Ralph Gannett

• • He is part of New York’s high society and a promising short story and novel writer

  • He is different from all the other prejudiced people of the upper class but through his background also used to the social standards

  • He is an intellectual, knows about the social rules and is aware that everyone, in some way or another, follows them

  • He is spontaneous, adventurous and Independent

  • He wants to marry Lydia and cannot understand why she refuses it

  • He feels like Lydia does not care about him and does not love him anymore. He challenges their relationship

  • He has always been blinded by Lydia’s pretended intellectual autonomy and he therefore did not see the female side of her mind

  • He is very considerate and always wants to please Lydia

  • He pities Lydia and knows that she depends on him and needs him to be able to persist in society

  • For him Lydia’s coming back means that she is finally ready to get married

Resources:

Griffin, Joseph. America's social classes in the writings of Edith Wharton: An analysis of her short stories. Lewiston, N.Y: Edwin Mellen Press, 2009. Print.156-161.