The opera scene is a bit like the very aggressive scene in dallas buyers club where the homophobe. The age of innocence focuses on the wealthiest and the most powerful in new york society in the 1870s, but we cant help but feel, well, sorry for them. He knew not only what they were likely to be talking about, but the part each one would take in the discussion. The age of innocence by edith wharton discussion youtube. Newland archer, an eligible young man of the establishment, is about to announce his engagement, when countess olenska is introduced into the circle. These book discussion questions are highly detailed and will ruin plot points, if you have not read the book. To ask other readers questions about the age of innocence, please sign up. In age of anger, pankaj mishra answers our bewilderment by casting his gaze back to the eighteenth century before leading us to the present. For instance, the word collective can function not only as an adjective but as a noun, the meaning of. Celebrating the centennial of the age of innocence the mount. If not, you can visit the publisher or authors website and find online reading guides. In edith whartons twelfth novel the age of innocence, we meet archer newland, a young lawyer living in new york in the 1870s, who has been looking forward to his marriage to the naive and lovely may welland, a society beauty whose sheltered upbringing and training has turned her into a young woman destined to become the perfect wife and mother. Discussion one of the age of innocence readalong what was or was not the thing played a part as important in newland archers new york as the inscrutable totem terrors that had ruled the destinies of his forefathers thousand of years ago. Great supplemental information for school essays and homework projects.
The age of innocence by edith wharton reading guide. The age of innocence is a 1920 novel by the american author edith wharton. By the time edith wharton wrote the age of innocence, she had seen world war i destroy much of the world as she knew it. The age of innocence modern library 100 best novels wharton, edith, auchincloss, louis on. Oct 23, 2019 join us at the lee senior center to discuss the age of innocence by edith wharton. The age of innocence by edith wharton discussion fromthedustybookshelf. Five years ago, three friends and i set out to read some of the great books or those works of literature which would merit rereading several times over the course of our lives. Choose the age of innocence for your next book club pick and have one our interpreters lead a discussion for your club, here at the mount.
This book would be great for someone who likes classics to read on their own, but not fit for a bookclub discussion. The age of innocence is a novel set primarily in new yorks elite classes in the 1870s. The novel, recipient of the first pulitzer prize awarded to a woman, takes place in late 19th century new york city. Whartons title was an allusion to a painting by sir joshua reynolds.
Age of innocence, audiobook, discussion questions published on jun 25, 2011 here are the background information and questions we will discuss. Weve got discussion and essay questions designed by master teachers. Essay ideas, study questions and discussion topics based on important themes running throughout the age of innocence by edith wharton. The age of innocence was edith whartons 12th novel and is located in familiar wharton territory. The age of innocence is a partnostalgic, partsatiric recreation of the surfaces of new york city. Book summary it is a january evening in 1870s new york city and the fashionable are attending the opera. The novelist who is faced with a simple problem of personal renunciation conceived as the theme of a tale. The past permeates the lives of new york society as portrayed by edith wharton in the age of innocence. The age of innocence by edith wharton book club discussion.
The age of innocence newland archer, kind of a jerk. Themes in the age of innocence book summaries, test. The genteel snobbery of the upper classes with its underlying cruelty and heartless judgments passed on those who cross the line is wonderfully depicted in the age of innocence. Whether you belong to a book club or not, this is a great list of book recommendations and books that are fun to discuss. The most basic of these is that films can use visual images to great effect, whereas unillustrated books cannot. Edith wharton wrote the book many critics have deemed her. The age of innocence is regarded as a skilled portrait of the struggle between the individual and the community. The project gutenberg etext of the age of innocence, by. Why does archer neglect to tell countess olenska of his engagement to may. Celebrating the centennial of the age of innocence the. Critical essays themes in the age of innocence values. A list of classic and current book club favorite reads. The story is set in the 1870s, in upperclass, gilded age new york city. Our book this month is the age of innocence, by edith wharton.
The age of innocence, edith wharton the age of innocence is a 1920 novel by the american author edith wharton. Introduction an electrifying followup to her bestselling i was amelia earhart, jane mendelsohns innocence is a modern gothic comingofage story, a devastating xray of american culture, and a piercing exploration of the inner life of a teenage girl growing up in new york city. Jun 25, 2011 age of innocence, audiobook, discussion questions published on jun 25, 2011 here are the background information and questions we will discuss at our audiobook club meeting on the age of innocence. Why has this society tacitly agreed to avoid all discussion of things that are. Edith whartons the age of innocence please note that the definitions provided typically refer only to the meaning of the word in the context of the novel. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. We will be discussing the book in person on july 27, 2019 at arden dimick library, at 10. I loved the book, but found myself feeling that both women characters we. This is the kind of insight that makes the age of innocence so indispensable. Jul 05, 2019 our book this month is the age of innocence, by edith wharton. The age of innocence cliffsnotes study guides book. The age of innocence by edith wharton reading guidebook club.
Whartons story of the upper classes of old new york, and newland archers. Jul 17, 2017 the age of innocence by edith wharton discussion fromthedustybookshelf. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. The age of innocence by edith wharton spring 2010 mfah book. Many books have reading guides at the end of the book that are perfect to use for your book club. Winter book club at the mount reads the age of innocence february 9 at 4. The plot centers on the marriage of newland archer, a lawyer hailing from one of new yorks best families, and may welland. This teachers literature guide includes information about author edith wharton and discussion questions. Sep 05, 2016 when you choose a popular book club book, you can often find a wealth of book discussion questions already written for you. Jul 19, 2019 our book this month is the age of innocence, by edith wharton. The age of innocence by edith wharton books the guardian. He shows that as the world became modern, those who were unable to enjoy its promisesof freedom, stability, and prosperitywere. The age of innocence, by edith wharton, is a tricky book for. In the age of innocence, a single glance can contain a world of meaning, and wharton is careful to analyze the exact nature of the glances exchanged by archer and may, and archer and ellen in order for the reader to understand their exact meanings.
Introduction an electrifying followup to her bestselling i was amelia earhart, jane mendelsohns innocence is a modern gothic coming of age story, a devastating xray of american culture, and a piercing exploration of the inner life of a teenage girl growing up in new york city. Aug, 2002 the age of innocence by edith wharton london. Here are some suggestions for further reading and watching that share appeal characteristics of hit books and television series. Somewhere in this book, wharton observes that clever liars always come up with good stories to back up their fabrications, but that really clever liars dont bother to explain anything at all. Join us at the lee senior center to discuss the age of innocence by edith wharton. The age of innocence discussion questions edith wharton this study guide consists of approximately 66 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the age of innocence. When you choose a popular book club book, you can often find a wealth of book discussion questions already written for you. The story is set in the 1870s, in upperclass, gildedage new york city. This free synopsis covers all the crucial plot points of the age of innocence. It is also a work that explores the dangers and liberties of change as a society moves from a familiar, traditional culture to one that is less formal and affords its members greater freedom. Today we are discussing edith whartons classic novel the age of innocence. Newland archer, favored son of old new york, is on the brink of announcing his engagement to lovely may welland, favored daughter of a family much like his own, when the countess ellen olenska, mays cousin, returns unexpectedly to new york. A tale of nineteenthcentury new york high society in which a young lawyer falls in love with a woman separated from her husband, while he is engaged to the womans cousin. The plot centers on the marriage of newland archer, a lawyer hailing from.
We started with marcel prousts remembrance of things past and have since worked through the works of twain and faulkner, cervantes and marquez. The age of innocence modern library 100 best novels. Please be aware that this discussion guide may contain spoilers. The age of innocence is a partnostalgic, partsatiric recreation of the surfaces of. A limited number of copies of the book are available to check out at the service desk at westover library. As a result, much of the textual nuances of a novel. Society appears to be an inherently conservative institution with extreme attention to ritual and tradition, evidenced by our introduction at the beginning of the novel to one character who can explain even the most intricate of society family trees, and another who is the authority on. The age of innocence is a 1920 novel by american author edith wharton. The film showing for the age of innocence will take place the week following this book discussion at westover library. We will be discussing the book in person on july 27, 2019 at arden dimick library. The characters live in constant fear of being excluded or shunned or, worse, pitied. This discussion has inspired me to reread the age of innocence to. We will be discussing the book in person on july 27, 2019 at arden dimick.
It won the 1921 pulitzer prize for fiction, making wharton the first woman to win the prize. Age of innocence literature guide page 2 teachervision. Selected vocabulary from edith whartons the age of innocence. As a result, much of the textual nuances of a novel get lost in its translation to film. Ill be reposting some posts i wrote for folsom library when we read this book last year. The age of innocence full text book i chapter x owl eyes. Appleton and company as a book in new york and in london. The age of innocence was written by edith wharton 18621937. But archers life has no place for passion, and he finds himself drawn into a bitter conflict between love and duty. Additional meanings are possible but not recorded here.