Image is considered everything even in today's society, because a person can only make a first impression once when meeting someone new. One mistake can ruin the person's reputation or make them look horrible for the rest of their time with that particular group. A person must dress in his best, be the best, to show society that he is truly the best. For example, in the book May dresses up to meet Mrs. Carfry even though the party isn't as formal as she suspected, because she didn't want to appear like a savage. Even though Newland explains that it will be a small event, she is determined to show them how much better she could be than them. It is to show his power, wealth and also status in the society. In society there are rules that must be followed because if they are broken the aristocrats will despise them, and Wharton shows the rules from beginning to end. In the begging Newland cannot arrive in time because it is improper and towards the end he cannot be with Countess Olenska because it is not with her that society has deemed him acceptable. Wharton focuses her novel on a period in which society plays a key role in the lives of the citizens of the New York community; it is also the final period for the upper class citizens of New York due to the change coming to the northern states. Edith Wharton shows throughout the novel the experiences of her own life and how women were starting to change not only in roles in society but also in rights, she also uses the literary element of symbolism to express hidden meanings behind the characters' traits. the way they should be seen. Throughout the novel Edith puts her own life experiences into......the center of the paper......in those roles in society but in the right one, she also uses the literary element of symbolism to express hidden meanings behind the characters' traits and how they are viewed by the rest of New York's aristocrats. Works Cited Bloom, Harold. Modern critics see Edith Wharton. New York: Chelsea House, 1986. Print."Edith Wharton." - Biography and Works. Search for texts, read online. Discuss.. Np, nd Web. November 30, 2013. “Flowers and the Meaning of Flowers.” What are Gardenias. Np, nd Web. December 15, 2013. McDowell, Margaret. Edith Wharton. United States: Twayne Publishers, 1990. Print.Novels for Students. United States: Gale Research, 2001. Print.Wharton, Edith . The age of innocence. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2004. Print."Women's Rights Movements." Women's rights movements. Np, nd Web. 14 December. 2013.