Mistakes and personal qualities can be ascribed to different origins, but not to different nationalities. Particular situations and problems are often the result of societal pressures and of the customs and habits of nations and their people. On the other hand, personal qualities cannot be ascribed to one's nationality. In life, everything can be seen in a different light and from different points of view and, thus, can be explained in various ways. As James illustrated through his works, culture, society, opinions, habits, and many other facets of life can create ambiguous situations and will often complicate people's lives. James populated his ambiguous stories with interesting characters and put them into enigmatic situations. As a result, we, as his audience, cannot always be certain of our interpretation of his characters and of his extraordinary stories.