What Maisie Knew is a book about families in more ways than one. Here's what we mean: James wants us to think about what it means to be left in the lurch by your birth family, the very people who are supposed to love you first and best.
But Maisie should also prompt us to reflect on what it means to choose a family. Family, in this alternative understanding, isn't something you're born with; it's something you make. Here's where Maleficent comes in because just like Aurora in that tale, Maisie finds family where you'd least expect it—with a woman whose true love means more than the prior claim of bad parents.
Questions About Family
- What is the significance of Mrs. Wix's dead daughter, Clara Matilda?
- What does the ending of What Maisie Knew suggest about the value of family?
- How might James's novel relate to debates about family values today?
Chew on This
Maisie's choice to live with Mrs. Wix shows that she has learned something—that true, time-tested love trumps biological connection.
James's portrayal of Mrs. Wix makes it clear that she is more of a mother than either of Maisie's official mothers, Ida and Mrs. Beale.