Outside Reading Post 1: Characters

Notes taken:9/30/07

As I read this book The Age Of innocence I find the characters to be very human and likable. The first character I am introduced to is Newland Archer. Newland is quite young and working as a lawyer in New York City, he also happens to be engaged to a lady named May Welland a socialite with old money. He seems to be more physically attracted to May rather than emotionally he however is fond of her i just can't tell at this point if it is love.As he watches an opera he looks over at her and begins to have thoughts of their wedding.He is also more concerned in social status, and society in general as are his two friends.He seems to be a conformist not following his own thoughts but the thoughts of society.May from what i can tell has little depth and real emotion for her fiancee', she lacks experience and is portrayed in a very innocent, virginal way (7).I began to get the feeling that their matrimony was purely for social reasons not for love and was how things worked at the time of the 1870s.

Newland's friends are of some interest.They seem to know all the goings on of their surroundings. They know who is of social class and what importance they have. They seem to act as Newland's 'wing men' and don't seem to be of great importance. Their names are Lawrence Lefferts and Sillerton Jackson. Lawrence seems to be more of a l man concerend with looks as we can tell by the quote of a previous admirer (9) and Jackson seems to know all the scandal of the social classes and is intrigued by the mysterious lady in Newland's fiance's opera box.....