During the 1870s, old New York modeled a very different atmosphere from that of Europe, which was still recovering from the war. The way author Edith Wharton viewed the society around her was one of expectations. There were expectations for both men and women. For the most part, these expectations were unspoken rules about manners, dress, good company, and any other details regarding someone's appearance to others. However, due to social determinism, Americans were not as “free” as they believed. The Age of Innocence presents a depiction of the constant social trap that forces people to mask their true feelings due to the ever-commanding desire to always appear their best. One of the main themes of the story is the lack of morality in Old New York. The city is famous for its “rigidities regarding form, family, and financial problems” and is “the epitome of righteousness” (Kozloff, 273). However, Wharton exposes the town as actually being very hypocritical and a victim of falling into the social trap of masking one's true identity. For example, the book's main male character, Newland Archer, discovers that all his close relatives and friends are actually acting "like a gang of stupid conspirators, and he and the pale woman to his right are the center of their conspiracy" (Kozloff, 273). It's really sad that there is no honesty about oneself in this society and everyone wears a mask of "feel good" to hide their secrets. Cannedy 2 The three central characters of the story include, first, Newland Archer, a wealthy lawyer who is engaged to the beautiful May Welland; second, May, a young debutante who models the stereotypical woman of Old New York society, “…(such a beautiful and intelligent young New York girl” (Wh...... middle of paper..... .finally, Wharton demonstrates through the separation of Archer and Ellen that people must put aside their personal desires for the greater good of the social dimension Works Cited Evron, Nir "Realism, Irony, and Morality in Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence." ". Journal of Modern. Literature 35.2 (2012): 37-51. Web. March 22, 2014. Jessee, Margaret J. "Proving It: Storytelling and Disguise in the Age of Innocence." Journal of Modern Literature 36.1 (2012): 37- 52. JSTOR. Web. March 22, 2014. Klimasmith, Betsy. “Rescue History: Modern Philosophies of Memory and Time in the Age of Innocence.” " Style 35.2 (2001): n. pag. Literary Reference Center. New York: Scribner, 1968. Print.