Henry James

8 7.1

A writer born in America who became British and wrote novels about people's thoughts

proper noun
/ˈhɛnri dʒeɪmz/

: Henry James

The works of Henry James are often studied in literature classes.

Examples

Many scholars study the novels of Henry James to understand transatlantic literary relations.
'The Turn of the Screw' is one of Henry James's most famous works.
Henry James was renowned for his psychological insight and complex narrative style.
Many consider Henry James a master of psychological realism.
Many literary scholars regard Henry James as a master of the modern novel.
In college, I studied the works of Henry James to understand his views on the complexities of human experience.
Henry James is famous for his intricate narratives and psychological depth in his novels.

Surface Forms

Henry James main

Morphology

Henry + James

This is a proper name referring to a specific historical individual (a novelist); knowing the constituent words 'Henry' and 'James' only signals two personal names and gives no clue to his identity, works, or biographical details. Proper nouns are referential and idiosyncratic rather than compositional, so a B1 learner who knows the parts would not be able to derive the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Henry James was an American-born writer who later lived in Britain and became famous for stories that study people's thoughts and feelings closely. That's why the name refers to the well-known novelist of books like 'The Portrait of a Lady' and 'The Turn of the Screw'.