The Chaperone

Moriarty uses The Age of Innocence as a foil to her novel’s storyline. What other works of literature could she have used in this way?

Discuss the importance of family relationships, particularly parent-child relationships, in the novel. Is Cora justified in her statement that “Louise was the real orphan at the table” (280)? 

Is Wichita a freeing place for Cora, or does she rely on the energy and new perspective she gains in New York to disrupt her life and guide it into a new, positive direction?

Does Cora’s transition back to Wichita with Joseph and Greta seem realistic, or did Moriarty ignore any potential consequences of their decision?

Consider Cora’s feelings of belonging and being at home in Wichita, and Louise’s similar reaction to New York. What role does chronological time play in their feeling of being “at home”? 

The novel portrays the clash of two generations in America, represented by Cora and Louise. What other eras in American history were characterized by this kind of conflict? What other works of literature depict such clashes? Why might Moriarty have chosen to set Cora’s story during this era, beyond using the historical dates of Louise Brooks’s life?

What roles do World War I and World War II play in this book, if any?

Does clothing continue to signal social status in today’s culture? In what ways is clothing culture today similar to the one portrayed in The Chaperone? How is it different?