What Maisie Knew Analysis

The journeys in Maisie are mostly inner. But for good measure—and to make sure that readers don't miss his point—James adds a real travel narrative into his story of self-discovery. Maisie make...

James's use of point of view is one thing—the main thing, even—that makes What Maisie Knew a big deal. It's probably the reason this book is famous, so you'll want to pay attention to how James...

This one is kind of a no-brainer: Maisie is six years old when we first meet her, and James follows her along a path of self-discovery and growth. We can't be sure how old she is when What Maisie K...

Although James's narrators can be highly snarky in his other novels, here the tone is all warmth and openheartedness. Don't get us wrong: he takes some pleasure in exposing the hypocrisy of the adu...

James is famous for his complicated sentences, dense and minute psychological descriptions, and extra-long paragraphs, and What Maisie Knew is no exception to this rule. It helps as you're reading...

James's title is crucial, and readers will be quick to notice his frequent variations on it throughout the book. Not only are the novel's last words the same as the title's words, but James also re...

In the novel's last sentence, Mrs. Wix marvels that:She still had room for wonder at what Maisie knew. (XXXI.154) This means that a whole lot of the book is summed up in those final words: almost t...

Sure, it has a very young protagonist. But that doesn't make What Maisie Knew kid stuff. It's not even young adult stuff; it's the anti-YA novel. Not to diss Disney, but Maisie is no Disney princes...

A Daughter of DivorceFarange v. Farange and Others is the nasty divorce that begins What Maisie Knew. And the whole novel really is about the case's fallout. James's preface and first chapters in...

Dream StageWhen Maisie's stepparents first appear, both seem dreamy indeed. James emphasizes their physical appeal (they're both sexpots—check them out in the movie version) and their way with...

Henry James claimed that he got the idea for What Maisie Knew when he overheard an anecdote about a crazy custody arrangement at a dinner party. (Source)Before writing Maisie, James wrote a long sh...

Here's the thing: it's clear that a lot—we repeat, a lot—of sex is happening in Maisie's world. But there are some things that even the sharpest kids can't understand. And the birds and the bee...

Shakespeare, As You Like It (XV.22)The Arabian Nights (XIX)