Summary English Literature OCR Age of Innocence and Unseen Extract Context, Quotes and Analysis
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Course
Comparative and contextual study
Institution
OCR
These are my complete notes for The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, and the Unseen Extract, for OCR English Literature, Comparative and contextual study, American Literature . I used these notes and got an A* in my exam in 2022! I have included: - Historical and social context about the book, au...
‘She had won her way to success by strength She had initial social disadvantages, married her daughters to
of will and hardness of heart’ foreigners, and has an unconventional house. If marriage is
also a destructive and weakening influence in the novel,
Mingott as one of the strongest characters is unmarried.
Mrs Lemuel Struthers also represents this idea of rising to the
top. Beaufort represents this idea of the ‘robber baron’, and
starts to show the corruption of the American Dream that is
so prevalent in the great gatsby.
He is able to become financially successful as America
transformed into an industrial society with little regulation over
business. He manages to gain a foothold as Regina is from
an old, wealthy family.
Griffin Wolff: ‘Ellen is the Ellen has ‘stirred up old settled convictions Archer and Gatsby both have dreams of women who are both
catalyst that forces and set them drifting dangerously through his unattainable. This gives them a sense of purpose in life, as
Newland’s mind’ they view these women as possessions to attain.
self-confrontation’
Ellen also introduces Archer to new, unconventional ideas,
‘Ellen offers him the that are a break from the monotony of tradition, as they drift
opportunity to test his ‘dangerously’ through his mind
capacity to fulfil these
fantasies’
Wolff: ‘Wharton never ‘I want to get away with you into a world Archer’s dream of obtaining Ellen is impossible, as there is no
supposed that Newland where words like that won’t exist’ place on earth where they are free from categories and
could find happiness with a where they can live freely.
woman like Ellen’ ‘Oh, my dear - where is that country? Have
- Reflects whartons you ever been there?’
own unhappiness
with her affair with
, Morton Fullerton
‘He could only helplessly brood on the Like Gatsby, although he reaches out for something, he can
mystery of their remoteness and their never truly grasp it. They seem close but in reality are
proximity’ unattainable, like the green light at the end of the dock.
Archer becomes a ‘mere grey speck of a man Archer’s dreams do not live up to reality.
compared with the ruthless magnificent fellow
he had dreamed of being’
He had missed the ‘flower of life’
Class (Old Money, New Money, Quote Analysis
No Money),
Rules of society
‘An unalterable and Archer has an unquestioning acceptance of social rules that guide
unquestionable law’ his every move. This is our first introduction to him, and he is
characterised by his adherence of conventions of his society. The
rules are presented as absurd however, as Wharton pokes fun at the
idea that a German text should be translated to Italian when watched
by Americans.
Knights: ‘the social and spatial ‘Lawrence Lefferts was the Lefferts represents a quintessential member of society who cares
arrangements of New York are foremost authority on form’ about little but keeping up appearances. Form is how to act in a
stifling’ respectable and fashionable way.
Reference to Ward McAllister
of the Gilded Age
Waid: ‘Beaufort represents the ‘This undoubted superiority was Money is used to show how many can be spared from the taint of
power of money’ felt to compensate for whatever moral impurities.
was regrettable in the Beaufort
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