Graves 1

Mike Graves

Mr. Kolman

AP English Period 2

01 October, 2009

Three-Dimensional Words

The subtle undertones an author uses can be the most

interesting part of a book. The second time a book is read, many

details one has not noticed before tends to surface. Authors use

concrete details which provide an alternative to using the

narrator’s voice allowing the reader to infer details about

situations or characters. Concrete detail is used in Daisy

Miller and Roman Fever to give a further depth of detail and to

force the reader to think and analyze facts rather than simply be

spoon-fed everything by the narrator.

The patterns of imagery in Roman Fever, and Daisy Miller

allow the reader to interpret many subtle details. The imagery

found in these works draw out the setting and situation in an

interesting way. Roman Fever by Edith Wharton presents two women

full of jealousy, hate, and revenge for a past event. After Mrs.

Ansley reveals to Mrs. Slade that she cared for the memory of

“the letter”, “Mrs. Slade continued to look down on her. She

[Mrs. Ansley] seemed physically reduced by the blow—as if, when

she got up, the wind might scatter her like a puff of dust”

(Wharton 70). Wharton uses imagery of dust being empty and light
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to describe how Mrs. Ansley felt. Another moment where imagery

describes the mood is when Mrs. Ansley agreed that she married

early to irritate Mrs. Slade which was not truly the case. After

this conversation, the area surrounding the women is described,

“The clear heaven overhead was emptied of all its gold. Dusk

spread over it, abruptly darkening the Seven Hills. . . A stout

lady in a dustcoat suddenly appeared, asking in broken Italian if

anyone had seen the elastic band which held together her tattered

Baedeker” (Wharton 71). The reader infers that the heavens

losing their gold, and the darkening Seven Hills of Rome

symbolize that Mrs. Ansley had lost something more than a memory.

The tourist not being able to find her band that holds her guide

book together represents how these women are now torn apart. The

reckless emotions Mrs. Ansley is feeling is questionable when

first read, but once the truth of Barbra is exposed the immense

pain that Mrs. Ansley is feeling makes complete sense. Wharton’s

use of imagery to describe the surroundings of the women shows

their emotions in the atmosphere of the story. Henry James uses

imagery in Daisy Miller to describe characters and foreshadow

events. For example, Daisy Miller’s first appearance in the book

describes her as being, “dressed in white muslin, with a hundred

frills and flounces, and knots of pale-coloured ribbon. She was

bare-headed; but she balanced in her hand a large parasol with a

deep border of embroidery; and she was strikingly, admirably

pretty. 'How pretty they are!’“ (James 51). The description of

Daisy screams innocence to the reader and throughout the book

Daisy is described as just that. Another instance where imagery

is used is when Daisy sees Winterbourne at the Collosseum and

remarks, “Well, he looks at us as one of the old lions or tigers

may have looked at the Christian martyrs!” (James 110). This

foreshadows Daisy’s death because sacrifices were held at the

Collosseum many centuries ago. The use of imagery in these two

stories force the reader to make his or her own interpretations

rather than the narrator feeding it to them directly.

Mrs. Costello, Winterbourne’s Aunt and Mrs. Miller, Daisy’s

mother are two completely different women. These women’s

attributes are expressed primarily for the representation of the

two different sides of social classes. Mrs. Costello is a snobby,

high-class, and shallow woman who symbolizes the higher class in

society. James expresses her physical appearance as having “a

long, pale face, a high nose, and a great deal of very striking

white hair, which she wore in large puffs and rouleaux over the

top of her head” (James 61). The description makes her seem like

an old, rich, self-centered woman, which is exactly what James

wants the reader to infer. The narrator describes how

Winterbourne felt, “quite ready to sacrifice his aunt,

conversationally; to admit that she was a proud, rude woman, and

to declare that they needn't mind her” (James 67). Mrs.

Costello’s own nephew thinks of her as a conceded woman. Mrs.

Miller, on the other hand, is a weak, hopeless, and easy to

manage pushover who does not seem to have control over anything.

She is described as “a small, spare, light person, with a

wandering eye, a very exiguous nose, and a large forehead,

decorated with a certain amount of thin, much frizzled hair”

(James 68). Mrs. Miller wears her daughter’s clothes, mopes

around, complains about her illness, and rudely belches out loud.

She is the perfect stereotype for a low class woman. When

Winterbourne proposed the excursion he “took for granted that she

[Mrs. Miller] deeply disapproved of the projected excursion; but

he said to himself that she was a simple, easily managed person,

and that a few deferential protestations would take the edge from

her displeasure” (James 70). Like Mrs. Costello’s high class,

Mrs. Miller’s low class is transparent to the public. Both Mrs.

Costello and Mrs. Miller have children reflecting who they are.

Mrs. Costello “had two sons married in New York and another who

was now in Europe” (James 61). Mrs. Costello understands how to

properly raise children while Mrs. Miller cannot handle her

children to the least bit. Mrs. Millers children have major

issues like Daisy presenting herself in a vulgar manner and her

son not going to bed when directed to. For example, Daisy notes

to Winterbourne, “she doesn't like to go to bed . . . She doesn't

sleep--not three hours. She says she doesn't know how she lives.
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She's dreadfully nervous. I guess she sleeps more than she

thinks. She's gone somewhere after Randolph; she wants to try to

get him to go to bed. He doesn't like to go to bed” (James 65).

Mrs. Miller cannot properly handle her kids or herself. Mrs.

Costello’s and Mrs. Miller’s appearance and personalities are the

complete opposite making them perfect candidates to contrast and

represent the different levels of social class.

Minor characters are just as important as main characters in

any story because they pave the path the main characters walk on.

The minor characters Eugenio and Giovanelli are both described

and characterized using concrete detail. Eugenio is described as

“A tall, handsome man, with superb whiskers, wearing a velvet

morning coat and a brilliant watch chain” (James 60). Eugenio is

a very proud man and thinks of himself above the Millers. He

dresses with all the necessities to present himself as a

respected gentleman. His character is down-to-earth and he floats

through the story fulfilling his duty to the Millers while

exposing how mediocre the family truly is. Giovanelli is a

gentleman who spends time with Daisy but only for the hope to

someday use her. Giovanelli is described as having “a brilliant

smile [and], an intelligent eye” (James 89). The narrator

releases more info about Giovanelli during one of the parties

adding “He smiled and bowed and showed his white teeth; he curled

his mustaches and rolled his eyes and performed all the proper
 Graves 6

functions of a handsome Italian at an evening party” (James 98).

Giovanelli is described as this perfect Italian gentleman but

something is never quite right about his character. Winterbourne

knows this and expresses it by claiming, “He [Mr. Giovanni] has

nothing but his handsome face to offer, and there is a

substantial Mr. Miller in that mysterious land of dollars” (James

104). James uses concrete details to show how Giovanni is too

perfect to be real. The use of concrete detail plays a

significant role in the developing personalities of these minor

characters or foreshadowing upcoming events.

Concrete detail in literature is what gives a story its

color and depth. The patterns of imagery in Roman Fever and

Daisy Miller serve the purpose to help the reader see small

details in the story. The use of concrete detail of individual

character’s in both stories help foreshadow and describe who the

character’s truly are or exposes their intentions. Concrete

detail provides an alternative way for details to be expressed to

the reader allowing him or her to infer underlying events in the

story.