... surface, admired and prized, in fact the actions of the characters show that they are for the most part lacking in that virtue. Wharton looks closely at the double standards which were employed by society at the time, and the importance of conforming to social codes however ... own moral and ethical codes rather than the ones which have been imposed on them by generations of established social behaviour. Throughout the novel, Wharton employs irony to show the differences between the characters' overt behaviour and their underlying motivations: the innocence of the title is, she demonstra...

• Word Count: 2957
• Approx Pages: 12
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... struggle their entire lives trying to be good enough to be accepted, and always living in fear of their actions. In the book The Age of Innocence written by Edith Wharton, the main characters go through their days trying to live up to the standards of the society of "Old New York", and worry about the reputation of their family names ... book's plot women are trapped in their society, some trying to be persons that they are not, and others constantly looking for a way out to find their social freedom. Therefore Wharton is saying that women are constantly in battle with the Societies in ...

• Word Count: 314
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

... struggle their entire lives trying to be good enough to be accepted, and always living in fear of their actions. In the book The Age of Innocence written by Edith Wharton, the main characters go through their days trying to live up to the standards of the society of "Old New York", and worry about the reputation of their family names ... book's plot women are trapped in their society, some trying to be persons that they are not, and others constantly looking for a way out to find their social freedom. Therefore Wharton is saying that women are constantly in battle with the Societies in ...

• Word Count: 314
• Approx Pages: 1
• Grade Level: Undergraduate