What does Wharton want us to consider about the ways in which we do or do not know certain people in our lives? E.g. friends, lovers, family.

“Roman Fever” depicts friends, family and lovers in a more negative way than people generally do.  On the surface these specific relationships are suppose to be intimate and loving. They are suppose to be executed with trustworthy people. In this story Wharton depicts these realtionships as judgemental, dishonest and sad through the the conversations Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley have.  The reader learns that their friendship is toxic because of envy. The relationships these women had with their husbands were not honest. The thoughts these women have about their daughters did not always come from a loving place and are in fact judgemental. Wharton wants depict that even the closest people in someone’s life can have a side to them that is unknown to the public. Mrs. Slade and Mrs.Ansley both kept a put together personna on the outside, but in reality they were keeping secrets from the most important people in their lives.