# VI explained — The Wings of the Dove

> Chapter companion for The Wings of the Dove by Henry James.

## What happens

Milly Theale reflects on Kate Croy's frankness and charm during an evening conversation, feeling herself being 'dealt with' as part of a larger social drama. She decides to avoid Sir Luke Strett's visit by sending Mrs. Stringham to meet him instead, and goes to the National Gallery.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Manipulation

Milly plans a deceptive avoidance of Sir Luke Strett, asking Mrs. Stringham to tell him she is at home when she is not, and Kate's frankness is described as a performance that 'deals' with Milly.

### Appearance vs. Reality

The chapter contrasts the surface of social ease with the underlying currents of manipulation and hidden motives, as Milly feels herself 'dealt with' while Kate appears charming.

### Innocence vs. Experience

Milly is portrayed as the 'American mind' that needs to be led through English society, while Kate represents a more experienced, worldly perspective.

## Character check-ins

### Milly Theale

Milly observes Kate's performance and feels herself surrendering to the current of Kate's influence; she decides to avoid Sir Luke Strett and sends Mrs. Stringham in her place.

### Kate Croy

Kate is in extraordinary form, frank and charming, moving about the room and performing for Milly; she discusses Lord Mark and her position under Aunt Maud's protection.

### Susan Stringham

Mrs. Stringham is left to receive Sir Luke Strett on Milly's behalf; she is described as faithful and imaginative, quickly accepting the plan.

### Maud Lowder

Aunt Maud is mentioned as having left the hope that things went beautifully; Milly tells her that Lord Mark is not there, earning the exclamation 'Oh, you exquisite thing!'

### Lord Mark

Lord Mark is discussed as a topic; Kate describes him as not the cleverest creature in England and as weighing things out in ounces.

### Sir Luke Strett

Sir Luke Strett is expected to visit Milly by appointment, but she plans to avoid him and have Mrs. Stringham see him instead.

## Key lines

> she was never at her best⁠—unless indeed it were exactly, as now, in listening, watching, admiring, collapsing.

Milly felt she was only at her best when passively observing and being overwhelmed by others.

_Reflects Milly's self-perception as a passive participant in social interactions._

> It might have been a lesson, for our young American, in the art of seeing things as they were⁠—a lesson so various and so sustained that the pupil had, as we have shown, but receptively to gape.

Kate's frankness served as an education for Milly in understanding reality, leaving her simply to absorb it in amazement.

_Highlights the theme of innocence vs. experience and Milly's role as a learner._

> She gave away publicly, in this process, Lancaster Gate and everything it contained; she gave away, hand over hand, Milly's thrill continued to note, Aunt Maud and Aunt Maud's glories and Aunt Maud's complacencies; she gave herself away most of all.

Kate openly criticized Aunt Maud and her world, and most of all revealed her own true self.

_Illustrates Kate's candor and the theme of appearance vs. reality._

> I am ⁠—you're so far right as that⁠—on the counter, when I'm not in the shopwindow; in and out of which I'm thus conveniently, commercially whisked: the essence, all of it, of my position, and the price, as properly, of my aunt's protection.

Kate describes herself as being displayed and traded like a commodity in exchange for her aunt's support.

_Reveals Kate's awareness of her transactional role in society._

> She settled it, she thought, well enough this morning by quite readopting her plan in respect to Sir Luke Strett.

Milly decided to stick with her earlier plan regarding Sir Luke Strett.

_Shows Milly's determination to control her own narrative._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_wings_of_the_dove_se/chapters/vi
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_wings_of_the_dove_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_wings_of_the_dove_se/chapters