Janey Archer Character Analysis in The Age of Innocence

Newland Archer’s rather socially awkward sister, Janey has never married and seems to have no prospects of marriage. As a virgin, she must keep up appearances of innocence, and her presence in a room often causes guests to cut off their conversation just before it turns to topics not considered delicate enough for her ears. However, she often betrays her interest in these more scandalous topics and she acts as a comic element in the narrative. She is very close with—and similar to—her mother, Mrs. Archer.

Janey Archer Quotes in The Age of Innocence

The The Age of Innocence quotes below are all either spoken by Janey Archer or refer to Janey Archer. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

In all the rainy desert of autumnal London there were only two people whom the Newland Archers knew; and these two they had sedulously avoided, in conformity with the old New York tradition that it was not “dignified” to force oneself on the notice of one’s acquaintances in foreign countries.

Mrs. Archer and Janey... had so unflinchingly lived up to this principle... that they had almost achieved the record of never having exchanged a word with a “foreigner” other than those employed in hotels and railway-stations.

Related Characters: May Welland, Mrs. Adeline Archer, Janey Archer, Newland Archer

Page Number and Citation: 123

Explanation and Analysis:

Janey Archer Character Timeline in The Age of Innocence

The timeline below shows where the character Janey Archer appears in The Age of Innocence. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...her son and daughter. Archer has the upper floor, while Mrs. Archer and her daughter Janey live together below, reading novels set in Italy. They read about peasant life for the... (full context)

...Struthers came from a mine or a saloon. He hesitates to go on because of Janey’s presence, but he says that Lemuel Struthers used her image to advertise his shoe polish... (full context)

...ball, but Beaufort certainly knows her, as everyone saw them walking together just that afternoon. Janey wonders what kind of hat she wears in the afternoon, since at the opera she... (full context)

Janey says that Ellen should have changed her name to Elaine to sound more Polish, but... (full context)

After dinner, Mrs. Archer and Janey go to the drawing room, where they work on embroidery. Meanwhile, Archer and Mr. Jackson... (full context)

The next afternoon, Janey comes to Archer in his study. He’s in a bad mood, fearful that he’ll have... (full context)

Archer irritably pretends not to see Janey when she enters. His table is piled with books. Janey says that their mother is... (full context)

Janey says that the family has already been supporting Ellen—the van der Luydens even invited her... (full context)

...der Luyden would like Ellen. Mr. van der Luyden confirms this and takes his leave. Janey exclaims that the situation is romantic—her family often has no idea what she’s talking about.... (full context)

...But the next morning, his time with her at Skuytercliff seems entirely unreal. At breakfast, Janey and Mrs. Archer remark that he seems ill, but they blame it on his work,... (full context)

When Archer returns home, Janey tells him at dinner that Ellen came to visit Mrs. Archer when he was gone.... (full context)

...out his pocket diary, turning the pages frantically. Then he goes upstairs and knocks on Janey’s door. She was waiting up in case the telegram had bad news. He asks what... (full context)

Archer sees his mother sitting in a pew and weeping, and he pities Janey for her poor view of the guests. He also sees Beaufort looking at the women... (full context)

...acquaintances. It’s not considered dignified to force foreign acquaintances to entertain travelers. Mrs. Archer and Janey have stuck to this principle with such dedication that in all of their travels, they’ve... (full context)

However, one night at a hotel an English lady asked Mrs. Archer and Janey for a bottle of liniment for her sister, Mrs. Carfry, who had bronchitis. The English... (full context)

...children would marry Beaufort’s bastards. Dallas is marrying one of Beaufort’s bastards, but everyone approves. Janey even gave Fanny Beaufort Mrs. Archer’s jewelry. (full context)

Janey Archer Character Analysis

Janey Archer Quotes in The Age of Innocence

Chapter 20 Quotes

Janey Archer Character Timeline in The Age of Innocence