Bussey holds a master's degree in interdisciplinary studies and a bachelor's degree in English literature. She is an independent writer specializing in literature. In the following essay, she examines New land Archer's divided self and the three major decisions he faces in The Age of Innocence.

Edith Wharton's protagonist in The Age of Innocence is the ineffectual Newland Archer. He is a typical young man who is frustrated and angst-ridden and wonders if there might be more to life than what he sees. He is a product of the social world of old New York, and it is in this milieu that he is most comfortable. He fully understands and upholds the rules of etiquette and the essential artifice that make up his social reality.

At the same time, he feels stifled by New York society's strict conventions that dictate behavior and decision-making. There is no room...