Although Edith Wharton describes a society that had disappeared to make way for the progress of a later era, she simultaneously criticizes and praises the irretrievable culture that contributed to define New York in the 1870s. Throughout The Age of Innocence, he uses the social interactions and attitudes of Newland Archer and his acquaintances as a means of evaluating society itself. Years after the main events of the novel, it makes Newland reflect on the good of the lost elite, and despite the obvious problems, "there was some good in the old way" (Wharton, 347). At the end of the story, he has the opportunity to once again meet his former love, Ellen Olenska, but the fact that he would prefer to keep the memories of his youth untouched shows how much he values ​​the irretrievable past. Although Wharton often mocks New York's aristocracy, its reluctance to abandon the social standards and moral conventions of the period makes it truly good society in Newland's perception, and the author supports her conclusion through her depiction of the interaction among the New York elite. We say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayThe activities of New York's elite society create an atmosphere in which the preservation of standards and conventions is of the utmost importance to its participants, and communication or lack thereof plays a significant role in protecting social norms . Every action or conversation has a purpose beyond its explicit meaning, and this form of expression helps preserve order and virtue in society. Through the events surrounding his marriage to May Welland, Newland experiences this communication firsthand. For example, he decides to declare his engagement to May earlier than expected to support her family when Ellen arrives from Europe (Wharton, 11-12). This action not simply creates an alliance between his and May's family, but helps to ward off any misfortune that may have befallen the Mingott clan due to Ellen's separation from her husband. This fact is never stated outright, but it is the main reason for his hasty declaration, and May and her mother understand Newland's decision without questioning it. The mores of aristocratic New York in the 1870s called for the use of representative behavior rather than simple openness or frankness, and Newland understands his position within this system. While Newland is a product of the system that discourages disgrace through clandestine actions, Ellen presents another role model as she has adapted to the openness of European culture. The frankness that Ellen shows in front of everyone pleases the young man, and the conventions to which he is accustomed do not enchant him as the Countess does. It penetrates the façade of New York society and questions the need for the standards with which Newland is familiar, and during his time with her, he becomes increasingly dissatisfied with her society's lifestyle: "They like you and they admire you-- - they want to help you." [...]"Oh, I know---I know! But provided they don't feel anything unpleasant. [...] Doesn't anyone want to know the truth here, Mr. Archer? True loneliness lives among all these kind people who only ask you to pretend!" (Wharton, 77). In this conversation between Ellen and Newland, the two ways of life come into direct conflict with each other. According to Newland, the people around the Countess "just want to help", but she understands that, in doing so, they simply want her to "pretend" like they do. Compared to the society Ellen has lived in for so long, her culture is artificial and makes her feel alone when no one pursuesthe truth outwardly. To her, they are concerned with maintaining appearances rather than examining the basis of a problem, and their reluctance to authorize Ellen's divorce is an example of this behavior. Tempted by Ellen's way of life, Newland must choose between his own society and the possibilities consequently offered by Countess Olenska, but to choose the latter option and give in to her love, he would have to abandon the standards his culture had created for him . Newland's choice between Ellen Olenska and her New York upbringing is a choice between open communication with rejection of custom and hidden meaning with adherence to convention. When he decides to leave with Ellen so he can love her openly, he decides to break the connection he has with her values ​​and standards. At Ellen's farewell dinner, May achieves the victory that allows her to uphold social conventions, and this happens without the problem of her husband's devotion to the Countess even being explicitly stated. "It was the old New York way of taking life 'bloodlessly': the way of people who feared scandal more than disease, who put decency before courage, and who thought nothing was ruder than 'scenes,' except the behavior of those who originated them" (Wharton, 335). Everyone present at the meal knows Newland's feelings and understands May's need to frustrate his plans, but they must never say a word about either situation. The complex communication system allows the truth to appear without any misfortune that might arise from its outward revelation. Elite culture discourages scandals and "scenes" that would disturb "decency" and virtue, and therefore attempts to control Newland's conduct by means that cause the minimum of shame for all involved. While it may seem that scandal aversion is the primary motivation for society to act that way comes with consequential benefits, and much of the goodness of Newland's culture is that it allows him to continue to devote himself to previous obligations. When Newland himself cannot be a faithful husband, the social conventions of the time force him to be one, and everyone can appreciate the result. Without a word to say, a situation that would elicit shame if exposed by Ellen's opening system, such as Olenska's separation from Count Olenski, will not result in scandal or disgrace. Everyone knows, but no one expresses the fact of knowing, and so all participants ultimately succeed. Society avoids the stigma of an elopement involving two of its most important families, May supports her spouse, and even Newland remains faithful without ever having to tell his wife of his potential infidelity. Newland also emerges with the belief that the latter outcome was his own doing, but only decades later, when his son Dallas reveals May's contribution to the affair, does he realize the full extent of the situation. His children, his marriage, and his subsequent life as a model citizen would not have existed without the intervention of his society's social standards, and "it did not matter much if marriage were a dull duty, as long as it preserved the dignity of a duty" (Wharton, 347). As a young man he prefers Ellen, but when she leaves, he still has the responsibility of supporting May in the marriage. Life with May may have been "boring" at times, but overall, being with her allowed him to maintain his dignity as a husband and father. As a result of the recognition that his culture had actually saved him from a scandal that would not have afforded him the happiness of his later years, and that it was not of his doing, he can truly say that there was good in the old ways. Newland sees that the old ones, 1920.