Theme Development Flashcards
“All of New York” -society, traditions, tribal rules, structure, gossip and scandal (1)
“Conservatives cherished it for being small and inconvenient, and thus keeping out the ‘new people’ whom New York was beginning to dread and yet be drawn to”
- Old New York fears change and development. Therefore, they grasp onto their traditions for as long as possible.
- ‘New York was beginning to dread and yet be drawn to’ suggests the younger generation have a sense of curiosity towards the ‘new people.’ However, they’re still reluctant to accept them as it would mean they would be leaving their security.
“All of New York”- society, traditions, tribal rules, structure, gossip and scandal (2)
“This undoubted superiority was felt to compensate for whatever was regrettable in the Beaufort past”
- Beafort fails to integrate himself in the New York elite, since he has tarnished his reputation.
- This highlights the naivety of common people who believe they can break the barriers that separate themselves from the most elite.
- Like Gatsby
Duty/Love and Marriage (1)
“The only thing to do was to persuade him…to marry a good girl and then trust her to look after him”
- Newland is confined to the traditions of intermarriage, to promote business.
- Although Archer has a choice to abandon this life, he willingly obliges because it provides him with security.
“All of New York”- society, traditions, tribal rules, structures, gossip and scandal (3)
“All of New York”- society, traditions, tribal rules, structures, gossip and scandal
“He remembered…Mrs. Welland’s request to be spared whatever was ‘unpleasant’…and winced at the thought that it were perhaps this attitude of mind which kept the New York air so pure”
-This emphasises the importance of idealism as it illustrated old New York families ‘untouchable.’
-This attempts to mask the dark reality of selfish tribes
Gender/Love and Marriage
Gender/love and marriage
“We’ll read ‘Faust together’…confusing the scene of his projected honeymoon with the masterpieces of literature would be his manly privilege to reveal to his bride”
-This reveals Archer’s idealistic fantasy about marriage.
-Archer uses literature to escape the mundane reality of his arranged marriage to May.
-Archer’s masculinity is highlighted from ‘manly privilege’
Duty, Dreams, hopes and plans, Family
“There were moments when he felt as if he were being buried alive under his future”
- Archer desires to experience a free life with Olenska. However, due to their difference in status, Archer realizes that he cannot peruse her.
- Archer understands that he must marry May to continue his family legacy.
Love and marriage, dreams, hopes and plans, Fashion, art and culture
“It was like hearing him read aloud out of his poetry books the beautiful things that could not possibly happen in real life”
- As Archer’s romantic feelings for Olenska develop, he is desperate to speed up the wedding date.
- May and Archer are restrained by their duty of marriage, despite the suffrage they may face.
- Literature is used to bring freedom of culture and desire to these characters as they are unable to live their dreams in reality.
Gender
“Little May”
- May is looked down upon as fragile and childlike as she obeys her fiancé and her parents.
- May is able to use this to empower herself as she can subtly manipulate events to gain her desired outcome.
Fashion, arts and culture, Gender
“She flung her velvet opera-cloak”
- Velvet was an expensive material.
- Velvet symbolises wealth and attention from men.
- Olenska wears this as a form of rebellion against the expectations of women to remain subservient.
Dreams, hopes and plans, Duty
“They remained facing each other, divided by a distance that her words had created”
- Newland and Olenska are separated by their circumstances.
- Both characters are emotionally drawn to one another but are aware they have a duty to others and themselves. This distance is significant because it reveals the death of their relationship.
America vs Europe
“Pictured her at his side in some scene of old European witchery”
- At the beginning, Archer fanaticises about May being similar to an old European ideal.
- This indicates Americans had a distant intrigue towards Europe.
America vs Europe
“New York looked indulgently on her eccentricities”
- Olenska has come to New York after adapting to the European lifestyle.
- ‘New York’ judges her as they reject the manner in which Europe deviates from the traditional norms.
