【正文】 land, for being so artistic” (Wharton, 20xx). May?s deep love in Newland is quite easy to see from these simple sentences. On their trip to spending honeymoon, May says it full of happiness “it?s just our luck beginningthe wonderful luck we?re always going to have together”(Wharton, 20xx). At that moment, she shows great expectation for the bright future. In Newland?s eye, “Whatever happened, he knew, she would always be loyal, gallant and unresentful”(Wharton, 20xx). When May finds the emotional struggle of 7 Newland, she agrees to make her wedding day ahead of time. Besides, she tells her pregnancy to her relatives and friends to crush the last hope in Newland?s heart. Obviously, May cares about her marriage and family very much. She does every effort to save her marriage .She loves Newland, so she bears the burdens of the pain willingly for the harmony and integrity of her family. Ellen?s attitude towards the relationship between Newland and May Ellen makes few judgments on the relationship between Newland and May in the novel. On hearing the news of the engagement she joyfully expresses that “of course I know。再接下來具體分析“老紐約”的社會(huì)特點(diǎn)。小說以貴族青年紐蘭 和埃倫的愛情悲劇為主線，以新興資產(chǎn)階級(jí)的代表博福特的命運(yùn)沉浮為輔，相互映襯， 反映出內(nèi)戰(zhàn)之后美國上流社會(huì)最典型的時(shí)代特征 。 本 科 畢 業(yè) 論 文 分析《純真年代》所反映的“老紐約”社會(huì) Analysis of “the Old New York” Society Reflected in The Age of Innocence 畢業(yè)設(shè)計(jì)（論文）原創(chuàng)性聲明和使用授權(quán)說明 原創(chuàng)性聲明 本人鄭重承諾：所呈交的畢業(yè)設(shè)計(jì)（論文），是我個(gè)人在指導(dǎo)教師的指導(dǎo)下進(jìn)行的研究工作及取得的成果。這部小說對(duì)當(dāng)代起著不可小視的作用。而親戚朋友們?yōu)榱思易迕u(yù)與梅合謀趕走埃倫，所有這些看似簡單的情節(jié)卻蘊(yùn)含著人性的冷漠與世俗的捆綁。 social characteristics 1 Introduction Edith Wharton was an exotic flower in American history of literature, and she is one of the most outstanding “novel of manners” after Henry James. Wharton was born in a prominent aristocratic family, living an affluent and leisurely life. At Wharton?s early age, she learned the intricacies of social customs and rituals under the guidance of her grandmother and mother, so she was quite familiar with the customs of the world of upper class. Wharton showed a keen interest in literature in her childhood. Later, she got married with Edward Wharton sharing the equal prestige. As they were not congenial in hobbies and interests, Wharton was tired of the vain and flashy social activities of upper class. She got divorced resolutely and determinedly with Edward regardless of the upper class? objection. Wharton left for Europe after divorce. She was influenced by European?s edification of thought, and raised her keen insight on the current situation in society at that time. Wharton hobnobbed with Hery James, and her early works had traced the creation of James. She was put on a lot of glorious titles since she had long been desolated, such as “America?s most distinguished secular style writer”, “godmother of the psychological novel” “feminist prophet” and so on. Because of Wharton?s prominent family background, she knew very well about the customs of New York?s upper class, and New York?s cultural environment had given her unique social sensitivity and literary tastes. As one member of the upper class, Wharton lived a wealthy life since she was a little girl. Since she had witnessed the old conventions for a long time, it was quite easy for her to write according to these experiences. “She was quite familiar with New York upper class, not only just familiar with its goldplated surface, but also well aware of nature of decadent” (Wang Yiting, 20xx). Edith Wharton once wrote in her autobiography Backward Glance that “l(fā)ife is the saddest thing there is next to death”, which seems to imply that stories tend to reflect sadness. She seldom wrote romantic scenes in her stories and she never paid attention to fairy tales, the fabulous or the legendary. And consequently, 2 most of her tales depicted heroes and heroines leading unhappy lives. Many of her works were based on the background of New York. The masterpieces based on “Old New York” of Wharton included full length novel “The Age of Innocence” ,“The House of Mirth” and the novella collection “Old New York” (including “false dawns”, “New Year39。s behavior is bound by unshakable traditions and customs of the old New York and they are all trapped in the inherent pay great attention on the dress, manners and seek to do everything in decency. With her unique women?s sensitivity and delicacy, Wharton showed us the red tape of upper class and captured the pulse of the times by depicting a variety of social events, theater viewing, family party, formal dinners, church weddings, social visits. The things are all ruled by the stipulation and behind which are the socalled social moral standard and principle in New York society. The people blindly ply with the old conventions. They deny anything new around them and anyone who breaks the rule should suffer the consistent condemn and spurn from upper class. So the appearance of Ellen indeed scares the upper class. Ellen has the courage to get rid of the old convention and challenge the authority of social system. “she judges things with her own mind and do what her want to do”(Zhong Minyi, 20xx). She is different from others in dressing, room arrangement and behaviors. “she was wearing a strange clothes which are very conspicuous......revealing, as she leaned forward, a little more shoulder and bosom than New York was accustomed to seeing, at least in ladies who 13 had reasons for wishing to pass unnoticed”(Wharton, 20xx). She takes advantage of strange clothes to express her protest of the convention. Moreover, she lives in a quite tatty house in west twentythird street, “small dress makers, birdstuffers and ?people who wrote? were her nearest neighbors” (