The story in one page
Daisy Miller, a wealthy and relentlessly cheerful American, arrives in Vevey with her mother and younger brother. She immediately disrupts the predictable routines of the local expatriate community by acting exactly as she pleases. Winterbourne, a young man who has spent too much time assimilating into Swiss society, attempts to categorize her behavior. When Daisy moves to Rome and begins socializing openly with an Italian man named Giovanelli, the judgmental American colony ostracizes her. Winterbourne observes her defiance with a mix of fascination and condescension until she contracts a fatal illness in the Colosseum, revealing the tragic cost of the community’s rigid social standards.
Who's who
- Daisy Miller
A young, headstrong American woman who refuses to obey social conventions.
- Winterbourne
An expatriate perpetually analyzing Daisy’s character to determine her moral worth.
- Mrs. Costello
Winterbourne’s aunt who functions as the local authority on social exclusivity.
- Mr. Giovanelli
An Italian suitor whom the American expatriate community deems entirely unsuitable.
What it's really about
- Social Exclusion
- Community pressure effectively polices the boundaries of acceptable female behavior.
- Cultural Mismatch
- Incompatibility between American spontaneity and rigid European class hierarchies.
Why it's memorable
- Daisy wandering the Colosseum at midnight with a parasol.
- A bouquet of fresh flowers left on a grave in Rome.
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
After Daisy’s death, Winterbourne realizes he misjudged her and that she had desired his esteem all along. He returns to his isolated life in Geneva, haunted by his inability to appreciate her character before it was too late.
For your book club
- Is Daisy's behavior truly innocent, or is it a calculated provocation?
- How does Winterbourne’s background in Geneva warp his ability to judge people?