Appearance
Excerpt
Excerpt from Henry James, Jr., by William Dean Howells
But that artistic impartiality which puzzled so many in the treatment
of Daisy Miller is one of the qualities most valuable in the eyes of
those who care how things are done, and I am not sure that it is not
Mr. James's most characteristic quality. As "frost performs the effect
of fire," this impartiality comes at last to the same result as
sympathy. We may be quite sure that Mr. James does not like the
peculiar phase of our civilization typified in Henrietta Stackpole; but
he treats her with such exquisite justice that he lets US like her. It
is an extreme case, but I confidently allege it in proof.
His impartiality is part of the reserve with which he works in most
respects, and which at first glance makes us say that he is wanting in
humor. But I feel pretty certain that Mr. James has not been able to
disinherit himself to this degree. We Americans are terribly in
earnest about making ourselves, individually and collectively; but I
fancy that our prevailing mood in the face of all problems is that of
an abiding faith which can afford to be funny. He has himself
indicated that we have, as a nation, as a people, our joke, and every
one of us is in the joke more or less. We may, some of us, dislike it
extremely, disapprove it wholly, and even abhor it, but we are in the
joke all the same, and no one of us is safe from becoming the great
American humorist at any given moment. The danger is not apparent in
Mr. James's case, and I confess that I read him with a relief in the
comparative immunity that he affords from the national facetiousness.
Many of his people are humorously imagined, or rather humorously SEEN,
like Daisy Miller's mother, but these do not give a dominant color; the
business in hand is commonly serious, and the droll people are
subordinated. They abound, nevertheless, and many of them are
perfectly new finds, like Mr. Tristram in "The American," the
bill-paying father in the "Pension Beaurepas," the anxiously
Europeanizing mother in the same story, the amusing little Madame de
Belgarde, Henrietta Stackpole, and even Newman himself. But though Mr.
James portrays the humorous in character, he is decidedly not on
humorous terms with his reader; he ignores rather than recognizes the
fact that they are both in the joke.
If we take him at all we must take him on his own ground, for clearly
he will not come to ours. We must make concessions to him, not in this
respect only, but in several others, chief among which is the motive
for reading fiction. By example, at least, he teaches that it is the
pursuit and not the end which should give us pleasure; for he often
prefers to leave us to our own conjectures in regard to the fate of the
people in whom he has interested us. There is no question, of course,
but he could tell the story of Isabel in "The Portrait of a Lady" to
the end, yet he does not tell it. We must agree, then, to take what
seems a fragment instead of a whole, and to find, when we can, a name
for this new kind in fiction. Evidently it is the character, not the
fate, of his people which occupies him; when he has fully developed
their character he leaves them to what destiny the reader pleases.
Explanation
William Dean Howells’s excerpt from his essay "Henry James, Jr." (1882) is a critical appreciation of James’s literary style, particularly his artistic impartiality, reserve, and unconventional approach to narrative closure. Howells, a realist novelist and close friend of James, engages with the distinctive qualities that set James apart from his contemporaries—especially in contrast to the more overtly moralistic or humorous American literary traditions. Below is a detailed breakdown of the passage, focusing on its textual nuances, themes, and literary significance.
1. Context and Purpose
Howells wrote this essay as part of a broader defense and analysis of James’s early works, including Daisy Miller (1878), The American (1877), and The Portrait of a Lady (1881). At the time, James was still establishing his reputation, and his detached, psychologically complex style puzzled many readers accustomed to the moral clarity of writers like Nathaniel Hawthorne or the social satire of Mark Twain. Howells, a champion of literary realism, seeks to justify James’s methods by framing them as a deliberate artistic choice rather than a flaw.
2. Key Themes in the Excerpt
A. Artistic Impartiality as a Virtue
Howells opens by praising James’s "artistic impartiality"—his refusal to judge his characters overtly or impose a moral framework on their actions. This is illustrated through two examples:
- Daisy Miller: James’s portrayal of the eponymous heroine, a young American woman whose flirtatious behavior in European high society leads to her social ruin, was controversial. Many readers expected James to condemn Daisy’s "impropriety" or celebrate her defiance, but he instead presents her with neutral precision, leaving interpretation to the reader. Howells argues that this impartiality "comes at last to the same result as sympathy"—by not dictating how to feel, James allows readers to engage more deeply with the character.
- Henrietta Stackpole (The Portrait of a Lady): A brash, independent American journalist, Henrietta embodies traits James might personally dislike (her lack of subtlety, her cultural insensitivity), yet he renders her with such "exquisite justice" that readers grow fond of her. Howells uses this to demonstrate that James’s objectivity paradoxically fosters empathy.
Literary Device: Paradox ("frost performs the effect of fire")—Howells suggests that James’s cold detachment ironically warms the reader to his characters.
B. Reserve and the Absence of Overt Humor
Howells addresses the criticism that James lacks humor, attributing this perception to his reserved style. He contrasts James with the "national facetiousness" of American literature, where humor often arises from a shared cultural joke (e.g., Twain’s satire of American innocence). James, however, subordinates humor to seriousness:
- His characters (e.g., Daisy Miller’s mother, Mr. Tristram in The American) are "humorously seen" but not humorously treated. James observes their quirks without winking at the reader, maintaining a distance that Howells finds refreshing.
- Howells admits relief in James’s "comparative immunity" from the pressure to be funny—a nod to the expectation that American writers should entertain through humor (a trait tied to the nation’s self-deprecating, democratic ethos).
Literary Device: Metaphor ("we are in the joke more or less")—Howells frames American identity as a collective comedic performance, from which James deliberately abstains.
C. The Reader’s Concessions: Narrative Fragmentation
Howells acknowledges that James demands adjustments from his readers, particularly in:
- Motive for Reading Fiction: James prioritizes character over plot, often leaving fates ambiguous (e.g., Isabel Archer’s ending in The Portrait of a Lady). Howells defends this as a focus on "the pursuit, not the end"—the pleasure lies in psychological exploration, not resolution.
- A New Kind of Fiction: Howells struggles to name this approach (later critics would call it psychological realism or modernist indeterminacy), but he recognizes its novelty. James’s "fragmentary" narratives force readers to participate actively in interpreting characters’ lives.
Literary Device: Synecdoche ("the character, not the fate")—Howells reduces James’s entire project to its core: the prioritization of inner life over external events.
3. Literary Devices and Stylistic Choices
| Device | Example | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Paradox | "Frost performs the effect of fire" | Highlights the counterintuitive power of James’s detachment. |
| Metaphor | "We are in the joke more or less" | Captures the inescapable, communal nature of American humor. |
| Irony | James’s "reserve" is misread as humorlessness, but it’s a deliberate choice. | Underscores the gap between appearance and intent in James’s work. |
| Allusion | References to Daisy Miller, The American, Portrait of a Lady | Grounds the analysis in specific texts, inviting readers to revisit them. |
| Concession & Refutation | "We must agree... to take what seems a fragment" | Acknowledges reader resistance while advocating for James’s methods. |
4. Significance of the Passage
A. Defending Literary Modernism
Howells’s essay is an early manifestation of the shift from realist to modernist sensibilities. By arguing that fiction need not provide moral closure or comedic relief, he paves the way for later writers (e.g., Woolf, Faulkner) who prioritize ambiguity and psychological depth.
B. American vs. European Literary Values
Howells contrasts James’s cosmopolitan reserve with the "terribly in earnest" American literary tradition. While American writers often used humor or didacticism to shape national identity, James’s detached, European-influenced style challenged these norms. Howells suggests that James’s impartiality is a corrective to American sentimentalism.
C. The Role of the Reader
The excerpt emphasizes reader agency. James’s refusal to spell out meanings or fates forces readers to engage critically—a radical idea in an era when fiction was often consumed passively. Howells’s defense of this approach anticipates reader-response theory (e.g., Iser, Fish).
5. Close Reading of Key Lines
"We may be quite sure that Mr. James does not like the peculiar phase of our civilization typified in Henrietta Stackpole; but he treats her with such exquisite justice that he lets US like her."
- Implication: James’s artistry lies in his ability to separate personal judgment from artistic representation. The "exquisite justice" is both a moral and aesthetic term—it suggests fairness in portrayal and beauty in execution.
"The business in hand is commonly serious, and the droll people are subordinated."
- Implication: Humor in James is incidental, never the focus. His seriousness is not grim but purposeful, elevating character study over comedic effect.
"We must agree, then, to take what seems a fragment instead of a whole."
- Implication: Howells prepares readers for the modernist fragment, where completeness is an illusion. James’s narratives mimic life’s unresolved complexities.
6. Connection to Broader Literary Movements
- Realism: Howells, a realist, admires James’s attention to detail but notes his departure from realist conventions (e.g., omniscience, moral clarity).
- Modernism: James’s fragmentation and psychological focus foreshadow modernist techniques (e.g., stream of consciousness).
- Transatlantic Literature: The tension between American earnestness and European reserve reflects the cultural exchange defining 19th-century literature.
7. Why This Matters Today
Howells’s analysis remains relevant because it grapples with timeless questions:
- Should art provide answers or ask questions?
- Can detachment foster deeper empathy than overt sentimentality?
- How much should readers adapt to an author’s vision rather than demand familiarity?
James’s impartiality, as Howells frames it, is a model for ethical storytelling—one that respects the complexity of human nature without reducing it to simplistic judgments. In an era of polarized narratives, this approach feels newly urgent.