however, regards the question of Daisy's "innocence," a word they use in several senses: to signify being unsophisticated in terms of social mores; to distinguish behaving naturally from playing a role; to refer to a young woman's sexual intactness. Daisy never fully understands why these people react to her so strongly or why conduct which is acceptable at home is misunderstood and disapproved of in Europe. In particular, she sees nothing wrong in openly enjoying the company of her gentlemen friends while for them her major failing is precisely her free manner with men which they insistently misinterpret as a sign of her impropriety.

Developing parallel to the social dimension of James's tale, there is a psychological theme that concerns how individuals respond to the constrictions of conventions. The characters who occupy a position at the top of the social pyramid, rigidly adhere to the prevailing modes of conduct and expect others to do likewise. Winterbourne's aunt, Mrs. Costello, is so sure about Daisy's vulgarity that she refuses even to be introduced to her, while the ironically-named Mrs. Walker severely advises Daisy that to walk unchaperoned at twilight will ruin her reputation and becomes angry when the girl refuses to change her plans accordingly. It is on the basis of such opinions, and not for any specific wrongdoings, that Daisy is ultimately ostracized by the entire community of upper-class American expatriates in Rome.

Since we are never given access to Daisy's thoughts, we cannot know whether she ignores the existence of rigid codes regulating the behavior of young unmarried women or is determined to flaunt them. Whatever her motivation, she succeeds in proclaiming her independence. Besides continuing to frequent Giovanelli, a handsome young Italian whom everyone believes is a fortune-hunter, she allows herself to be seen with him in relatively secluded places, walks with him unchaperoned and finally accompanies hint to the Colosseum at night. However, after she is "cut" by Winterbourne at the Colosseum she seems to lose heart, perhaps realizing she cannot continue to exercise her individuality and still claim a portion of social approval.

Winterbourne is not as free as Daisy nor as rigid as some of the other characters. He at first seems capable of seeing that Daisy offers him a vision of a new way of life and whenever he is in her presence, he is tempted to test the limits of his habitual behavior, if only to enjoy the pleasure of flirting with her. Yet, after each encounter, he feels perplexed about the true meaning of her behavior and remains under the influence of the opinions of his aunt and Mrs. Walker. Thus, he finally cannot overcome his tendency to condemn people who disregard social decorum.

A third thematic dimension centers on the moral issue of judging people according to pre-established categories. Winterbourne is a prime example of this tendency since throughout the story he searches for the right formula to describe Daisy and to clarify for himself how to conduct his relations with her. He alternately sees her as "a pretty American flirt," "an unscrupulous young person," and "an inscrutable combination of audacity and innocence." Frustratingly for him, she constantly eludes such labeling by actions he is unable to predict. His vacillation continues until the evening he sees her with Giovanelli at the Colosseum when, with a sense of relief, he decides "she was a young lady whom a gentleman need no longer be at pains to respect." At the end, Winterbourne senses he judged Daisy unfairly because he was too inflexible, but this insight does not lead him to change his values and he returns to Geneva without having become a new man. No explicit judgment is passed but, implicitly, he is depicted as a failure. His relationship with Daisy was something of a moral test involving his ability to overcome his adherence to categorical thought and to relate to people as individuals rather than as types, as well as to begin seeing life anew from outside the boundaries of narrow conventions.