother’s tutor.  I have agreed to visit Daisy in Rome during the winter despite my reservations about her character. Should I listen to my aunt and not pursue any type of relationship with Daisy, or give Daisy the benefit of the doubt?     Sincerely, F.W.

Dear __________,

My name is Catherine Sloper, and I live in a distinguished neighborhood called Washington Square in New York City with my father who is a respected physician.  I recently attended my cousin’s engagement party, and my cousin introduced me to an extraordinarily handsome man by the name of Morris Townsend.  I was overwhelmingly surprised at the attention that this incredibly handsome man has shown me.  I have never before received this type of attention from a man like Morris or any man for that matter.  My father was skeptical of Morris’s attention to me, so he invited him to dinner at our house.  Morris unfortunately did not pass my Father’s litmus test, so he is demanding that I never again see Morris.  My father has always subtly reminded me that I did not inherit my late mother’s beauty, and he is convinced that Morris is only interested in my inheritance.  I am adamant about marrying Morris despite my father’s threat to disinherit me.  Am I wrong in defying my father and taking advantage of my only chance of happiness, or consider that my father's perceptions about Morris may be correct?     With warm regards, Catherine

Dear __________,

My name is Isabel Archer, and I am the lady in A Portrait of a Lady. I originally lived in Albany, New York.  My aunt Lydia Touchett invited me to stay with her in her English country estate and eventually travel with her to different European countries. My uncle has recently died, and my cousin Ralph persuaded him on his deathbed to leave me a prodigious amount of money.  I received two marriage proposals, but I declined both of them.  I was not ready for marriage ties but was looking forward to exciting life experiences such as traveling throughout the continent.  I nevertheless have met a mesmerizing man by the name of Gilbert Osmond in my aunt Lydia’s home in Florence Italy.  Aunt Lydia’s and my dear friend Madamn Merle introduced us.  He has such an artistic mind, and his magnetic charm draws me. I am beginning to think that my grand talk of valuing my freedom has been a matter of not finding the right man.  Have I found the right man, or should I decline his possible proposal as I did the other two suitors?     Yours very respectfully, Isabel A.