The people of old New York Society rely greatly on the acceptance

and influence of each other, and act solely based on "propriety;" what is

deemed right and proper by those looked up to. There are two kinds of

people in this novel, symbolically, the "gods" who are described as

non-aging, who are high in society, and the "common," people, who

aren't bound by the restricting standards of society. The "gods" all live

their lives pretending, trying to look and act perfect for each other.

Newland is torn between his "goddess" fiancée and Ellen, who cleverly

"fluffs" off the unspoken rules in New York, slipping through the

standards by not trying to impress anyone. She is the only one who is

straight-forward and honest, and she ends up causing or at least

initiating many of the changes that take place. So many of the characters

go through transforma

of being together. This book showed how society can so often come

freer than anyone in the novel. The grasp of freedom shifted around

book, especially in the differences between Ellen and May. Ellen is "an

simple mortal like Ellen. In the end, I concluded that in a way he was

between the true passions of ones soul, and becomes an excuse for

both. On the inside, I believe he had the heart of a man not affected by

Some topics in this essay:
York Society, Ellen Newland, Newland Throughout, Freedom Newland, Ellen Ellen, Newland Ellen, Mingott Ellen, Age Innocence, ellen newland, throughout book,