The American Lesson Plan

In the first chapter, James declares of Christopher Newman: “The gentleman on the divan was a powerful specimen of an American.” If Newman is a shining example of an American man in the 1860s, what can we discern about Henry James’s characterization of “Americanness” in this period?

Newman embodies the physical ideal of an American man in this period, from his manner of dress to his demeanor and even his physiognomy. In this way, James suggests that Americanness is not only conveyed through fashion and affect, but is also an inherent biological trait that anyone can identify. Americanness, then, is at least partly external. Newman’s life experiences are also relevant...