Like many of Henry James’s other stories, “The Jolly Corner” locates its central conflict and resolution in a character’s attitude and perceptions rather than in external events. The story revolves around Spencer Brydon’s acceptance or rejection of his American alter ego. The exact nature of that alter ego, his relationship to Brydon’s “real” self, and the consequences of either accepting or rejecting him are all left ambiguous, allowing for a variety of interpretations. What is clear is that in encountering his double, Brydon comes face to face with his own fragmented and alienated identity.

Upon returning to America, one of the first things Brydon does is get involved with renovating one of his properties to serve as an apartment building. His apparent aptitude for this work persuades him that he might have been a successful businessman, but his attitude toward the work is unclear; he characterizes it as “vulgar,” in keeping with his broader view of America as crass and mercenary, but he is also fascinated to discover a side of himself that he never knew existed. This dichotomy establishes Brydon’s basic alienation from himself: He is unaware of certain facets of his identity, which also seems to consist of conflicting impulses.