The Affect of Society and Culture on Winterbourne

In Europe, Winterbourne, has languished within an un-fulfilling and far from illustrious lifestyle. He has become dull in his European ways and less and less American in his views and actions. When he meets Daisy, a pretty American girl, he realizes she is unaffected by the beliefs of European society. Where as most European girls would not chat easily with a single man, Daisy thinks nothing of it. Her “daisy-like” attribute and flirtatious ways are evident throughout the novella. “‘I have always had,’ she said, ‘a great deal of gentlemen’s society. (Winterbourne) had never yet heard a young girl express herself in just this fashion; never, at least, save in cases where to say such thing seemed a kind

respect”(p 111). Winterbourne’s rigidity and his cold treatment of Daisy upset her, eliciting her statement “‘ I don’t care if I have Roman fever or not’”(p 113). Daisy realizes that Winterbourne, one of the only people that still somewhat accepted her, changed his views and agreed with society. After this aristocrats continued to gossip about Daisy, but Winterbourne no longer defended her as he once had. Soon after Daisy died of malaria. Before her death, she sent a message to Winterbourne explaining she was not engaged and had no intimate attachment to Giovanelli. Winterbourne then realizes the injustice he cause her at the time of her death. He then understood that Daisy was innocent all along. Winterbourne comes to the conclusion that his aunt was right when she said he would be booked to make a mistake regarding Daisy. He stated that “‘ he had lived too long in foreign parts’”(p 116), and was influenced by conservative European social standards. As a result, he was unable to appreciate Daisy’s free spirit and turned his back on her as others had.

To conclude, Winterbourne, born in the United States, has lived in Europe for a long time and as a result, ignores his feelings and disregards his true identity to be accepted within the European society. He gives up his voice and gives into the opinions of

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