The Age of Innocence Group

Question:

immawriter
immawriter
Student
High School - 10th Grade

Besides her troubles with Newland and her divorce, what other hardships does Ellen face because of society in the Age of Innocence?

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Posted by immawriter on Monday September 7, 2009 at 12:46 PM and tagged with characters, ellen, newland.

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  1. lynn30k Teacher
    High School - 10th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    Just the fact that she is a divorced woman makes her highly suspect in that society. Because she has been married, she is no longer "innocent", and therefore a threat to the other women; after all, she is so scandalous as to be divorced, so what is to stop her from coming after their men? She is also someone who is not going to be included in gatherings; her ex-husband's group would never include her when inviting guests, and for dinner parties, she would make an odd number of guests. The "society" in Edith Wharton's time felt quite entitled to judge other people, and the code under which they operated was very strict. It is the driving force of Wharton's book, and of Newland and Ellen's inability to be with each other, even when Newland became a widower.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/age-innocence

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    Posted by lynn30k on Monday September 7, 2009 at 1:33 PM

  2. immawriter
    immawriter Student
    High School - 10th Grade

    thank you so much lynn30k!

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    Posted by immawriter on Monday September 7, 2009 at 1:56 PM