The American Henry James

Is Henry James in fact Defending American Exceptionalism in The American?

Joseph Moore

English 331

Helwig

December 11, 2011

1851 Words

In Henry James' novel The American, he does something unheard of at the time of publication by creating a story which accurately and effectively portrays the differences in the cultured but dangerously hypocritical Old World and naïve but forceful New World. However it is his portrayal of the main protagonist, Christopher Newman, which displays James' understanding of the American persona and the general American ideals of the time. Through James's representation of Christopher Newman, readers get a view into his feelings towards 19th century Americans. Newman's seemingly brash display of his wealth, his ignorance to the customs of others, and innate feelings of superiority all create a personification of the feelings James has towards American people and their attitudes. From Newman's initial arrival in Paris, all the way up until the end of the novel, James shows the positive and negative characteristics Newman, and thus Americans in general, posses. Many of the situations Newman is in create some sort of consequence, however, the writing, and Newman himself, is always honest.

From the very beginning of the novel, readers get a look into James' feelings about 19th century American men through his physical descriptions of Christopher Newman. James states that, after a long day of walking in the heat, he was exhausted. He states that Newman was "evidently not a man to whom fatigue was familiar; long, lean, and muscular, he suggested the sort of vigour that is commonly known as "toughness" (chapter 1). However, he then describes that throughout all the physical work he has done over the years, nothing had worn him out quite as much as that walk through the Louvre. This shows James' feelings on what Americans describe as hard work, and how it can be compared to others in the world. It is quite evident that Newman is a hard working man, and possesses the physical characteristics of one. When giving reference to his American Heritage, James describes Newman through "the flat jaw and the firm, dry neck which are frequent in the American type." All of these things give readers a view into how James feels about the 19th century American man from the physical standpoint. He sees them as strong, dominant, and hardworking, their bodies a testament to their success as a self-made man. This was a contrast to the men in the Old World, who were not so physically present, but had their power through intellectual and social structures. By all accounts, the physical representation James gives Newman can be one that creates a positive image of the American man from James' viewpoint. When it initially comes to describing Newman's personality, readers begin to get a much more in depth view into how James feels about Americans. James goes through all of Newman's strength and weakness when he describes him as "frigid and yet friendly, frank yet cautious, shrewd yet credulous, positive yet skeptical, confident yet shy, extremely intelligent and extremely good-humoured." James develops Newman as a person, showing that he, like all Americans, is a complex individual.

When Newman has arrived in Paris and is looking at the paintings, the copy-artist Noeime immediately catches his eye. Not only is she beautiful, Newman loves her paintings. When he asks her to make him some copies, she haggles the price of them to what seems like an extreme amount of 2,000 francs. Even Noeime is "stunned" at the amount. However, Newman agrees to pay them no matter how high the price gets. By European standards, Newman is seemingly displaying his wealth in a brash and somewhat tacky manner. However, rather than criticizing Newman for his actions, one could argue that James is defending Newman. While it is clear that Newman has a lot to learn, it is also clear, through his stature and his actions, that Newman is a man who is very self aware and secure. When he runs into his old Civil War friend Tom Tristram, they begin to talk. It seems that there is a critical difference, or juxtaposition, between New World value and Old World values. Tom suggests that wealth is something that is to be enjoyed rather than being made. However, one cannot enjoy wealth without making it first. This plays upon old European values that one is to die in the class that they are born into. If someone is born rich, they are to die rich, and the same with being born poor. James, through his characterization of Newman, seems to disagree with this ideal. While Newman may seem brash for his spending of his money, he does so because he does not care about money. This is evidenced in Chapter 2, by his decision not to take his revenge on an old business rival. Newman states, "I wanted to throw it all up and break off short; I had money enough, or if I hadn't I ought to have. I seemed to feel a new man inside my old skin, and I longed for a new world." It was at that moment that Newman's ideals as a man changed. He no longer felt the need to give up his morals simply for financial gain. He was no longer a slave to business, but was rather in a position where he could live his life comfortably upon the wealth he had worked for many years to acquire. Chapter 2, while still very early in the novel, seems to play a pivotal role in James' construction of American society. While the primary goal in America seems to be to acquire some sort of wealth and superiority amongst others, through his portrayal of Newman, James portrays a belief that the difference between Old World and New World values is what happens after the wealth has been acquired. Newman processes a homegrown honesty unlike anything seen in the Old French society, and it creates many conflicts throughout the novel. James seems to favor the American honesty and straightforward attitude over the European ideal of secrecy. While to the naked eye Newman may come across as crude and brash, his straightforward attitude is in fact a testament to American morality and a strong sense of what is right and wrong. His innate superiority is in fact his level of comfort in himself as a man and the wealth he has acquired through hard work.

Through James' portrayal of Newman, readers also see his feelings about American attitudes towards other cultures. Upon his initial arrival at Paris, he spends the day in the Louvre, looking at the painting and truly studying them. This is where he first meets Noeime. When he