What Maisie Knew by Henry James (Book Analysis)

This practical and insightful reading guide offers a complete summary and analysis of What Maisie Knew by Henry James. It provides a thorough exploration of the novel’s plot, characters and main themes, including infidelity, innocence and children’s perceptions. The clear and concise style makes for easy understanding, providing the perfect opportunity to improve your literary knowledge in no time.

This clear and detailed 48-page reading guide is structured as follows:

• Biography of Henry James
• Presentation of What Maisie Knew
• Summary of What Maisie Knew
• Character study
  • Maisie
  • Beale Farange
  • Ida Farange
  • Miss Overmore (aka Mrs Beale)
  • Mrs Wix
  • Sir Claude
• Analysis of What Maisie Knew
  • What Maisie Knew: a stylistic triumph
  • Childhood: the interplay of Innocence and Experience
  • Travel: journeying with Maisie

About What Maisie Knew

What Maisie Knew is told from the perspective of the titular character Maisie, a young girl whose parents decide to separate when she is six years old. Through her limited – but ever-increasing – understanding of the world around her, the reader discovers the tangled web of adulterous relationships her parents are weaving, as Maisie attempts to find a stable parental figure who loves her unconditionally and for who she is.

About Henry James

The American writer Henry James was active in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, and is well known for his style, which was groundbreaking for its time. His works are characterized by acute psychological insight, lengthy description passages and ambiguity, which means that they often give rise to myriad differing interpretations. His best-known works of fiction include The American, The Portrait of a Lady, What Maisie Knew and The Turn of the Screw; he also wrote essays and literary criticism. After spending the majority of his life in Europe, James died in London in 1916.