... and space governs the New York of the novel. People know what is expected of them and there are invisible boundaries of class and propriety that one must never cross. Wharton wrote with a comfortable, fixed and formal style, which at times can become dense and lose the reader in the convoluted details. The author maintains her presence throughout the novel. She ... establishes a narrative view that is established when the book commences. While the scope of the novel is limited and the direction is narrow, Wharton keeps the drama intense in the portrayal of such a small world with excite...

• Word Count: 534
• Approx Pages: 2

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