The Ambassadors

The Ambassadors by Henry James follows Lambert Strether, a middle-aged American sent to Paris by his fiancée, Mrs. Newsome, to persuade her son Chad to return home and take over the family business. In Paris, Strether discovers that Chad has matured and is romantically involved with the sophisticated Madame de Vionnet. Immersed in European culture, Strether begins to question his own life choices and values. Ultimately, he advises Chad to stay in Paris, rejecting his original mission and returning to America with a new, bittersweet awareness of missed opportunities.