The American Analysis

Literary Devices in The American

Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory

Setting

Setting in The American is all about Newman's fantasy world: Paris, the City of Lights, Love and the Louvre. Of course, if we learned anything from Woody Allen's movie on the same theme (what's up,...

Narrator Point of View

Third person omniscient, you say? That's what we get when the narrator sneaks in on every character's deepest and darkest secrets. For instance, we instantly hear that the shabby-looking M. Nioche...

Genre

The American would make an excellent soap opera. It's packed to the gills with family drama, particularly when it comes to the Bellegarde family. Newman attempts to marry into a family that has its...

Tone

Typical Henry James. The narrator's attitude towards the characters in The American often takes a satirical approach, as if to poke a little fun at the aristocratic elite. In fact, the characters'...

Writing Style

Thinking Deep ThoughtsNearly every sentence in The American is structured around Newman's perception of himself. How's that for deep? Even when the narrative doesn't refer to Newman, it's digging d...

What's Up With the Title?

The American is a pretty surprising title, given that Christopher Newman tries to renounce his American identity in France. Based on the title alone, it sounds like Newman doesn't totally succeed i...

What's Up With the Ending?

When Newman burns the letter containing the juicy Bellegarde family secret, he's committing to move on with his life. Of course, Newman has to end the Claire saga of his life in the presence of Mrs...

Tough-o-Meter

The American could be a great beach read—at least, the first half. Just when we're settling into a delightful comedy of manners, James turns the screw (so to speak). We're committed to no spoiler...

Plot Analysis

On a Lark in the LouvreChristopher Newman is just moseying around the Louvre, trying to see if he can find a French wife. Instead, he finds a pretty picture-copying hustler named Noémie and runs i...

Booker's Seven Basic Plots Analysis

Anticipation Stage: Newman is rich and worldly. He has practically everything…except a wife to make it all worthwhile. When Mrs. Tristram suggests he go after the beautiful Claire de Cintre, he p...

Three-Act Plot Analysis

Christopher Newman runs into a pretty young woman named Noémie at the Louvre and offers to buy a painting off of her. He also runs into Tom Tristram, an old war pal who invites him back to meet hi...

Trivia

How does tact fit into Henry James's narrative strategy in The American? As usual, TV Tropes has it all figured out. (Source) Of course, Henry James was raised abroad before moving to America. We w...

Steaminess Rating

Although Valentin occasionally lusts after Noemie, we've got ourselves a pretty chaste novel. Besides a few pecks on the lips, Newman and Claire don't seem to express much passion for each other. T...

Allusions

Noemie, name of the American heroine in Alexander Dumas's play L'Etrangere (1.27).Rolla, hero of an 1833 poem by Alfred de Musset and Fortunio, of an 1837 tale by Theophile Gautier (3.70).Extracts...