are applied. They are past life, thought, speech, direct comment, mannerism and conversation of others.
1. Open-minded
Ellen was born in New York, but she spends most of her life in Europe which makes her influenced by European customs. Therefore, when she moves to
New York, the society judges her as an unconventional woman because of her manners, habits, and her way of thinking are like Europeans.
Im afraid Ellens ideas are not at all like ours. She was barely eighteen when Medora Manson took her back to Europe….That must have been at
least twelve years ago; and since then Ellen has never been to America. No wonder she is completely Europeanised. Wharton 120
The idea that Ellen is Europeanised is derived from conversation between Ellen’s cousin and aunt named May and Mrs. Welland as the representative of Old New
York society. They argue that Ellen has lived in Europe for a long time. Therefore she does not have the same ideas and manners as Americans.
By living in Europe, it is true that Ellen has different views and ideas about many things. She is more broad-minded. The proof is found in Ellen’s
perception of Archer’s engagement to May. “I know you think the Wellands are unreasonable about your marriage,
and of course I agree with you. In Europe people dont understand our long American engagements; I suppose they are not as calm as we are.” She
pronounced the we with a faint emphasis that gave it an ironic sound Wharton 140.
Ellen who is accustomed to have European cultures and manners observes that Americans believe in the long engagement before getting married but Europeans
do not. Moreover, she is criticizing to such beliefs. According to Ellen, people
who still hold onto a long engagement before getting married are the slave of such absurd superstitions. The example of that superstition can be seen from May’s
way of thinking that a marriage in such haste leads to a bad sign Wharton 140. Another one of Ellen’s open-minded characteristics is revealed through
her speech. This can be seen when she explicitly talks about woman’s sexual needs with Archer, her future cousin. She assumes that women in New York act
innocently and passively that they apparently never want to feel sexual needs. They consider that being pleased sexually is a blessing from God.
You mean--Im so evidently helpless and defenceless? What a poor thing you must all think me But women here seem not--seem never to feel the
need: any more than the blessed in heaven. Wharton 109 Ellen is open to state her idea about women and sex; on the contrary Archer
pretends not to understand by asking what sort of a need Ellen is talking about Wharton 109. By considering her speech and manners it can be said that Ellen is
open-minded.
2. Brave
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