The “New World” Explorer

A common cock of writers is to explore a terrain or new culture by dint of the look of a stranger. A stranger would seek to explore and come apart every(prenominal) the facets and aspects of his new environment. On the other hand, to introduce the world through and through the eye of a resident becomes dull in time as the resident, having been acquainted(predicate) with most of the workings of his world, would leave much of it that is not within his ready vicinity unmentioned or unsaid.In both the stories Benito Cereno and Daisy Miller, the protagonist is an American. He in every case has had some familiarity of his environment, but not enough not to make him less(prenominal) of a stranger. This identity is beneficial, as the United States is psychologically set by from the traditions of Old europium, and even that of Spanish America. The protagonists suddenly become pioneers, in their attempts to discover more of their immediate strange and unfamiliar territory. This New W orld government issue is more enhanced as outside of the limited perspective of the protagonist, the origin c befully and quietly arranges appropriate symbolisms of object, expression and style to give a cunning reference to the traditions, American for Henry Melville, and European for Henry James.The instanter recognizable symbolism seen by the protagonists in Benito Cereno and Daisy Miller is represented through the symbolism of object. These atomic number 18 embodied in concrete enclosures that have deeper scope in their respective traditions. In 19th century 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 by and by becomes the lifeblood of the European colonizers, particularly the Spanish, in the form of the Galleon Trade and the Slave Trade. It is thusly noteworthy that San Dominick represents both institutio ns in its housing both treasure and African slaves (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 castle represents the hundreds that dot Europes country, having been once the cordial and cultural centers from chivalric times even to the 18th century, when ruling families and aristocrats reigned in lavish palaces and mansions. The alpine mountains are a sight common in southern Europe from Switzerland, Italy, southern Germany and Austria, and is reminiscent of its kin west in the form of the Pyrenees. The uptake of French, from terminology to architecture, represents the dominant influence of the French since the Enlightenment, and the imagery of Romefrom cobbled streets to Colosseum excessively symbolize the preservation of Europes antiquity throughout its retrogression to contemporary times.The fear depicted in both works, meanwhile, are symbols of expressi ons that, in their descriptions, also indicate the respective mindsets of the peoples of those times for instance, in the period of Benito Cereno, the scourge of piracy was a very real danger encountered by any captain. The ship was the lifeblood of trade amongst nations, and in Spains case between Empire and colonies. Captain Delanos spasms of panic at the possibility of the apotheosis Dominick crew being pirates were understandable.Social etiquette was at the center of the gentlemans world in European social circles. The fears were more directed 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.Discrimination also plays a substantial role in the fears, which feeds off the protagonists. Captain Delanos worries are fed by the liberal fulfils of the Spanish captain towards the various incide nces 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 advantageously as her habit of going out at night with a total strangeronce attempted with Winterbourne, then actually acted on with Giovanelli.The symbolism of structure and style is one that can be ascertained after the second and third reading. It gives the reader an indication 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 finally discovered, the resolution is swiftly conveyed through an American expedition (189-192).In contrast, European literal tradition is more contemplative and focuses on the varying subtleties of 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 words 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.Works CitedReferences Melville, Herman. Billy Budd, crew member and Other Stories. New York Bantam Books, 1984.Electronic Sou rces James, Henry. Daisy Miller. Daisy Miller by Henry James. February 2001, Project Gutenberg, 02 May 2002 .