Gender Expectations: Women in the story (sitters, admirers,…

Gender Expectations: Women in the story (sitters, admirers, and Mrs. Gisburn) play a key role in shaping or responding to Gisburn’s art and choices. How does Wharton use their voices to critique the social and gender dynamics of the time? Do you think women in the story are portrayed as powerful influencers, passive consumers, or something more complex?

The Riviera as Setting: Consider the Riviera in 1908—both gl…

The Riviera as Setting: Consider the Riviera in 1908—both glamorous and idle—as the backdrop for Gisburn’s “abdication” from art. How does this particular setting reflect and perhaps satirize the period’s leisure class? Could the story have the same impact if set elsewhere?