Previous

Compare and contrast the ways in which the three American men—Strether, Waymarsh, and Jim Pocock—are affected by their respective times in Paris.

In what ways does Strether change throughout the course of the novel? In what ways does he remain static?

At the end of The Ambassadors is Madame de Vionnet a tragic character or a vanquished villain?

Discuss the silent climax in the penultimate book of the novel (Book Eleventh). Is it an effective narrative technique? Why or why not?

Discuss the effect of James’s unique narrative technique on the tone or mood of the novel. How does he establish Strether as the novel’s center of consciousness without using a first-person voice?

Compare and contrast the characters of Miss Gostrey and Madame de Vionnet. In what ways are they similar, and in what ways are they different?

Previous section Mini Essays

Popular pages: The Ambassadors

Take a Study Break