As a coming-of-age story that centers on a super-young protagonist, Maisie is a meditation on youth from start to finish. James was a great believer in depicting youth in realistic rather than sentimental terms—it's a hard-knock life for young Maisie.
At the same time, James was also sensitive to the vulnerability of young people everywhere, and Maisie is an awesomesauce creation because of the way she combines experience with innocence and preternatural gifts—she's freakishly smart and sensitive—with a real need for protection. James writes in a way that makes us feel both of these combinations and love Maisie both for her strengths and for her weaknesses.
Questions About Youth
- Is Maisie a sentimental protagonist or a realistic one? Defend your choice using evidence from the text.
- Does Maisie represent innocence or experience? Defend your choice using evidence from the text.
- If James wanted to emphasize the fact that all young people need protection, why would he have created such a resilient character?
Chew on This
Mrs. Wix is the only character who treats Maisie like the young person she is.
What Maisie Knew shows the consequences of adults abandoning their responsibility for the young.