The Bostonians

The Bostonians a novel by Henry James which was first published in the Century Magazine in 1885-1886 as a serial before being completely published as a book in1886. This novel combines amazing characters, and a well planned complicated plot to portray an interesting and captivating story of love in the modern era and long time confusion on the areas involved in liberation, change and progress. The story tells about the competition of Ransom and Olive to win Verena’s attention and loyalty. More over, ‘The Bostonians’ contains far reaching views of news paper editors, political activists, and other unconventional analysis. Simply stated, James’ description of Boston reformers is misplaced, unjustified mostly because of the satirical way James has responded to the real characters in this novel.

An interpretive dilemma is one that has views which bring out a well reasoned idea that are prone to more contest regarding the text; well stated it is a view on a text capable of being supported with written evidence. An interpretative uncertainty statement is the most crucial part of thesis writing. Even if a thesis is well prepared or includes best analyzed supporting facts, it has to include an interpretative dilemma statement. This is the statement that brings out all your sub points.

James Henry the Bostonian shows the Boston reformers all the way in the right to vote movement. The erratic of the characters is shown by James in his political satirical analysis. This is well portrayed in Olive Chancellor, an obsessed woman whose life has been dedicated to the fight for women voting rights and Ms Luna, a beautiful, woman full of manipulation and who happens to be her sister (James, 68). The three main characters are besieged by some unclear support of on coming reformers, misanthropic journalists and in other times some menacing and annoying followers Their aim to get hold and control of the ‘beyond reach’ is a like but the methods used in this control are very unlike. Jealousy is their common character which stems from their undying urge to control others.

The writer is much satirical when talking about the natural looks of the characters. By stating that, “….he looked as hard and discouraging like columns of figures” (James, 6). Here Mr Basil is presented as unattractive and boring person who no one could find interest in. Mr. James presents us with someone of no major importance and someone whom we can always ignore and forget about. However the events that follow this prove to the contrary. We find Mr. Basil with a super figure only available on political or the famous bronze platforms. His characters of being a lean, shallow man with striking head that can be easily counted out of the crowds, makes us meet someone of importance, distinguished and a man of taste. The writer later disapproves himself by acknowledging that Mr Basil has a distinguished appearance and in fact is the most important person in the narrative.

As can be seen the picture that Mr. James in the Boston tries to give to us about the main characters is both misplaced and to the contrary. In fact the writer discourages and makes us get some negative vivid pictures about these characters. However as we take our exploration down the narrative, we encounter a complete metamorphosis about the same characters that we had a vivid picture about. This satirical way just adds the compulsion to get deeper into the narrative to get the real image of the character.