H. James (1843-1916)

“The American”

Discussion guide.
Plot, character, setting and theme are all of great importance in this well-constructed novel. However, since the dominant impression on the reader is created by the characters rather than by the other elements, discussion of the novel may well begin with a consideration of the main characters.

Characters.
Christopher Newman.
• What means of characterisation are most important for creating the main character - Mr. Newman?
• Study the description of his appearance from the opening chapter (p.5-7). Why does the author give such a detailed portrait? In what way does this description foreshadow the development of Mr. Newman’s character throughout the book? The word “American’ was used frequently, does it acquire any specific connotation in the context of the novel? What details of his appearance, clothes, manners does H. James mention throughout the novel? Why do these details play such an important role? Do they help to reveal the inner world of the character’s personality?
• What can you say about his name? Is it significant? (Comment upon the names of the other characters - for example - Urbain.)
• Mr. Newman has a distinctive way of speaking. How does his manner of speaking characterize him? (p.23, 24, 35, 34).
• How do Mr Newman’s deeds and way of behaviour contribute to presenting his personality?
• What are his life values? (Ch.13 p.161).

Madam de Cintre.
• What means of characterisation are important in this case? Cite instances of various methods from the text. Comment upon Claire’s portrait (Ch.6 p.79). What justification is there for the author’s giving the detailed description of her appearance?
• Madam de Cintre appears in Ch.3. The author gives us her detailed description only in Ch.6. Why?
• How is her emotional state reflected by the author in the scene of proposing (Ch. 9 p.108 -112)?
• Can we say that her appearance reflects her personality and inner world? Why? Give your examples.
• What is the author’s attitude to her? Prove your point.

Marquis de Bellegarde.
• Why is this character so important for understanding the theme of the novel? Close analysis: his description (Ch.10 p.120); M. de Bellegarde through Mr. Newman’s eyes (Ch.13 p.152-153).
• In these two extract H. James reveals his ironic attitude to the typical representative of British aristocracy. How does he do it?
• Very often the author opposes Mr.Newman as the typical American to Marquis de Bellegarde. In what scenes does he do it and what does this device help him to attain?
• Comment upon Marquis de Bellegarde’s speech portrayal (Ch.12, 13). Is the speech of various individuals a clue to the character’s personality?

Plot.
• In your opinion which is dominant in the novel - plot or character?
• That is, do the events take the shape they do because, the characters being what they are, the happenings could be not different? Or are the characters invented to fit into a preconceived and powerful plot? Give evidence to support your opinion.
• What is the time arrangement in the novel?
• What do you find out about Mr. Newman from the first chapter?
• Where did he meet Mademoiselle Noemie and her father?
• Why were they introduced by the author?
• How did Mrs. Tristam help Christopher?
• Where and how did she get acquainted with Claire de Bellegarde?
• What did we find out from Mrs. Tristam about the Bellegardes? Why was this information so important for Mr. Newman?
• When and where did Mr. Newman first meet Claire? What impression did she produce on him?
• What was the main aim of his travelling around Europe?
• What were Mr. Newman’s relations with the Count Valentin?
• What did Valentin tell Christopher about his sister in Ch. 8 and about his family?
• Why was it impossible from the point of view of the Bellegardes, for Christopher to marry Claire?
• What was her and her family reaction to Mr. Newman’s proposal?
• What was Madame de Bellegarde’s attitude to Mr. Newman and Americans in general? (Ch.10, Ch.12)
• What was the decision of a family council?
• Why did the author use the word “strange” when he talked about the Bellegardes? What is the reason of their “strangeness”?
• Comment upon Newman’s attitude to Claire after his proposal had not been adopted? (Ch.13)
• What happened at M. de Bellegarde’s ball? Why is this episode so important? (Ch.16 p.199)
• What is the climax of the novel? (Ch.17 p.218)
• Why did Claire decide to give him up? What was the main reason from your point of view?
• What does the wordcombination “commercial man” mean to the Bellegardes? (p.224)
• How did Mrs. Tristam explain him why they had refused him? (Ch.18 p.227)
• What happened to Valentin? (p.230) Valentin and Stanislav Kapp.
• What secret did Newman find out from Valentin? Who knew this secret? (p.242 Ch.19)
• What amazed Newman most of all when he met Claire after Valentin’s death? (Ch.20 p.251-252)
• What was the secret? Is this discovery crucial to the plot? (Newman’s dialogue with Mrs. Bread in ch.22 p.270-280).
• What did Newman tell Marquis about in Ch.21?
• What was Newman’s proposal? Did Marquis agree to it?
• What did Newman show Marquis in the church? (Ch.24 p.298)
• What was his mother’s reaction to the news?
• Why did Newman visit the Duchess? (Ch.25 p.302)
• What was the end of the novel?
• Are there any important diversions from the expected trajectory of the plot?
• What is the nature of the conflict in the novel? Does it grow naturally out of the characters or the situations the story presents?

Narration.
“The American” was written in the third person.
• What kind of narrator is he?
• What point of view does he present (omniscient or limited)? Prove your point. Do you feel very close to the narrator? Why?
• Sometimes, H. James expresses his own opinion in the first person singular (Ch.13 p.41, 43, 59, 61, 79, 82, 86); sometimes, he calls Mr. Newman - “our friend” (p.30); sometimes, he addresses us (the readers) directly. How does this type of narrator contribute to the tone and theme of the novel?
• Into which character’s mind does the reader enter? (Ch.6 p.75)
• There is one particular attitude that is very important in H. James’ narration - irony. How is it revealed in the novel? Comment upon the author’s attitude to Mr. Newman, Marquis de Bellagarde; Madam de Bellegarde; Madam de Cintre; Mademoiselle Noemie.
• Can we say that this irony is a kind of alliance between the author and the reader?
• Does the author use flashbacks in his narration?

Setting.
• Setting may be functional or may merely set the scene. Does the setting of the novel aid the reader to understand the mood of a character or the twist of a plot or establish an emotional effect or underline the theme of the novel? Give your examples and comment upon them. (Ch.7 p.91 - Valentin’s rooms; Ch.6 p.71 - Newman’s apartment; Ch.3 p.41 - the Bellegardes’ house)
• What aspects of the setting are emphasized?
• Recall various specific descriptions H. James gives of the setting. What is the atmosphere conveyed by the setting? What stylistic devices does the author mostly use?
• Close analysis: description of the Bellegardes’ house before the ball (Ch.16 p.191). • What atmosphere does this description create?
• Through the eyes of what character is it given?
Close analysis: description of the village and chateau (Ch.20 p.244-245); description of the church (Ch.24 p.288).