Gender Roles and Sexuality

The text explores rigid gender expectations through the 'entertaining' young women and the scandalized reaction to Lemoyne's feminine portrayal, while Cope's intense bond with Lemoyne suggests a coded exploration of same-sex attraction in early 20th-century America.

Hortense's emotional outburst and Cope's rejection challenge traditional gender expectations; Hortense's critique of Cope's friendship with Lemoyne hints at societal attitudes toward male intimacy.

Lemoyne's feminine portrayal and offstage advances challenge conventional masculinity, provoking violent rejection and institutional censure.