50 pages 1 hour read

Edith Wharton

The Age of Innocence

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1920

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Essay Topics

1.

How do Old New York’s ideals shape the characters’ lives? What are the differences between its expectations for men and women?

2.

Why is clothing an important motif in Wharton’s novel? How do Ellen and May’s attitudes toward clothing convey their social position and personality?

3.

How does Wharton portray the relationship between America and Europe? How do characters experience the difference between these continents?