AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By SISWANTO
Student Number: 044214031
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
SELF-ACTUALIZATION IN THE CHARACTER OF
DAISY MILLER IN HENRY JAMES’
DAISY MILLER
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By SISWANTO
Student Number: 044214031
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
supported me during the writing of my thesis. Above all else, I give my countless gratitude to God who has blessed me with strength and guidance in life especially in finishing this thesis.
I would like to thank Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka M. Hum., my thesis advisor for his patience and guidance in writing this thesis. The same gratitude goes to my Co-advisor, Dra. Theresia Enny Anggraini M.A. who has given me encouragement by giving correction and advice, and all lecturers and The Department of English Letters Staff for being helpful in the process of my study.
I also want to send millions of thanks and gratitude to my beloved Simbok and Bapak. I am extremely blessed of having such wonderful parents who always stand behind me to support me every time. I also want to thank my elder brother Mintarto and youngest brother Triyanto.
Thanks to all of my friends in Sanata Dharma University for their kindness for supporting me to finish my study in Sanata Dharma University. My specials thanks go to Jati (mo smpe kpn, bro?!), Soni (jgn lp plg, Sonn!!!) and Mbak Anie (Don’t give up!!!).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ………...………. iv
3. Characteristics of Self-actualized Person………...……….. 12
C. Theoretical Framework ...………...………….. 16 A. The Characteristics of Daisy Miller …………...……….. 23
B. Daisy Miller’s Development Seen from Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs………...………. 32
C. Daisy Miller as a Self-actualized Person ………...…………... 38
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION …..………...……….... 49
ABSTRACT
SISWANTO. Self-Actualization in the Character of Daisy Miller in Henry James’
Daisy Miller. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2009.
According to Maslow, the self-actualized persons are models of maturation and health, fulfilling themselves by using their capacities and qualities to the upmost. In this undergraduate thesis, the writer analyzes the character of Daisy Miller in Henry James’ Daisy Miller as a person who has obtained her self-actualization through her actions. Since there is a close relation between literature and psychology, the analysis of literary works may reflect certain psychological aspects, so the writer wants to analyze the character of Daisy Miller which reveals her self-actualization.
In this undergraduate thesis, the writer analyzes: (1) how the main character, Daisy Miller, presented in Henry James’ Daisy Miller, (2) how Daisy Miller develops seen from Maslow’s theory of needs, and (3) how the main character reveals her self-actualization.
The writer did a library research because all the data were taken from written sources. This study applied psychological approach since it discusses the analysis which ultimately concerns with Maslow’s theory on self-actualization depicted in the main character in the novel.
The analysis shows that Henry James has presented Daisy Miller in particular ways to reveal her quality as a human being and Henry James shows Daisy Miller as rich, beautiful, unsophisticated, friendly and sociable, independent, humorous, kind, uncultivated and innocent, smart, confident, and stubborn. Furthermore, the way Henry James has presented Daisy Miller shows that Daisy miller in some degree has attained her physiological needs, safety and security needs, belongingness and love needs, and esteem needs sufficiently and it can be seen in what Daisy Miller does and the condition she faces in the novel. Daisy Miller, consequently, has reached her self-actualization which can be seen in her specific characteristics as Maslow has theorized indicated from what she does and the condition she faces in the novel.
ABSTRAK
SISWANTO. Self-Actualization in the Character of Daisy Miller in Henry James’
Daisy Miller. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2009.
Menurut pendapat Maslow, pengaktualisasi-pengaktualisasi diri adalah model dari pribadi yang matang dan sehat, mereka mencapai pemenuhan diri dengan memaksimalkan kapasitas dan kualitas yang ada pada diri mereka. Dalam skripsi ini, penulis menganalisis tokoh Daisy Miller dalam novel karya Henry James, Daisy Miller, sebagai seseorang yang telah mencapai aktualisasi diri melalui tindakan-tindakanya. Karena adanya hubungan yang erat antara karya satra dan psikologi, penelitian dari karya-karya sastra dapat merefleksikan aspek-aspek psikologi, maka penulis ingin menganalisis tokoh Daisy Miller yang menunjukkan aktualisasi dirinya.
Dalam skripsi ini, penulis menganalisis: (1) bagaimana tokoh utama, Daisy Miller, digambarkan dalam novel karya Henry James, Daisy Miller, (2) bagaimana Daisy Miller berkembang dilihat dari teori kebutuhan dari Maslow, dan (3) bagaimana tokoh utama menunjukkan aktualisasi dirinya.
Penulis menggunakan metode kepustakaan karena semua data diambil dari sumber tertulis. Studi ini menerapkan pendekatan psikologi karena skripsi ini mendiskusikan analisis tentang teori aktualisasi diri dari Maslow yang tercermin dalam tokoh utama dalam novel tersebut.
A.Background of the Study
Once Abraham Maslow stated, “If you deliberately plan to be less than you
are capable of being, then I warn you that you will be unhappy for the rest of your
life” (Schultz, 1977: 5). By giving the statement, Maslow wanted to encourage us as
human beings to actualize ourselves. Self-actualization here is the realization of a
person in presenting himself or herself as unique human being. This realization
affects on his or her perception as well as ways of living (Schultz, 1977: 64). Maslow
himself was interested in humans’ potential for growth and toward the end of his life
he dedicated his life to study of human personality that led him to explore
dimensions of human personality in ways opposed to the psychology establishment
which focused on the study of emotionally disturbed person, not the healthy. He then
turned the focus of the previous psychology establishment and focused on his study
on the best and the loftiest ideals and potentials of which human being are capable.
His ideal healthy personality of person is well-known as self-actualized
person. Self-actualization is a specific term used by Maslow for the ideal healthy
personality of person. Maslow has already mentioned some general characteristics of
self-actualized person. The self-actualized persons are models of maturation and
health, fulfilling themselves by using their capacities and qualities to the upmost.
People gain their self-actualization during their lifetime. It is a kind of
a person deserves to reach his or her own goals in life. It begins from realizing what
he or she wants to achieve. When he or she acquires the means to carry out his or her
choices and believes he or she can make the choices, he or she is free to choose his or
her own way to go.
Sarah Cirese in Quest: A Search for Self shows that every person is free in making decisions, having commitments, taking risks within the bounds of his or her
own value system. Each of them appears as an individual that continuously discovers
and develops his or her potentials as the evident of his or her personal growth (1985:
62).
Making choices is the potential factor of every person. Making choices to
develop his or her talents, to extend the intellectual capacities, to strengthen
interpersonal skills, to actualize physical capacities, to become all he or she can
possibly be, are the sum up of personal growth (Cirese, 1985: 44). Acquiring
personal growth shows how human beings present themselves as self-actualizing
persons.
Henry James’ Daisy Miller is a novel that seems to present how the main character, Daisy Miller, discovers her qualities to actualize. It seems that the novel
emphasizes the main character has obtained her self-actualization through her
actions. It is told in the novel that the actions done by the main character are some
characteristics of healthy person or the self-actualized person.
The writer is going to analyze the characterization of the main character,
Daisy Miller which reveals her actualization. Some characteristics of
the novel. The writer focuses on the analysis of the main character as Stanton in An Introduction to Fiction states that because every story usually has a main character that is significance to all events in the story and usually the main character causes
conversion either in her or in the readers’ attitude toward her (1965: 17). In the
characterization of the main character it seems that Henry James as the author
presents the actions of the main character in the novel which closely related to the
self-actualization. His main character in the novel is a kind of self-actualized person
who dynamically develops her character as individual.
In this undergraduate thesis, the writer is going to analyze the characterization
of the main character in the novel which reveals self-actualization as Richard Kalish
in The Psychology of Human Behavior implies that “literature holds the mirror up to the man”. A good writer or novelist can communicate the feeling of their characters
and make them seem more life-like than real people whose behavior psychologists
attempt to describe. The writer or novelist may use the understanding provided by
psychologists to enrich stories and psychologists can gain in their understanding of
human behavior by drawing from the deep sensitivity of a good writer or novelist
(1973:8). There is a close relation between literature and psychology. It, then, can be
said that the analysis of literary works may reflect certain psychological aspects.
During the lifetime everyone should struggle to gain the full development of
human potential, based on biological nature as Maslow’s statement that when a
person deliberately plans to be less than he or she is capable of being, he or she will
be unhappy for the rest of his or her life. Everyone, actually, has his or her potentials,
should recognize his or her potentials, talents, abilities, and things he or she wants to
achieve in life. Unfortunately, people rarely recognize their potentials, talents,
abilities, or even things they want to achieve in life. It is a simple problem that will
raise a feeling of complex dissatisfactions in life as Maslow himself has warned
people about it. As human beings, people should be aware of themselves. Being
psychologically healthy person requires an act of recognizing personal potentials. To
gain better understanding of every person in relation with self-actualization as
Maslow’s statement above, the writer decides to apply psychological study on
self-actualization.
B.Problem Formulation
There are three problems which have been formulated to be analyzed in this study.
They are:
1. How is the main character, Daisy Miller, presented in Henry James’ Daisy Miller?
2. How does Daisy Miller develop seen from Maslow’s theory of needs?
3. How does the character of Daisy Miller reveal her self-actualization?
C. Objectives of the Study
This undergraduate thesis emphasizes on the analysis on the characterization of
the main character which reveals her self-actualization. There are three objectives of
this study. The first is to see how the main character, Daisy Miller, presented in
develops seen from Maslow’s theory of needs. The last objective is to understand
how the character of Daisy Miller reveals her self-actualization.
D. Definition of Terms
There is one important term which is going to be used in this undergraduate
thesis to avoid confusion and misunderstanding. The term is “self-actualization”.
Maslow prefers the term self-actualization to such terms as psychological health. In the book entitled Psychology in Action there are some characteristics of self-actualized people. Some of those characteristics are: perceiving reality clearly and
others for what they are, accepting themselves and others for what they are, behaving
spontaneously and having motivation by the attempt to develop their own style,
being creative, having a spontaneous which is unhostile sense of humor, etc
(Huffman, 1997: 464). So, in the other words self-actualization is the full
development of human potential based on biological nature and it is a going process
of growth rather than end product. Self-actualization is an innate tendency toward
growth that motives all human behaviors and results in the full realization of a
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
Vartkis Kinoian in his book Monarch Notes and Study Guides: Henry James the Ambassadors examines Henry James and his works. He states that Henry James is the outstanding American novelist and stylist. He was the first American novelist
who brought his work into the main stream of world literature and he made the
American novel something more than the product of an American. His works rank
with the outstanding writers accomplishments not only in America but also in Europe
(1965: 5).
More specific Vartkis Kinoian in his book gives us some characteristics in
James’ works. According to him Henry James is concerned with human situation. He
summarizes also the critic from R.P. Blackmur that he distinguishes three themes in
James’ fiction: the “international theme,” conflict with society, and “the theme of the
pilgrim in search of society.” Then Kinoian concludes that society is basic to Henry
James’ work ‘He is constantly evaluating what one society maintains as its values
and how these values affect groups and individuals’ (1965: 8). He also gives two
dominant images emerge in Henry James’ fiction that he usually uses an innocent
person as his character. The second dominant image is that Henry James mostly uses
international theme (1965: 8).
Another critic about James’ works is from Robert Weisbuch. Reviewed by
Weisbuch studied on the character of Winterbourne. Throughout Daisy Miller, much is made of the fact that Winterbourne is a man who has spent too much time in
foreign parts or in Europe, away from what is or should be native to him. This brings
the question; what is the custom from which Winterbourne can be said to originate?
In his study of Winterbourne, Weisbuch tries to place Winterbourne within both a
cultural and historical context, in hopes of providing a better understanding of the
character's role and fate in James' critique of Victorian and American aristocratic
circles.
After doing close reading of the novella, the writer focuses also in one of the
characters in the novel which is the main character, Daisy Miller. The writer tries to
discuss about the psychological personality of Daisy Miller who reveals her
self-actualization or healthy personality in the novel.
B. Review of Related Theories
To analyze the topic, the writer applies some important theories related to the
topic. Those theories are:
1. Theory of Characterization
According to Baldick in his book The Concise Book of Dictionary of Literary Terms, character is different from characterization. Characterization is the way in which a character is represented. Therefore, character is the result, while
characterization is the process (1991:83).
The ability to characterize as the most important element for a good writer is
so that the readers can feel their existence as lifelike. M.J. Murphy (1972: 162) gives
us nine ways to make a character understood by the readers. Those are:
a. Personal description. It describes a person from the appearance and clothes. b. Character as seen by another. A person’s character can be described through
other’s view.
c. Speech. The information about the person’s character can be given from the speech of the person itself in the story.
d. Past life. The person’s past life contributes the shape of person’s character.
e. Conversation of others. A person’s character can be described through the conversation of other people and what they say about him or her.
f. Reaction. The person’s character can be understood by the reader from his or her reaction toward some situation and events.
g. Direct comment. The person’s character in the story can be given by the author directly.
h. Thought. The author can describe the person’s character through the person’s thought.
i. Mannerisms. The description about the person’s mannerism can make the reader know the character of that person.
2. Hierarchy of Needs by Abraham Maslow
Abraham Maslow cited by Kasschau in his book Understanding Psychology
said that all human being need to feel competent, to win approval and recognition,
and to sense that they have achieved something. Maslow placed achievement
Maslow believed that human needs or motives are organized in a hierarchy.
The most fundamental and vital of human needs is in the base of the hierarchy.
According to Maslow there are five levels of needs, which are then called Maslow’s
hierarchy of needs, which should be fulfilled during human being’s life time. They
are: (1) physiological needs, (2) safety needs, (3) belonging and love needs, (4)
esteem needs, and (5) growth needs or the need for self-actualization (Schultz,
1977:62). Generally, each higher need will be attended to only when the ones
beneath are met. After human beings have turned to a higher-order need, human
beings must continue to fulfill more basic need. In the same way, the lowest and
strongest need must be satisfied before the second level need emerges, and so on up
the hierarchy until the fifth and highest need appears (Schultz, 1977:62). Maslow has
presented a scheme that organizes human needs as follow:
a. Physiological needs
These are the obvious needs for food, water, air, sleep, and sex, and their
satisfaction is essential for survival (Schultz, 1977:62). These needs are the basic
needs. Human beings most basic needs are physiological such as food, water, air,
shelter, and opportunities to sleep.
In the society, normally, the primary way human beings meet their basic
physiological needs, particularly their needs for food, shelter, and clothing, is
through paid employment. Human beings must work so they earn money they
exchange for many of their essential needs in life. Most of human beings, who do not
work, cannot, or no longer work struggle to survive even with public assistance
b. Safety needs
These needs include needs for security, stability, protection, order and
freedom from fear and anxiety. Maslow believed that all human beings need some
degree of routine and predictability. Uncertainty is difficult to tolerate, so human
beings try to achieve as much security, protection, and order as they can (Schultz,
1977:62).
Safety needs are the next order of needs. Human beings want to be physically
safe and psychologically secure, and to count on a friendly and supportive
environment. Human beings want to feel that they will not be destroyed by physical
or other humans’ forces. Security and safety are gained in a stable world, one which
is ordered, consistent, and routine to some degree. But Maslow said that ‘for healthy
personalities, the safety needs were not overwhelming or compulsive’ (Schultz,
1977:63). For example, people took vacations or buy luxury goods instead of
additional insurance, it happened because the fulfillment of the safety needs is not
meant that they ‘did not surrender or submit totally to our safety needs, but, at the
same time, a complete absence of security and stability causes us discomfort’
(Schultz, 1977:63).
Human beings normally seek to meet the needs for safety and security in both
work and family. Human beings can acutely appreciate the financial and social
security and the importance of work and home in structuring their time when they are
jobless or homeless. Work and family provide basic structure and security in their
c. Belonging and love needs
These needs are the next level in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Belonging and
love needs have to be satisfied through human interaction with the others. Only in
interpersonal relationships can human beings satisfy their needs for affection,
appreciation, and a sense of having a rightful place in society (Schultz, 1977:63). It
means that human beings need to affiliate with others, need to be accepted by others,
and need to give and receive attention in their interaction and relationship with
others.
Human beings may expect family life to provide love, companion, and
belongingness in their lives, but social interaction, friendship, and a sense of being
part of group are significant aspects of most jobs and many leisure activities (Cirese,
1984:343).
d. Esteem needs
These include both human need for self-esteem (self-respect) and the need for
respect from others. Human beings gain self-esteem through achievements and
competent behavior. They know that they are worthwhile and capable of mastering
life’s challenges. Esteem from others includes admiration, prestige, recognition,
status, fame, and appreciation. When human beings lack self-esteem and esteem
derived from others, they feel inferior, weak, helpless, discouraged, and inept
(Schultz, 1977:63-64).
Human beings normally derive large portions of their identities from their
occupational and family rules and from their hobbies and other leisure activities.
primarily by occupational levels. Human beings seek rewards by which they measure
their worth through work and family. The money they earn, have, and spend is taken
a significant indicator of worth in the society. Human beings also work, in their jobs
and families, for respect and approval. Basically, human beings want to be able to
take pride in their work, their house, their children, their spouse, and the products of
their labors. Human beings also want to be successful, to compete, to have influence
and power, and to achieve, particularly in work (Cirese, 1984:343).
e. Growth need or need for self-actualization
Before the need for self-actualization appears, the four lower needs must at
least partially in the order (Schultz, 1977:62). In the other word, the prerequisite for
self-actualization is by satisfying the four needs which stand lower in the hierarchy.
In addition, Maslow also states that physiological needs, safety needs,
belonging and love needs, and esteem needs are lower-order needs. Although human
beings can satisfy those lower-order needs, human beings will feel frustrated,
restless, and discontent if human beings fail to attempt to satisfy the growth needs or
the need for self-actualization. If that happens, human beings will not be at peace
with themselves and cannot be described as psychology healthy (Schultz, 1977:64).
Human beings need to find self-fulfillment and realize their unique potential.
3. Characteristics of Self-actualized Person
Theory on self actualization is applied in presenting the revelation of the
characterization of the main character, Daisy Miller; the writer mainly uses Abraham
It is said before that if someone wants to achieve his or her self-actualization
he or she must satisfy the four needs that stand lower in the hierarchy: (1)
physiological needs, (2) safety needs, (3) belonging and love needs, (4) esteem
needs. The needs must be at least partially satisfied in the order before the need of
self-actualization appears (Schultz, 1977:62).
Maslow in Duane Schultz’s Growth Psychology: model of healthy
Personality also states that
Self-actualization can be defined as the supreme development and the use of all our abilities, the fulfillment of all our qualities and capabilities. We must become what we have the potential to become. Even though the lower-order needs are satisfied-we feel secure physically and emotionally, have a sense of belonging, and love, and feel ourselves to be worthy individuals-we will feel frustrated, restless, and discontent if we fail to attempt to satisfy the need for self-actualization. If that happens we will not be at peace with ourselves and cannot be described as psychologically healthy (1977: 64).
Maslow shows that the goal of self-actualization is to enrich and enlarge the
experience of living, to increase the joy and ecstasy at being alive. The ideal is to
develop the tension through new, challenging, and diverse experiences. He clarifies
that self-actualized person do not strive, but they develop (1977:64).
Maslow in Duane Schultz’s Growth Psychology: Model of Healthy
personality illustrates a number of specific characteristics that describe self-actualized person. The specific characteristics are:
a. Self-actualizing persons perceive objects and persons in the world around them
objectively (Schultz, 1977: 69). They have an efficient perception of reality that
b. Self-actualizing persons acquire a general acceptance of nature, others, and
oneself (Schultz, 1977: 69-70). It is a matter of accepting oneself, their
weakness, and their strength without any complaint of worry.
c. Self-actualizing persons are those who attain spontaneity, simplicity, and
naturalness in behaving (Schultz, 1977: 70-71). They do not have to hide their
emotions but can display them honesty.
d. Self-actualizing persons have a focus on problems outside themselves (Schultz,
1977: 71-72). They give concerns on the works they are doing.
e. Self-actualizing persons have need for privacy and independence (Schultz, 1977:
72). They have a strong need for detachment and solitude. They do not depend
on other in order to get their satisfactions. Their behavior and feeling are
strongly self-directed and self-centered. It means that they have the ability to
make up their own minds, reach their own decisions, and exercise their own
motivation and discipline.
f. Self-actualizing persons are autonomous functioning (Schultz, 1977: 72-73). If a
person is autonomous functioning, he or she has realized that satisfaction of the
growth motives comes from within. They are not dependent on the real world
for their satisfaction. Their potentialities and inner resources become the
foundation for their development.
g. Self-actualizing persons have a continued freshness of appreciation (Schultz,
1977: 73). The self-actualizing persons continually appreciate certain
sense of pleasure, awe, and wonder. They take little for granted but continue to
be thankful for what they possess and can experience.
h. Self-actualizing persons experience mystical or “peak” experiences (Schultz,
1977: 73-74). It is when the self is transcended and a person is gripped by a
feeling of power, confidence, and decisiveness, a profound sense that there is
nothing he or she could not accomplish to become.
i. Self-actualizing persons concern in social interest (Schultz, 1977: 74-75). They
possess strong and deep feelings of empathy and affection for all human beings,
as well as a desire to help humanity.
j. Self-actualizing persons acquire the interpersonal relations (Schultz, 1977:
75-76). They are capable of stronger relationship with others than persons of
average mental health. They are capable of greater love, deeper friendship, and
more complete identification with other individual.
k. Self-actualizing persons have democratic character structure (Schultz, 1977: 76).
There is no certain limitation on building relationship with people, such as social
class, level of education, political or religious affiliation, race, or color. They
hold the essence of quality that every person has the same opportunity to know
others.
l. Self-actualizing person are capable to recognize discrimination between means
and ends, between good and evil (Schultz, 1977: 76). The self-actualizing
persons hold that they are enjoying the process of achieving something as well
as the goals they achieve. Therefore, they give consent both on the means and
they cannot easily influence by the confusing situation that enable then to make
decision.
m. Self-actualizing persons acquire good-humored sense of humor (Schultz, 1977:
77). This characteristic deals with the ability of persons in making fun of
humanity in general, not specific individual.
n. Self-actualizing persons can present their creativeness (Schultz, 1977: 77). This
means that they are original, inventive, and innovative, although not always in
the terms producing an artistic creation. It is more an attitude, an expression of
psychological health, and is concerned with the way people perceive and race to
the world than with finished products of an artistic nature.
o. Self-actualizing persons have resistance to enculturation (Schultz, 1977: 77-78).
They are able to resist social pressure to think or act in certain ways. They
maintain an inner detachment, an aloofness from their culture, guided by
themselves rather than by others.
However Maslow also said that there is no perfect human being in the world
who has all those kinds of characteristics. It can be said that self-actualizers are just
closer to perfection than other persons. He stated also that self-actualizers can at
times be silly, thoughtless, irritating, stubborn, vain, ruthless, and temperamental,
characteristic shared with less healthy individuals (Schultz, 1977: 78).
C. Theoretical Framework
In relation with the first question of the problem formulation, the writer uses
theory of characterization by M.J Murphy in his book Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry and the English Novel for Overseas Students. By the theory characterization the development of the main character of the novel can be
seen.
Besides using the theory of characterization the writer also uses the theories
on hierarchy needs from Abraham Maslow as citied by Duane Schultz in Growth Psychology: Model of Healthy Personality to answer the second problem. This theory is used to examine how the main character develops and reaches her
self-actualization.
The theory on self-actualization is the main theories to analyze the third
problem formulation. The theory on self-actualization is also from Abraham Maslow
citied by Duane Schultz in Growth Psychology: Model of Healthy Personality. By applying this theory on psychology, how the character of Daisy Miller reveals her
A. Object of the Study
In this study the writer uses the novel entitled Daisy Miller written by Henry James. The story was originally published in The Cornhill Magazine, 1878. The book used in the analysis is the Dover edition, first published in 1995 which is the unabridged republication of the work which published The Cornhill Magazine. It consists of 59 pages and divides into two parts.
night Winterbourne finds Daisy alone with Giovanelli in Coliseum and warns her about the danger of deadly Roman fever which makes her suffers from the disease because of wandering in the unhealthy night air. Only after she died does Winterbourne recognize that her action reflected her spontaneous, genuine, and unaffected natural that his suspicions of her were unwarranted.
B. Approach of the Study
Certain approach is needed in analyzing a literary work to give border of aspects to discuss in a study. It gives background of knowledge on the study and it is very helpful to develop the analysis based on the work to discuss. Rohrberger and Woods in Reading and Writing about Literature say that a critical approach to literature necessitates an understanding of its nature and positive values. One must know what literature is, how to read it, and how to judge it (1971:3). In relation to the topic, the writer applies the psychological approach in analyzing the main character of the story. Rohrberger and Woods also point out that there are five approaches as means to understand and apprehend the aesthetic values of literary work. They are the formalist approach, the biographical approach, the socio cultural-historical approach, the mythological approach, and the psychological approach (1971:6-15).
Rohrberger and Woods then define the psychological approach as follows:
Psychological approach includes many psychological theories from various psychologists and one of the theories is the theory of self-actualization which is introduced by Maslow. The analysis will mainly focus on human motivation, personality, and behavior of the main character in the story. Furthermore, the analysis will ultimately concern with Maslow’s theory on self-actualization depicted in the main character in the story. Therefore, the most appropriate approach is the psychological approach.
C. Method of the Study
In this study the writer applied library research in completing the analysis. Data were collected from a literary work which is Daisy Miller, and some books as the sources of theories on characterization, some books about theory on self-actualization, and other books that can support its analysis. Further information was taken from internet.
There were primary and secondary sources in this study. The novel, Daisy Miller, was used as the primary source and the secondary sources were taken in order to support the analysis of the study. The secondary sources in analyzing are Murphy’s Understanding Unseen: An Introduction to English Poetry and the English Novel for
Overseas Students, Baldick’s The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms,Stanton’
analysis is related to self-actualization, some books on psychology used in this analyzing are Schultz’s Growth Psychology: Model of Healthy Personality,Huffman’s Psychology in Action, Kasschau Understanding Psychology, and Cirese Quest: A Search for self.
After reading the novel until the writer really understood and got its full comprehension. The study had some steps to answer the problem formulations as the main goal of the analysis. The writer focused on the characterization of the main character which reveals her self-actualization. In the first step, understanding the characterization of the main character, the theory of characterization was used. By using the theory of characterization, especially considering the nine ways used by the author to make a character understood by the readers as offered by Murphy, the writer could understand how the main character, Daisy Miller, is presented by Henry James.
The second step was to understand how the main character fulfilled the four needs before the need for self-actualization by applying Maslow’s theory of needs. By applying Maslow’s theory of needs the writer could understand how the development of the main character, Daisy Miller, fulfilling the four needs so that she could reach her need of self-actualization. In this step, the writer analyzed what Daisy Miller did, her background, her family, her relationship with her family and her friends, her views of life, and the condition she faced to find out how Daisy Miller met the four basic levels of needs in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
This chapter is divided into three subchapters. Each subchapter is the discussion to answer each question stated in the problem formulation in the chapter one. In the first subchapter, the writer answers the first question stated in the problem formulation, hence it is the discussion about the way Henry James has presented his main character, Daisy Miller. It explains about Daisy Miller as an imaginary person with her characteristics the author has created so that the readers can feel her existence as lifelike stated in the novel. The second subchapter is the explanation on how Daisy Miller develops seen from Maslow’s theory of needs. It examines how Daisy Miller fulfills the four levels of needs in Maslow’s theory of needs that Daisy Miller has met before she attains her need of self-actualization. The next subchapter answers the third problem. It presents how Daisy Miller reveals her self-actualization by showing that Daisy Miller has some characteristics of a self-actualized person theorized by Maslow.
A. The Characteristics of Daisy Miller
First of all by examining the conversation of some characters in the novel, the writers can find what Daisy Miller is like. From the conversation between Radolph and Winterbourne, Daisy miller is presented by Henry James as a rich American young lady traveling in Europe with her mother, her brother, and her courier named Eugenio. Her father lived in Schenectady doing his business. From the conversation, it is illuminated that Daisy Miller is not her real name, her real name is Annie P. Miller. Daisy’s mother is Mrs. Miller. She is the sister of Radolph C. Miller and her father name is Ezra B. Miller.
‘Her real name is Annie P. Miller,’ the boy went on.
‘Ask him his name,’ said her sister, indicating Winterbourne.
But at this point Radolph seemed perfectly indifferent; he continued to supply information with regard to his own family. ‘My father’s name is B. Miller,’ he announced. ‘My father ain’t in Europe; my father’s in a better place than Europe.’
…But Radolph immediately added, ‘My father’s in Schenectady. He’s got a big business. My father’s rich, you bet!’ (p. 7)
It is in the personal description of Daisy Miller described through other characters’ view Henry James presented Daisy Miller physically described as a beautiful and unsophisticated young lady with her pretty eyes.
Winterbourne met Daisy, he realized that she was extremely beautiful, ‘How pretty they are!’ thought Winterbourne (p. 4).
Daisy’s beauty was not only declared by Winterbourne. When Winterbourne was looking for Daisy in Rome he met his friend who then told him his opinion about Daisy Miller that he had met a very beautiful American girl who was Daisy Miller. Winterbourne’s friend who told about the very beautiful American girl is another statement about how beautiful Daisy Miller which Henry James used to present Daisy Miller.
…and then said, “And in the same cabinet, by-the-way, I had a pleasure of contemplating a picture of a different kind-that pretty American girl whom you pointed out to me last week.’ In answer to winterbourne’s inquiries, his friend narrated that the pretty American girl-prettier than ever-was seated with a companion in the secluded nook in which the great papal portrait was enshrined. (p. 50)
As the main character, Daisy Miller is presented by Henry James as an extremely pretty American girl who was traveling in Europe with her family but without her father doing his business in Schenectady.
When Daisy Miller had a conversation with Winterbourne at the beginning of the story, she displayed her characteristics that she was a sociable person. Although it was the first time she met Winterbourne she could make an enjoyable conversation even Winterbourne invited Daisy Miller to go to an old castle, Chateau de Chillon, with him, ‘I should much rather go to Chillon with you.’ (p. 11). She herself also said that she had a lot of friends in New York.
New York I had lots of society. Last winter I had seventeen dinners given me; and three of them were given by gentleman.’ (p. 9)
From her mannerism when Daisy Miller gathered with her friends in New York, it is clear that she is very friendly and sociable. She talked to Winterbourne as if she had known him for a long time. It can be seen in Henry James’ direct comment on Daisy Miller, ‘She talked to Winterbourne as if she knows him a long time.’ (p. 8). Daisy Miller never had difficulties in having a relationship with people. Not only girl friends but Daisy Miller had a lot of gentlemen friends. Henry James also gives the reader her personal description that Daisy Miller was a young lady who had a soft, slender, agreeable voice, and her tone was sociable, ‘She was very quite; she sat in charming, tranquil attitude, but her lips and her eyes were constantly moving. She had a soft, slender, agreeable voice, and her tone was decidedly sociable.’ (p.8)
Daisy’s sociability is also presented in Henry James’ direct comment. Henry James described that after having a long conversation with Daisy Miller, Winterbourne realized that Daisy Miller was very friendly girl. He always enjoyed when having conversation with her. He, in Europe, had never found such girl who easily expresses herself like Daisy.
He never yet heard a young girl express herself in just this fashion-… Never, indeed, since he had grown old enough to appreciate things had he encountered a young American girl of so pronounced a type as this. Certainly she was very charming, but how deucedly sociable! (p. 9)
never accompanied her when she went out. It can be seen from the conversation between her mother and Winterbourne and Henry James’ direct comment.
Daisy’s mother looked at him and instant askance, and then walked forward in silence. Then-‘I guess she had better go alone,’ she said, simply. Winterbourne observed to himself that this was a very different type of maternity from the vigilant matrons who massed themselves in the fore-front of social intercourse in the dark old city at the other end of the lake. But his meditations were interrupted by hearing his name very distinctly pronounced by Mrs. Miller’s unprotected daughter. (p. 21)
The quotation above indicates that Daisy Miller’s mother had known that her daughter was used to go without the mother. The mother believed that Daisy Miller could take care of herself. She asked Daisy Miller to go alone rather than accompanied by Winterbourne when she wanted to go to see a castle in Vevay. Daisy Miller as ‘the unprotected daughter’ indicates that she did not always get the protection from her mother and she was not always accompanied by her mother. It can be seen also when Daisy Miller wanted to meet Giovanelli in Rome. The people around Daisy Miller include Mrs. Miller knew that it would be very dangerous to go out at night because there was roman fever, the deadly fever, but Daisy’s mother allowed her to go out. Instead, Daisy asked Mrs. Miller to go back to the hotel and preferred to go to meet Winterbourne.
‘I guess we’ll go back to the hotel.’ She said.
‘You may go back to the hotel, mother, but I’m going to take a walk,’ said Daisy.
‘She’s going to walk with Mr. Giovanelli,’ Radolph proclaimed. ‘I’m going to Pincio,’ said Daisy, smiling.
‘Neither do I,’ subjoined Mrs. Miller. ‘You’ll get the fever, as sure you live. Remember what Dr. Davis told you!’
‘Give her some medicine before she goes,’ said Radolph.
The company had risen to its feet; Daisy, still showing her pretty teeth, bent over and kissed her hostess. ‘Mrs. Walker, you are too perfect,’ she said. ‘I’m not going alone; I’m going to meet a friend.’
‘Your friend won’t keep you from getting the fever,’ Mrs. Miller observed (p. 33).
Although Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Walker gave Daisy Miller warning about the possibility for her to get the deadly fever, she continued her willing to meet Giovanelli and her mother did nothing to stop her. Daisy’s conversation with her companions above gives the impression that her mother allowed her to do whatever she wanted to do because she knew that her daughter, Daisy Miller, was used to be independent. It gives the impression that she was a very self-sufficient young girl.
The most obvious characteristic that Winterbourne considered about Daisy Miller was that she was a ‘young American flirt’ (p. 37). She often bragged people. She often enjoyed getting reaction from people around her. One example is when she met with Winterbourne, the second time in the late evening in Vevay, she asked Winterbourne to take her on a boat. It made her mother and her courier protested and did not allow her to go in that late evening in the boat but Daisy laughed and seemed enjoying her mother protest. In fact she never wanted to go. She announced, ‘That’s all I want – a little fuss!’ (p. 23) she just wanted to get rise out of someone to get his or her attentions.
to the boat but finally he was very disappointed that Daisy was only teasing and would not go with him. When once again Winterbourne asked her whether she really wanted to go or not then she simply answered , “ Good-night” then she said also, “I hope you’re disappointed, disgusted, or something!” (p. 23). Daisy Miller actually did not want to make him felt disappointed and made him hated her. It is simply because she liked to joke. Seeing the way how she spoke or her speech it indicates that Daisy had a sense of humor then it can be identified that Daisy is humorous person. The author also describes her directly that she is a humorous person, ‘But Miss Miller did not make this remark with a querulous accent; she appeared to be in the best humor with everything…’ (p. 9).
Daisy Miller is also a kind person. It is apparent in her speech that she loved her family and very concerned about her brother, Radolph. She always worried about her daughter’s education. During their trip, Radolph seemed not get his education. She also asked Winterbourne whether he could find her a good teacher when they got to Italy for Radolph or not. She wanted to help her mother to get a good teacher for him. She said, ‘Or else she’s going to find some school. He ought to learn some more. He’s only nine. He’s going to college.’ (p. 8)
Moreover, Daisy Miller is also characterized in the story as uncultivated and innocent girl like Mr. Winterbourne and her aunt described her. He said, ‘She is completely uncultivated.’ (p. 14). Mr. Winterbourne considered Daisy Miller as uncultivated girl when her aunt told him that she did not know what should or should not be done in the society, in Europe, and she told also that she was not accepted in the society because of her different behavior that she should not flirt with some gentlemen, ‘everything that is not done here. Flirting with any man she could pick up…’ (p. 40). Winterbourne also regarded Daisy as innocent girl when Mrs. Walker criticized Daisy’s behavior that she should not walk with two men at the same time. He said, ‘She is very innocence’ (p. 38). Furthermore, Henry James gives direct comment that she was a mysterious of innocent to Winterbourne.
That she should seem to wish to get rid of him would help him to think more lightly of her, and to be able to think more lightly of her would make her much less perplexing. But Daisy at this occasion, continued to present herself as an inscrutable combination of audacity and innocence. (p. 37)
Walker’s party. He said, ‘they don’t understand that sort of thing here…not in young married women.’ Daisy simply replayed, ‘I thought they understood nothing else!’ and went on to say, ‘It seems to me more proper in young unmarried than in old married ones.’ (p. 45). Her reaction or her response toward Winterbourne’s criticism toward her that Daisy should not flirt with Giovanelli reveals that she is smart person.
Daisy Miller is also characterized as a confident person. Henry James characterizes the main character as a confident person in the novel through Daisy Miller’s mannerism. It appears in Winterbourne’s observation of Daisy Miller.
…and Winterbourne presently risked an observation upon the beauty of the view. He was ceasing to be embarrassed, for he had begun to perceive that she was not in the least embarrassed herself. There had not been the slightest alteration in her charming complexion; she was evidently neither offended nor fluttered (p. 6). The quotation above describes how Daisy Miller was not at all fluttered although it was the first time she met Winterbourne. Winterbourne realized that she was very confident during their conversation. Then it gives the impression that Daisy was a very confident person.
got in her carriage because it was not safe walking around in that night in Rome since she could ruin herself and get deadly fever. But what happen was that she refused her and kept on her decision to stay with her companion.
B. Daisy Miller’s Development Seen from Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
It is theorized in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs that someone should satisfy the four needs before he or she actualizes herself or himself. The four needs are: (1) the physiological needs, (2) the safety needs, (3) the belonging and love needs, (4) the esteem needs. Therefore, before analyzing how Daisy Miller reveals her self-actualization it is important for the writer to identify that the main character has satisfied the four needs in the hierarchy.
a. Physiological Needs
needed to think where or how she could get or satisfy the needs of food, water, air and sleep. She had passed the basic fundamental human need. She generally had been satisfied these needs although it is not explicitly told in the novel. Since she was a daughter of a wealthy man she consequently was able to attend to the higher order needs.
b. Safety Needs
The second need is safety needs. These needs include needs for security, stability, protection, order and freedom from fear and anxiety. In the story Daisy Miller never felt any fear or threat from outside. When she visited town of Vevay, Switzerland it is described that it was a comfortable place for people to live in.
At the little town of Vevay, in Switzerland, there is a particularly comfortable hotel. There are, indeed, many hotels; for the entertainment of tourists in the business of place, which, as many travelers will remember, is seated upon the edge of a remarkably blue lake-a lake that behooves every tourist to visit (p. 1). It is described that the town Daisy visiting was a comfortable place for every tourist to visit. Thus the writer sees that this town has fulfilled the criteria to be a good place to live in, so Daisy Miller never felt any fear or threat from outside when visiting the town.
yards distant; and if Mr. Winterbourne were as polite as he pretends, he would offer to walk with me!’ (p. 34) she asked Winterbourne to accompany her was not because she was afraid or felt anxiety about she would get the fever but it is more because she wanted her mother to allow her to go to see Giovanelli. Then she decided to go and ignored her mother’s advice.
c. Belonging and Love Needs
When one has satisfied his or her safety need, he or she is driven to satisfy belonging and love needs. Belonging and love needs have to be satisfied through human interaction with the others. Only in interpersonal relationships can human beings satisfy their needs for affection, appreciation, and a sense of having a rightful place in society. In the novel Daisy Miller is described as a person who loved and was loved by her family. During her trip in Europe her mother and brother were always with her. It is stated that Daisy Miller is characterized as a person who loved and was loved by her family. Therefore, Daisy would have no problem of getting love and affection from her family.
with many gentlemen she did not consider it as a problem, she always tried to build her own society which was her relationship with the gentlemen to satisfy her belonging and love needs.
It is important also to recognize also that in her hometown, Schenectady, she had a lot of friends. Daisy was a person who liked to gather with her friends not only with gentlemen but she also had many ladies friends. Although it is stated that the society in Rome rejected her because of her attitude of having relationship with many gentlemen she did not think it was a problem for her. In fact, after she finished her vacation and went back to America she still had her friends and her society who accepted her well.
I’m very fond of society, and I always had a great deal of it. I don’t mean only in Schenectady, but in New York. I used to go to New York every winter. In New York I had lots of society. Last winter I had seventeen dinners given me; and three of them by gentlemen,’ added Daisy Miller. ‘I have more friends in new York than in Schenectady-more gentlemen friends, too,’ (p. 9)
d. Esteem Needs
If one has satisfied the needs to love and to belong, he or she then needs a sense of esteem. This esteem needs include both human need for self-esteem (self-respect) and the need for respect from others. Esteem from others includes admiration, prestige, status, fame, and appreciation.
‘how pretty they are,’ (p. 4). Winterbourne also admired Daisy’s attitude toward their conversation. Daisy miller is characterized as a sociable person therefore it would be very easy for her to have a good conversation with other people and Winterbourne always enjoyed having conversation with her ‘She talked to Winterbourne as if she had known him a long time. He found it very pleasant.’ (p. 8) it indicates that by her beauty and her character that she was a sociable person Daisy Miller could easily met respect or esteem by people around her.
In Daisy’ hometown she also got a reward seven dinners given to her from her friends, ‘Last winter I had seventeen dinners given me; and three of them were by gentlemen’ (p. 9). It is then obvious that in America she was very popular and had a lot of friends. Base on the facts it can be conclude that Daisy Millers had gained respect or esteem from people around her.
‘She would be very exclusive. I like to be exclusive; I’m dying to be exclusive myself,’ then she continued, ‘Well we are exclusive, mother and I …’ (p. 17). By declaring that she was also an exclusive person, it indicates that Daisy Miller also felt her internal or self-esteem.
C. Daisy Miller as Self-Actualized Person
When and if all of the foregoing needs are sufficiently satisfied, persons are motivated to meet the needs for self-actualization which refer to the needs to become all that persons are capable of becoming, making full use of their talents, capacities, and potentials. The needs for self-actualization become the highest category in Maslow’s scheme. To explain about self-actualized persons, Maslow has discussed a number of specific characteristics which describe self-actualizers. Daisy Miller as a person who has reached her self-actualization has some Maslow’s characteristic of self-actualized person.
characters’ opinion when she conveyed her judgment about something or someone. The example is when she declared her opinion about Giovanelli. Daisy Miller said that Giovanelli was a handsome and clever gentleman.
‘He’s an Italian,’ Daisy pursued, with the prettiest serenity. ‘He’s a great friend of mine; he’s the handsomest man in the world-except Mr. Winterbourne! He knows plenty of Italians, but he wants to know some Americans. He thinks ever so much of Americans. He’s tremendously clever. He’s perfectly lovely!’ (p. 33) It is said in the novel that Giovanelli was from lower class in the society. Winterbourne said that Giovanelli was not a person from the first class in the society, ‘But he doesn’t move in what are called the first circles,’ (p. 48) but Daisy Miller treated him same with other gentlemen because she saw Giovanelli as what he was. She saw him objectively as he was without regarding his social status and others’ opinions toward him.
2. Her general acceptance of nature, others, and oneself.
Daisy Miller that she had a bad habit which was flirting, ‘I am afraid your habits are those of a flirt,’ (p. 44), and she herself admitted that what Winterbourne said was true, ‘I’m a fearful, frightful flirt!’ (p. 44). She accepted her habit of flirting that once could be her weakness, that people in Rome did not like it, and also became her strength, that she could easily get a lot of gentlemen friend everywhere she was. By admitting herself that she had that habit of flirting, whether it was her strength or her weakness, it indicates that she accepted herself.
Self-actualized persons are so accepting of their natures. These persons do not need to distort or falsify themselves. As a self-actualized person Daisy Miller was so accepting her nature and she also did not think that she had to change or distort herself. When she was asked by Winterbourne to change her habit of flirting because of the society she refused his advice, ‘I don’t see why I should change my habits for them.’ (p. 44), even she was not at all shame or guilt of herself by admitting her habit of flirting. It was because she knew who she was, that she realized that she had to be herself that she was not a European woman but the American one, ‘…and I, thank goodness, am not a young lady of this country (Europe),’ (p. 44). She accepted her nature that she was an American woman who had custom of ‘flirting’ as Winterbourne said to her, ‘when you deal with natives you must go by the custom of the place. Flirting is a purely American custom; it does not exist here…’ (p. 45).
‘…we are going to stay all winter, if we don’t die of the fever...’ (p. 35). By realizing that she could die whenever it implies that she knew and accepted the nature of human being.
Daisy Miller also accepted the nature of people around them. The example is that she understood her mother’s weakness. Her mother, Mrs. Miller, is characterized as a person who really depended on others. She always wanted someone to accompany her wherever she went especially her daughter, Daisy Miller, or her son, Radolph.
‘I’m so frightened I don’t know what to do. It’s the first time I’ve ever been to party alone, especially in this country. I wanted to bring Radolph, or Eugenio, or some one, but Daisy just pushed me off by myself. I ain’t used to going round alone.’ (p. 42)
Mrs. Miller is characterized as a person who is weak, sickly, and dependent on her children for company. It is contrast with the characteristic of Daisy Miller that she was very independent person. Her mother really depended on others. Consequently Daisy Miller rarely went with Mrs. Miller. As the daughter, she understood about the condition of her mother thus she did not worry if she had to go somewhere alone even she never asked her mother to accompany her. The fact shows that Daisy Miller accepted and was equally tolerant of the shortcoming of persons around her.
3. Her spontaneity, simplicity, and naturalness in behaving.
spontaneously, openly and direct ways. For example when Daisy Miller wanted Winterbourne to accompany her to met Giovanelli to the Pincio. Without asking first whether Winterbourne wanted to accompany her or not she told to her mother that he would like to walk with her, ‘The Pincio is only a hundred yards distant; and if Mr. Winterbourne were as polite as he pretends, he would offer to walk with me!’ (p. 34), Daisy Miller was trying to ask Winterbourne to accompany her but in direct way. By saying that Winterbourne’s politeness was only pretense it indicates also that she realized that his politeness was only pretense but she behaved naturally as she was. Daisy’s spontaneity also appeared when she gave her opinion about people in Vevay, Switzerland. She said, ‘…you see the most frightful things here. There isn’t any society; or, if there is, I don’t know where it keeps itself…’ (p. 9). The quotation shows that Daisy Miller stated her feeling about European society honestly as what she had experienced.
4. Her privacy and independence
decision. It means that Daisy Miller had the ability to reach her own decision and used her own motivation and discipline.
5. Her autonomous functioning
If a person is autonomous functioning, he or she has realized that satisfaction of the growth motives comes from within. They do not depend on others in order to get their satisfactions. Their potentialities and inner resources become the foundation for their development. At this point Daisy Miller was a person who did not depend on the real world for satisfying her satisfactions. Her development really depended on her own potentials and inner resources. For example when she built relationship with people, ‘She goes round everywhere; she has made a great number of acquaintances… And then she knows a great many gentlemen.’ (p. 31), the fact that it occurred to her was not because Daisy Miller was motivated by deficiency needs since she had satisfied the four needs but it came from her potentials and inner resources as Daisy Miller is characterized as a sociable person and she was very interested in dealing with other people, ‘I’m very fond of society.’ (p. 9)
healthy persons but she remained doing her activity of having relationship with gentlemen especially with Giovanelli.
6. Her continued freshness of appreciation
Self-actualizing persons have a continued freshness of appreciation of certain experiences, no matter how often they repeated. They will always be with fresh sense of pleasure, awe, and wonder. Daisy Miller as a self-actualized person could continually appreciate her experiences no matter how often the frequencies are, ‘And then she had had ever so many dresses and things from Paris. Whenever she put on a Paris dress she felt as if she were in Europe.’ (p. 9). Her freshness appreciation of her experiences also happened in an evening when she went with Winterbourne and Giovanelli to the Colosseum in Rome. When she expressed her feeling of moonlight in the evening she said, ‘I never saw anything so pretty.’ (p. 55). From the two examples it can be conclude that she had a sense of continued freshness of appreciation.
7. Her interpersonal relations
intimate friends.’ (p. 45). Daisy’s speech gave emphasize that Giovanelli was more than her friend but they had deeper friendship.
8. Her democratic character structure
Self-actualizing persons have democratic character structure. It means that Daisy Miller who had actualized herself had no certain limitation on building relationship with people, such as social class, level of education, political or religious affiliation, race, or color. In the novel Daisy Miller is described as a rich American young lady traveling in Europe with her mother, her brother, and her courier named Eugenio. As a self-actualized person who had democratic character structure Daisy Miller actually accepted people regardless their social status or their social class. It can be seen in the way she treated her courier, Eugenio. It is stated in Winterbourne’s aunt, Mrs. Costello.
‘She is a young lady,’ said Mrs. Costello, ‘who has an intimacy with her mamma’s courier.’
‘They treat the courier like a familiar friend-like a gentleman. I shouldn’t wonder if he dines with them. Very likely they have never seen a man with such good manners, such fine clothes, so like a gentleman. He probably corresponds to the young lady’s idea of a count, he sits with them in the garden in the evening.’ (p. 14)
The quotation above emphsizes that Daisy Miller treated Eugenio regardless his social status that he was only her courier. It is also said in the novel that Daisy Miller had some friends from third-rate Italians, ‘the young lady, however, is also very intimate with some third-rate Italians, with whom she rackets about in a way that makes much talk.’ (p. 28)
his social class. Even Winterbourne said that she should not meet or make an appointment with a person in the lower class like Giovanelli, ‘would a nice girl, even allowing for her being a little American flirt, make a rendezvous with a presumably low lived foreigner?’ (p. 37), she did not care about the social class of Giovanelli and preferred to continue her relationship with him. As a self-actualized person who had a democratic character structure Daisy Miller could accept Giovanelli and other friends regardless their social scale in the society.
9. Her capability to recognize discrimination good and evil
Self-actualizing person are capable to distinguish between good and evil. They have well-defined understanding on good and evil, so they cannot easily influence by the confusing situation that enable then to make decision. Daisy Miller was also a person who could recognize which was the right or which was the wrong one. It can be seen from her making decision whether she should introduce her gentlemen friend to her mother or she should not.
‘But mother doesn’t like any of my gentlemen friends. She right down timid. She always makes fuss if I introduce a gentleman. But I do introduce them-almost always. If I didn’t introduce my gentlemen friends to mother, I shouldn’t think it was natural.’ (p. 18)
In the quotation above the writer knew that introducing Daisy’s friend to the mother was the right thing although her mother did not really like her action of introducing her gentlemen friends.
stated, ‘But did you ever hear anything so cool as Mrs. Walker’s wanting me to get into carriage and drop poor Mr. Giovanelli, and under the pretext that it was proper? People have different ideas! It would have been so unkind…’ (p. 44). As the good friend of Giovanelli, Daisy Miller refused Mrs. Walker’s advice and decided to walk with him. As a good friend Daisy Miller knew that it would be not good if she left her friend. Therefore, the writers conclude that Daisy Miller was capable to distinguish between good and evil.
10.Her resistance to enculturation
was not at liberty to speak to a young unmarried lady except under certain rarely occurring conditions.’ (p. 5)
From the analysis the writer finds that the main character of Henry James’ Daisy Miller is characterized as a person who reveals her self-actualization. After analyzing the character of Daisy Miller the writer finds out that human quality Daisy Miller embodies reveals some characteristics of a self-actualized person as Maslow has theorized.
From the analysis to answer the first problem formulation, the writer finds out what Daisy Miller is like. Henry James illustrates Daisy Miller as a young girl who has some sort of identities which reveals her human qualities. Henry James tells and shows Daisy Miller as rich, beautiful, unsophisticated, friendly and sociable, independent, humorous, kind, uncultivated and innocence, smart, confident, stubborn. Henry James also tends to emphasize Daisy Miller as a ‘young American flirt’. Daisy Miller is what she is like because of the way she has been made by Henry James in particular ways. From the conversation of some characters in the novel, other characters’ views, other characters’ statements and opinions about her, her mannerism, the author’s direct comment, her speech, her reaction, and so on are the particular ways in which Henry James has chosen to characterized his main character, Daisy Miller.
main character faces, and so, it is easy to understand the main character’s motivation, personality, and behavior patterns in relation to Maslow’s theories on human needs or motives.
