the first of many times where discussions were replaced by unspoken understandings, and where the correct course of action is implied, but never spoken of directly. Although there are many times in the novel where thoughts and feelings are left unsaid, there is no relationship more affected by it than that of Newland Archer and May Welland/Archer.Right from the initial example the reader can see that Newland and May subscribe wholly to Society’s dictates concerning appropriateness of public behaviour. They do not discuss the fact that Archer would like to announce the engagement earlier in order to assist May’s family in protecting Ellen Olenska. In place of a discussion on this issue, there exists an exchange of glances that Archer sees as a mutual understanding between he and May. This understanding exists in this case, and in others yet to be analyzed, without any verification of its accuracy having ever taken place.The second time that the unsaid played an imperative role in the relationship of Newland and May was in Chapter XVI when he had travelled to St.Augustine to advance the date of their wedding. This is a paradoxical point in the novel where the reader may feel as if May was abandoning all of the social customs in order to speak what was on her mind, yet as the conversation progressed she spoke her mind only to an extent and the couple subsequently left what would have been the most important part of their conversation unsaid. May questioned whether or not there was another woman between them, but she ended her questioning after having her suggestion of Archer’s previous mistress rebuffed. This was one time where Archer seemingly could’ve told May about his feelings for Ellen Olenska without further recourse, however Archer decided to hold fast to his traditional values and avoided the embarrassment that such an announcement would have brought. The next, and possibly the most important, time in which ...
