Age of Innocence Essay

Even though some people may like her or not, she still has remained a great American writer for many years. In Edith Wharton’s autobiography, one of her friends, Walter Berry, had said that her book The Age of Innoncence was good but they “are the only people who will ever read it. [They] are the last people left who can remember New York and Newport as they were then, and nobody else will be interested” (Wharton 369). I completely disagree with Walter

Edith Wharton wrote The Age of Innocence about life in New York in the 1800’s. Although it seemed like a wonderful place to live, especially those in the upper class, it wasn't perfect at all. Wharton subtly brings to light and criticizes the old New York society that she grew up in throughout her novel. Wharton reveals that old New York society was very critical of people's actions and narrow minded as to what was seen as socially acceptable. All of High New York Society was expected to conform

In her novel 'The Age of Innocence’, Edith Wharton, describes The New York City of, the 1870’s to be “dying of dullness”. Characters within the novel often blame this fact on the lack of enticing European culture in placid New York society. However, it is more likely that the dullness that is suffocating New York is due to the character’s repressed desires. The characters within the novel do this in order to continue along to fit within the societal norms in, what Janice Harayda describes as, “Wharton’s

Throughout The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, Ellen Olenska stands out from the aristocratic society of New York.  Ellen moved to Europe, it was difficult to adapt back into American Culture. European Culture has made Ellen different from other Americans. Ellen is still in love with Europe, yet she fled from it. European culture altered Ellen’s perception on American social classes. Since Ellen moved to Europe, it was difficult to adapt back into American Culture. The aristocrats from New York

At the same time, women have been conditioned to yield to a man’s power, and have been taught that men are meant to hold economic, societal, and domestic control, as displayed by New York’s high-society in Edith Wharton’s timeless novel The Age of Innocence. Yet, power is an unquantifiable, metaphysical idea completely unrelated to one’s gender. Power is held in the eye of the beholder, and over time, women have used this idea to manipulate and control men without them even knowing. In doing so

The theme of innocence and experience is in many classic American novels, more than people think. Thiheme also relates to life, bad things happen to innocent people, and many people experience events that no one else could. Of course, the meaning of the theme has changed throughout the years. For many centuries, the theme of innocence and experience was related to religion. Now, it relates to something as simple as a childhood memory or how simple something is. The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger

Edith Wharton’s May Welland and Ellen Olenska from the Age of Innocence are cousins but they come from really different backgrounds. While Ellen has lived in more liberal Europe and had education on subjects considered unnecessarily by the New Yorkers, May is described as a product of the social system she grew up in. This setting is the base for their vastly different manners, thoughts and overall style. May is from a well-known, respected family. She has learnt to navigate the sea of social norms

Yale University. She is working her hardest to to graduate with a Doctorate Degree in literature. If Edith Wharton succeeds, she will be come the first women in history to receive a Doctorate Degree and will be known throughout history. “The Age of Innocence” is her most recent book published and she was even kind enough give us a few minutes of her time to tell us a bit about her top hit book so far. Her prize winning book is based upon an upper-class couple, Newland Archer and May Welland who

The destructiveness of innocence in The Age of Innocence The novel The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton takes place during the Gilded Age, and tells the story of Newland Archer, an upper class gentleman who struggles to decide between two women in his life: May, the ideal woman of the time and her cousin Countess Ellen Olenska, an unconventional character. During the 1870s, there was a large concentration of wealth in a very small group of people living in New York City where the novel is set.

Funny how children want to grow up so fast and then realize they wish they hadn’t. This concept is seen, in a metaphorical sense, in both “The Valley of Childish Things” written by Edith Wharton and “Handling Room 15” by Katherine Crane; both writing In “The Valley of Childish Things,” Edith Wharton tells a story about a young girl living in an isolated valley with other children. The young girl decides she wants to climb out of the valley and enter the world. She leaves behind her childhood;