Final answer:
Henry James' 'Daisy Miller' explores themes of innocence and societal norms through Frederick Winterbourne's perspective, which frames the narrative in a gossipy and potentially unreliable way, showcasing the novel's Realist features.
Step-by-step explanation:
The novel 'Daisy Miller' by Henry James navigates the complexities of societal norms and individual behavior through the interactions of its characters, particularly focusing on Daisy Miller and Frederick Winterbourne. Daisy's actions and their interpretations by others, particularly Winterbourne, are central to the exploration of themes of innocence, reputation, and social dynamics. Winterbourne is often torn between different readings of Daisy's character, questioning whether she is simply naive and innocent or whether her forwardness and disregard for conventions signal something else. This constant questioning of Daisy's innocence reflects Winterbourne's own preoccupations and the societal pressures of the time to conform to certain behavioral standards.
The narrative voice, following Winterbourne's point of view, serves to present the story as a sort of gossip, coloring the events with his personal judgments and the social prejudices of American expats in Europe. This choice of narrative perspective pushes readers to question the reliability of the viewpoint and contributes to the Realist features of the novel, which include a focus on everyday events and society's influence on individuals.