Kenny Knickerbocker
English 1020
Mrs. Rhea
Essay 1
3 March 2015
Karma 180 Degrees
In Edith Wharton’s short story “Roman Fever” the reader learns fairly quickly that women of this time period were dressed in the highest quality clothes, their manners were beyond perfect, and they had confidence like Michael Jordan taking a game winner in the NBA finals. That being said, the character of Anida Slade fits that description to the tee when looking at her outer appearance, however, the reader goes on to learn that one of Mrs. Slade’s biggest weaknesses is indeed her lack of confidence.
Jealousy is a feeling that everybody in their life experiences yet this same feeling is one that ...view middle of the document...
Slade’s snotty personality when she starts leading Mrs. Ansley into her master plan of calling her out on going to meet her fiancé when he wasn’t supposed to be there. Again, Mrs. Slade’s appearance alone gives her a huge sense of false confidence.
A common trait of people who get jealous of others tends to be followed by a strong sequence of denial that he or she is indeed not jealous or embarrassed by whatever has just taken place and the readers get a look at it first hand in Wharton’s story. Shortly after Mrs. Ansley reveals the real truth about what happened on the long, cold night in the coliseum Mrs. Slade becomes completely dumbfounded by what she has just been told. Wharton goes on to say through the perspective of Mrs. Slade, “How she must have loved him, to treasure the mere memory of its ashes! They letter of the man her friend was engaged to. Wasn’t it she who was the monster?”(127) Mrs. Slade is thinking to herself, “What the heck did I just hear?” In this circumstance Mrs. Slade proves to be in denial mode because as soon as the news breaks she automatically turns it back on Mrs. Ansley even though she has been the one so far in the wrong already and has been for around 25 years or so now. Following that Mrs. Slade goes on to tell Mrs. Ansley how it was all a joke and seems to be very guilt ridden following the supreme coat of embarrassment that was just lathered on her soul.
Social status plays a huge role in society today just like it did back in the day of Mrs. Anida Slade and Mrs. Horace Ansley. Mrs. Ansley wasn’t a lower class citizen however the presence of Mrs. Slade painted the picture that she was. The way that...