The Age of Innocence The Age of Innocence, by Edith Wharton, contains many flat, static characters representing Old New York society. At the apex of that society is Mr. and Mrs. Henry van der Luyden. As the narrator describes, their appearances ... society's "rules" and "regulations." Both the actions of the van der Luydens and the other characters" reactions provide much information about the van der Luydens themselves. The characterization performed by Wharton on the van der Luydens was very thorough for the type of character she is portraying. Everything from Mr. and Mrs. van der Luyden's...

• Word Count: 830
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School