7. Not only in the society Archer has self-sufficiency as a man, but also his family life. Archer is a representative of an ideal man since whatever he says will
be conducted by all family members. It is presented in the novel how Archer is the one whose decision to spend holiday in Europe tour is obeyed by his family.
He has three children who come up with different ideas how to spend the day in Switzerland. The first child named Dallas wants to contemplate Mont Blanc while
Mary and Bill, the other children, want mountain-climbing. Yet Archer and May are always fair to their children. They make it balance between their athletic and
artistic proclivities. Archer as the family leader declares “We’ll stick together Wharton 295” as the final solution of his children various wants. The whole
family will be always together in every activity. As a result, May admires her husband decision as a good example to the first child, Dallas Wharton 295.
3. Male Centeredness
According to Johnson patriarchal society is male centered, which means that the focus of attention is on men and what they do. Meanwhile, women are
only supposed to do domestic labor, take care of children and provide what men need 8.
This kind of description is also found in the novel represented by the Welland family. Every year this family has a custom to spend their time before
Winter at St. Augustine residence. Furthermore, all family members have to join in this annual trip.
In obedience to a long-established habit, the Wellands had left the previous week for St. Augustine, where, out of regard for the supposed
susceptibility of Mr. Wellands bronchial tubes, they always spent the latter part of the winter. Mr. Welland was a mild and silent man, with no
opinions but with many habits. With these habits none might interfere; and one of them demanded that his wife and daughter should always go with
him on his annual journey to the south. To preserve an unbroken domesticity was essential to his peace of mind; he would not have known
where his hair-brushes were, or how to provide stamps for his letters, if Mrs. Welland had not been there to tell him. Wharton 99-100
Mr. Welland is not able to go by himself because of his serious illness related to the bronchial tubes. He demands all family members, Mrs. Welland and May as
his wife and daughter, to go with him on his annual trip. Mr. Welland needs them to support domestic chores since he is weak because of his illness. Being a good
wife, Mrs. Welland also has to serve her husband satisfactorily. It is proved that Welland’s family is the example of patriarchal system of Old New York. A
husband has a full control over his family. A husband is the leader of the family. Meanwhile, a wife has a duty to do domestic chores and provide her husband’s
needs. It can be seen as well that the centre of this family is Mr. Welland.
Everywhere he goes, Mrs. Welland and May have to join him. As all the members of the family adored each other, and as Mr. Welland
was the central object of their idolatry, it never occurred to his wife and May to let him go to St. Augustine alone; and his sons, who were both in
the law, and could not leave New York during the winter, always joined him for Easter and travelled back with him. Wharton 100
The attention of this family is focused on Mr. Welland and what he does. They never let him go anywhere alone. Even, Archer as a son in law has to come with
him too. It shows that all family members have to respect Mr. Welland as a family leader.
The above proof explains that Mrs. Welland devotes herself to her husband. She gives her whole time and energy to take care of Mr. Welland. May
also inherits similar manners from her mother to give devotion to Archer by becoming a good wife. It is also described in the novel that wives have many
activities related to household chores; one of them is sewing cushions for their husbands Wharton 248. Here, May does not want to miss her chance as a wife in
sewing cushions for her husband even though she is not good and clever enough at needling.
She was not a clever needlewoman; her large capable hands were made for riding, rowing and open-air activities; but since other wives embroidered
cushions for their husbands she did not wish to omit this last link in her devotion Wharton 249.
From the quotation above, it can be inferred that May does a hard work to show that she is a good wife for her husband. Before becoming a wife, her activities are
typically riding, rowing, and all of open-air activities, but now she has to deal with sewing cushions as an action to devote herself for Archer. In conclusion,
male centeredness requires a wife’s devotion that is full attention for her husband.
4. Obsession with Control
