Henry James (1843 - 1916) was one of the leaders in the school of realism in fiction. He is known for his series of novels in which he portrayed the encounter of America with Europe. James is considered to be the master of the novel and novella. James wrote about personal relationships and the power within these relationships. James explored consciousness and perception from the point of view of a character within a tale. In What Maisie Knew the divorced parents of a perceptive twelve-year-old girl subsequently remarry, and she continues to spend six months of the year with each family. She observes the same adulterous affairs in her stepmother and stepfather as she saw in her parents; but this knowledge matures rather than corrupts her.