The “New World” Explorer

A common musical instruwork forcet of writers is to explore a terrain or new culture by the eyes of a queer. A stranger would seek to explore and discover all the facets and aspects of his new environment. On the other hand, to introduce the world through the eyes of a resident becomes dull in time as the resident, having been familiar with most of the whole kit and caboodle of his world, would leave much of it that is not within his immediate vicinity unmentioned or unsaid.In both the stories Benito Cereno and Daisy Miller, the mavin is an American. He alike has had some familiarity of his environment, but not enough not to make him less of a stranger. This identity is beneficial, as the United States is psychologically set apart from the traditions of Old Europe, and even that of Spanish America. The protagonists on the spur of the moment become pioneers, in their attempts to discover more of their immediate strange and unfamiliar territory. This New World matter is more enh anced as outside of the limited perspective of the protagonist, the author c befully and quietly arranges captivate symbolisms of object, expression and style to give a subtle reference to the traditions, American for total heat Melville, and European for hydrogen James.The immediately recognizable symbolism seen by the protagonists in Benito Cereno and Daisy Miller is represented through the symbolism of object. These are embodied in concrete landmarks that have deeper context in their respective traditions. In 19th one C America, in Benito Cereno the landmark was the ship of the Spaniard, the San Dominick. The ship embodies the restless, pioneering spirit, which first brought Europe in contact with the Indians of the Americas it later becomes the lifeblood of the European colonizers, particularly the Spanish, in the form of the Galleon Trade and the Slave Trade. It is therefore noteworthy that San Dominick represents both institutions in its admit both treasure and African sl aves (Melville, 140).Henry James Daisy Miller depicts the landmarks as the landscape of the mountains across the Vevey lake, the Chateau de Chillon, and the Colosseum. The fortress represents the hundreds that dot Europes country, having been once the social and cultural centers from Medieval times even to the eighteenth century, when ruling families and aristocrats reigned in lavish palaces and mansions. The Alpine mountains are a sight common in Con plyerate Europe from Switzerland, Italy, southern Germany and Austria, and is reminiscent of its kin west in the form of the Pyrenees. The use of French, from terminology to architecture, represents the governing influence of the French since the Enlightenment, and the imagery of Romefrom cobbled streets to Colosseum likewise symbolize the preservation of Europes ancientness throughout its reverting to contemporary times.The fear depicted in both works, meanwhile, are symbols of expressions that, in their descriptions, also indicate the respective mindsets of the peoples of those times for instance, in the period of Benito Cereno, the threat of piracy was a very very danger encountered by any captain. The ship was the lifeblood of trade betwixt nations, and in Spains case between Empire and colonies. Captain Delanos spasms of panic at the possibility of the Saint Dominick clump being pirates were understandable. friendly etiquette was at the center of the gentlemans world in European social circles. The fears were more direct at what harmed this social order scandal. Thus, in Daisy Miller, the growing fear in Daisys open associations with men of questionable character was that it fomented a scandal among social circles, as behavior that openly defied social norms. contrast also plays a substantial role in the fears, which feeds off the protagonists. Captain Delanos worries are fed by the liberal natural actions of the Spanish captain towards the various incidences pointing to the Africans seeming equality with the Spaniardthe unpunished abuse by a slave boy towards a Spanish counterpart, the reactions of two slaves upon the brusque action of one Spaniard and the treatment of the African slave-prince Atufals defiance (Melville, 166). Winterbournes fears are borne from the disapproving observations of the women of Daisys associations, as is described in Daisy Miller, as well as her habit of going out at nighttime with a total strangeronce attempted with Winterbourne, then actually acted on with Giovanelli.The symbolism of structure and style is one that can be discovered after the second and third reading. It gives the reader an reading of whether, like the American tradition, the narrative is one linear and direct and practical or uses subtle undertones, as is done in European cultures. In Benito Cereno, the paranoia of Captain Delano grows through different images the sight of the Ashantee slaves with their hatchets (Melville, 161), the comings and goings of members of the Spanish crew (151, 153), and the hushed conversations of his host and the African aide (153). When the ruse is terminally discovered, the resolution is swiftly conveyed through an American expedition (189-192).In contrast, European literal tradition is more reflective and focuses on the varying subtleties of social movement and speech. The resolution, then, is less clear if the layers of meanings of the scenes that preceded it was not easily understood. It was therefore, in Daisy Miller, through the careful study of the exchange of delivery between Winterbourne and Daisy in Chateau de Chillon leading to her sudden change in demeanor, her unforgiving chidings of Winterbourne in Rome of his final words to her in Vevey, and the confrontation between them in the Colosseum, could the tragic final scenes be clearly understood. workings CitedReferences Melville, Herman. Billy Budd, Sailor and Other Stories. New York Bantam Books, 1984.Electronic Sources James, Henry. Daisy Miller. Daisy Miller by Henry James. February 2001, Project Gutenberg, 02 May 2002 .