Individual vs. Society in Daisy Miller and Old Woman Magoun :: comparison compare contrast essays

Individual vs. Society in Daisy Miller and Old charwoman   Henry James Daisy Miller, A try out and Mary Wilkins freemans Old cleaning woman Magoun contain virtuously ambiguous competitivenesss between individualists and monastic order. Both of these short stories atomic number 18 tales in which vigorous, individual women directly conflict with their respective devastating male societies, attempting to uphold naturalness while flouting societal rules and expectations. Freeman and James both construct strong female individuals in different guises. Freemans Old Woman Magoun is old, wise, and practiced in the art cooking and child-rearing, embracing a handed-d bear feminine role and draught power from it. She practises this art because it is her right, and, passive-aggressively, she uses her cooking wisdom to kill Lily, removing innocence from the world. Quite on the other side of the spectrum we make up James Daisy young, innocent, practised alone in the art of fli rting, yet drawing her powerful independence from the practise of this non-traditional feminine art. She is allowed to practise her art, but only for a while. Daisy dies of an attack of Roman Fever contracted at the Colosseum more symbolically, her innocence is lost from corporation when her character is crucified on a finicky of social propriety. Men and mens desires represent societal aims in both stories. Freemans men are Nelson Barry and Jim Willis, both are members of old, highly placed, degenerate (179) American families. Their goal is to steal Lily from Old Woman Magoun and force her into a traditional societal role to satisfy their own ends, no matter that this will destroy Lilys innocence. Barry desires to have that daughter (184) for financial quilt Willis desires her for more traditional domestic comfort. James embodies society in Mr. Winterbourne, a socially accepted young American who has lived in addition long in foreign parts (492). Winterbourne desires for Dai sy to enter into and conform with society to satisfy his own ends, as well. He desires mental and emotional comfort to judge her eccentricities (486) innocent, and that she would flirt with me, and me only (482). Each individuals conflict with society is resolved in different ways and in hard lights. Magoun directly flouts societys rules by committing infanticide, effectively removing purity from the destructive intents of male society. Yet her actions pose a question of morality to Freemans audience. Was Lilys death justified? Meanwhile, the men are left wing comfortless and alone. Magoun, however, is also comfortless and alone, depriving herself of Lilys innocence to save it.