The Final Post! (for this book)

Huzzah!  I've finished Edith Wharton's tragic tale, The House of Mirth.   The end of the story was sad and somewhat unsatisfying, but I think I'm ultimately satisfied with the book.  I had to say that I saw the end coming.  I think Wharton led up to it and didn't try to conceal the tragic end in Lily's future.  It started with her social decline and became more clear when the chemist warned her of the dangers of overdosing her prescription.  Near the end, she made it dreadfully clear when she wrote  "If only life could end now"(p261) and "The little bottle was at her bed-side, waiting to lay its spell upon her"(p261).  At that point I knew she would overdose and die, but ultimately the end did satisfy her last desires.  She was able to pay off her debts to Trenor.  She and Selden were finally on the same page in terms of understanding and friendship.  And before she dies, she was able to find peace and rest in the medication.  I would have preferred a happy ending, but the ending Wharton chose drives in the lessons taught in the story and heeds a warning to anyone hoping to gain happiness from the excesses of wealth and societal gain.  It shows that living life to gain status and money cannot lead to happiness and can often lead to worse.  Even if the conclusion was not to my liking, I did enjoy the book from the climax on.  It became a bit of a page-turner.  Wharton showed potential in all of Lily's relationships while also showing the steady decline of her wealth, health, and happiness.  I was anxious to find out how things would end.  I hoped that things would end well, but I became gradually more sure that Lily's fate was sealed for an unhappy life.  Despite the slow beginning, the book did became pretty enjoyable.  All in all, The House of Mirth has held up over time.  It is still a good book with a valuable lesson, and ultimately, I did enjoy it

A Choice Worth Making?

Now approaching the end of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, I think I've reached the climax of the plot.  Lily's life has declined to standards of living which she is not happy with, she has few friends left, and she still has yet to find a husband.  She has received minimal money in her aunt's will.  She has no secure source of income and no guaranteed place to live in the distant future.  The only true way for her to fix the situation is to get married.  Luckily for her, tow men, Mr. Dorset and Mr. Rosedale have made it clear that they are willing to marry her if she meets certain requirements.  I believe this is the climax of the story because her choice now will effect the rest of her life and the end of the novel.  Her problem is that neither choices are ideal.  Will she make the choice between Dorset and Rosedale or will she simply not choose between the two at all and try to pave her own path through life?  Based on her past decisions, I think that she will not be able to marry either of them.  In order to marry either men, she will have to choose adapt to live with a husband who she ultimately does not like and definitely doesn't love.  "The situation, however, was not agreeable enough to lull her to complete unconsciousness of its insecurity" (p200).The time has passed where she is only looking for wealth in a marriage.   If she has doubts about her future happiness, I don't think she will choose a husband.  Also, choosing either husband would require her to make a move which could be interpreted as socially unacceptable by some, which goes against her attitude completely.  I'll have to keep reading to truly find out, but I think she has gone too far for the book to end with a happy marriage.

Bertha and the Bart: The Break

The break between Lily and the Dorset's during their European voyage is a major turning point in the plot of the story. Up until now, Lily has remained with her friends in the upper class, able to "stay afloat" without spending all of her money.  Even as disagreements have arisen between he and some of her friends, she has managed to keep a high status as her public reputation had yet to sink too low.  However, I believe that from this point, Miss Bart will have trouble maintaining her status.  Her relationship with Mr. Dorset had already been a reason for others to talk about her behind her back.  This turn of events will only intensify the talk and make for more harsh rumors.  In addition, she no longer has her friendship with the Dorsets to support her status.  Her association with their wealth had kept her in the public eye before, but now that she won't be with them ever, things could change and she could lose any "popularity" she was still hanging onto.  And lastly, now that Mrs. Dorset's dislike for her has been made so obvious in public, it is doubtful that she will keep her disdain a secret in private.  The combination of her loathing and high status could lead to many high-status figures turning away from Lily.  I think many of her friends will leave her in the near future, and she could be left not knowing what to do with her life.

Enduring Pain

While reading the start of Book II in The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, I found an analogy that caught my attention.  It was talking about Selden and his attitude after leaving on his cruise.  It reads: "He was like a traveler so grateful for rescue from a dangerous accident that at first he is hardly conscious of his bruises.  Now he suddenly felt the latent ache, and realized that after all he had not come off unhurt" (p150).  This sort of attitude seems to be frequent enough in the novel to be a possible theme.  Throughout the book, characters, especially Lily, have run off from their problems, often by travelling to another location.  One example is when Lily left Bellomont early in the story after her romantic encounter with Selden.  Consistently,  the characters have again and again come to the realization that they still feel the repercussions of their previous problems.  They can't run.  This analogy was great in my opinion because it explains the temporary satisfaction provided by the change in scenery, but continues to prove the inevitable pain to be felt later on.  This analogy also serves to foreshadow the events forthcoming in the novel.  Lily's break with the Dorset's and lack of understanding with Selden before the end of the cruise show that the travels of both Lily and Selden did nothing to shield them from their troubles at home in the long run.

Contrast and Imagery and Symbolism...OH MY!!!

I've made it to the end of Book I of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton.  A lot has happened in the last several chapters.  In particular, there have been many twists and turns in Selden's relationship with Lily.  One particular passage, when they meet at the Brys' party, caught my attention. In the passage, Wharton creatively uses nature to reflect many aspects of her story. "She hardly noticed where Selden was leading her, till they passed through a glass doorway at the end of the long suite of rooms and stood suddenly in the fragrant hush of a garden.  Gravel grated beneath their feet, and about them was the trasparent dimness of a midsummer night.  Hanging lights made emerald caverns in the depths of foliage, and whitened the spray of a fountain falling among lilies.  The magic place was deserted: there was no sound but the plash of the water on the lily-pads..." (p 111).  I noticed several important things in this passage.  First, the words in bold are Wharton's uses of imagery in the passage.  Her use of imagery makes her use of nature very engaging and pulls the reader into the story, letting him no that something significant is about to happen and letting them vicariously experience to a certain extent the romantic setting of the scene.  Second, I noticed that nature is a stark contrast against the ornate, and sometimes flamboyant or fake aspects of the upper class settings Lily normally inhabits.  This is made especially clear by the sudden transition from the scene of the Bry's party in this passage.  This use of nature seems to come up frequently when the paths of Selden and Lily cross (remember their walk near the beginning of the story)I believe this is because Wharton uses nature as a symbol of Selden and his influence on Lily.  While the upper class society portrayed in much of the book is fake, flamboyant, and full of controversy, nature is simple, completely real, yet beautiful and satisfying.  In the same way Selden's ideals of  happiness, knowledge, and a simple unstressed life are satisfying and important, yet Lily's values of wealth and social standing are relative, and ultimately unsatisfying as well as unimportant.    In these ways, Lily fits in with the luxurious upper class setting and Selden fits in with nature.  By understanding these literary tools, one receives insights into Lily and Selden's relationship and could begin to see the difference between what Lily chooses and what she loses by denying Selden.

Descent from the Upper Class

So far I've read up to about page 106 in The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton.  I've stopped to write a blog because I've realized that there has been a significant change in the general course of the story.  In the last few chapters, things have not been going in Lily's favor.  It seems that her lack of money has started to catch up with her and her descent from the upper class has begun.  Multiple characters (for example: Bertha Dorset, Grace Stepney, and Mrs. Peniston) have all become angry at Lily.    On page 106, there was a sentence that read "She knew, moreover, that if the ladies at Bellomont permitted themselves to criticize her friends openly, it was a proof that they were not afraid of subjecting her to the same treatment behind her back."  This line shows how the whole of the upper class has begun to side against Miss Bart.  This change seems to mark the development of the theme for the story.  Because of Lily's desire for wealth, she has made certain friendships and decisions that would aid her in that quest.  However, these same relationships and decisions are causing her to lose popularity among the upper class, and she is beginning to fall out of her circle of friends.  She may never be able to get the riches she desires.  I believe this may mean that the theme is that the values of society, mainly wealth, can cause a person to lose what is important in life, in this case, Lily's friendships.  I think this theme will continue to be developed in the rest of the story and Lily's life will progressively get worse.

The Plot Thickens...

In Chapter 9 of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, many twists occur in the plot of the novel. First, Lily discovers that Gryce is engaged.  Secondly, she receives a bundle of letters from Mrs. Dorset to Selden and decides not to destroy them.  These signify a great turning point in the story.  Now that Lily can't marry Gryce, it is uncertain if she will find a husband.  Previously in the story, she devoted much of her time toward Gryce.  Now that he is out of the picture, it can be questioned whether Lily will turn her attention back toward Selden or if she will find another man, possibly the wealthy Mr. Rosedale.  Her decision to keep the letters was a bad one.  Wharton stated: "She felt herself in the presence of something vile, as yet but dimly conjectured (p 84)."  The letters are indeed vile.  Because Bertha is married, giving the letters away has difficult implications for her.  It could hurt her, as well as Selden, if the letters were brought to light.  It is unclear what Lily will use the letters for.  She could use them as blackmail or simply as a means of revenge at Bertha.  Either way, revealing the letters is dangerous for Lilly.  By deciding against burning them, Lily is risking her friends and her reputation.  If she plays her cards wrong, she could lose any hope of marriage.  I'm anxious to see what happens.

The Irony of Lily's Thoughts

In chapter 8 of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, I noticed the irony of Lily's thoughts and actions.  It was most obvious during the Van Osburgh wedding when she sees Selden.  Wharton wrote: "She did not wish to see him again...because his presence always had the effect of cheapening her aspirations, of throwing her whole world out of focus (p 71)."  This is so ironic because she is always happy when she is with Selden.  It would make sense for her to be happy to see him.  Additionally, rather than cause her to lose focus on what is important, Selden actually causes Lily to focus on what IS important.  He teaches her to place less emphasis on belongings and money and more on intelligence, wit, and happiness.  Making this more ironic is the fact that she could marry him and solve her problem of needing a husband if she were to abandon those desires.  However, because she sticks to her old hunger for materialism, she loses her chance at marrying Selden and living a happier life.  The situation becomes even more ironic when she chooses to talk to the rich Mr. Rosedale whom she loathes instead of Selden.  Her focus on riches has finally gone too far.

A New Enemy

In The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, there are many scenes of great emotion or importance.  I was struck by a particular section of chapter 7 while reading. The scene took place while all the character were seated around the table eating lunch.  Bertha Dorset gave some statements with very biting sarcasm directed at Miss Bart.  One of the things she said was "Do you know, Lily, he [Mr Gryce] told me he had never seen a girl play cards for money till he say you doing it the other night?"  This comes right after Mrs. Dorset had told Gryce many things to lower his opinion of Lily.  Dorset did this because she was jealous that Selden had come to see Lily and not her.  I found the extreme sarcasm of her words quite striking.  What was even more important though was Lily's reaction.  Although she wants to marry Gryce, Wharton wrote "no one could hurt her as much as she was hurting herself."  She had become very unhappy that day because she was  reconsidering her values.  The day before she had listened to Selden and decided that she could possibly live without wealth.  Now, she was rethinking those thoughts, and was angry at herself for losing sight of her goal.    Despite this inner anger was stronger than Bertha's insults, this exchange provided a new plot turn.  Bertha Dorset is now an enemy of Lily.

Mr. Selden vs Miss Bart

Chapter 6 of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton makes clear the similarities and differences between Selden and Lily.  They have many similarities.  They both have the same sense of sarcastic humor.  They also are both highly intelligent people who enjoy being the presence of similar people.  They both have low income, and additionally, they both have some sort of interest in each other.  Despite these similarities, Selden is still a foil character for Lily.  This is because his values are strongly contrasting with hers.  This is particularly evident in a certain exchange they have during their walk.  Wharton wrote: " 'What is success?'... She hesitated.  'Why, to get as much as one can out of life, I suppose.'...  'My idea of success,' he said, 'is personal freedom.' "  Selden elaborates to explain how people use up their talents and individuality in the pursuit of wealth.  He believes that life is best spent trying to get away from the stress of money, poverty, anxiety, and all material things.  His beliefs challenge Lily's determination to live a luxurious and rich lifestyle.  Again, it becomes obvious that if she could move past these desires, she could live a happy life with Selden as her husband.  Their similarities in personality are there, but there differences in values keep their relationship from becoming overly emotional.

The People of Bellomont

While reading chapter 5 of The House of Mirth, I realized that Lily's friends at Bellomont represent her ambitions and desires.  In a rare change of opinion about halfway through the chapter, Lily realizes "Then they had symbolized what she was gaining, now they stood for what she was giving up."  I believe that this discovery is very much true.  The people of Bellomont, in their carefree, simple, and expensive lifestyle represent the life that Lily desires.  She wants to marry a rich man so that she can share in this lifestyle.  However, being with these people does not make her happy, and ultimately this lifestyle would not make her happy either.  The only character at Bellomont who differs from this pattern is Selden.  Although he is still a symbol of an aspect of Lily's desire, he is not a symbol of desire of money, but of desire for life in the pursuit of happiness.  And just as Lily is happy when she is with Selden, she would be happy with this sort of lifestyle.  Furthermore, the fact that she cannot afford to stay at Bellomont could be interpreted as a symbol that her character is not compatible with the lifestyle of its inhabitants.  If Lily is to live a happy life, she will have to overcome her desire for luxury.

What's the Point? (Of View)

I thought that chapter 4 was somewhat uneventful, so I've decided to spend this blog discussing the point of view (POV) of the story.  In The House of Mirth, the author, Edith Wharton, uses for the most part a third person limited POV.  This means that an unknown narrator tells the story and focuses on one character.  For most of the story, Wharton chooses to focus on Lily Barth.  However, at some points, Wharton switches to more of a third person omniscient POV, describing the thoughts and feelings of other characters as well.  Characters such as Lawrence Selden and Gus Trenor have been portrayed with this style.  An example of this in chapter 1 can be found on page 1: "Selden had never seen her more radiant."  This unique combination allows Wharton to focus on the story of Lily while also developing other characters and keeping the story interesting by revealing different vantage points of the action.  Personally I like this method of storytelling.  There is definite depth in the character of Lily, but the story is not one-sided.  The use of other complex characters keeps the reader questioning Lily's motives and wondering how her decisions will impact the lives of the other characters.  Overall, it creates a more interesting, entertaining, and compelling book.  I appreciate Wharton's this unique style.

Who is Miss Lily Bart?

After reading chapter three, I have discovered much about Lily's character.  In this chapter of The House of Mirth, Edith Wharton develops background for her character.  It shows the evolution of her personality over time and how it has become the way that it currently is in the story.  The story of her mother and father shows two stories of obsession.  Her father, obsessed with work, and her mother, obsessed with money, both lived short and unhappy lives.  Inspired mostly by her mother, she devotes her life to escaping from poverty and  becoming wealthy so that she can live an extravagant  and elegant lifestyle.  This is a major fundamental of her character.  All her decisions in some way can be traced back to her desire to become rich.  Although she had not always felt that way, she began to share more in her mother's obsession after being exposed to the wealth of her friends and extended family.  The novel also reveals that her mother taught her to to use her beauty as a tool to regain her money.  It reads: "Lily understood that beauty is only the raw material of conquest, and that to convert it into success other arts are required (p27)." This also explains her strategic manipulation of men.  The way she reads men and works to please them is a skill she has gained by years of attempting to marry.  I think these skills will remain in use for most of the story as she struggles to find a spouse.

Mr. Percy Gryce

In the second chapter of The House of Mirth, Edith Wharton introduces the character of Percy Gryce.  He is a flat character.  His personality can basically be summed up as a shy, rich, and somewhat selfish man who likes things the "proper" way.  His shyness is evident in the fact that he does not acknowledge Lily until she "accidentally" bumps into him.  His wealth is made very clear  from the author's description, Lily's thoughts, and in his interests.  His collection of Americana stands out as one way he likes to show that he is the inheritor of a great sum of money.  This wealth makes him the sort of candidate that Lily is looking for.  However, she is bored by his attitude and his interests, and I don't think they would make a good couple.  Another  attribute of Gryce that stands out is his egosim.  Wharton sated: "She had rightly guessed that Mr. Gryce's egoism was a thirsty soil, requiring constant nurture from without (p 16)."  Mr. Gryce liked people to acknowledge his wealth and power, and that is precisely what Lily plans to do to try to get him to marry her. If she is willing to look past his unattractive personality, she might be able to win all the money that she desires to possess.

The Story Begins!

I have begun to read The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton.   After the first chapter, I have many questions to be answered.  Does Selden want to marry Miss Lily Bart?  Does he want to be married at all? Will Lily find a husband?  Will Mr. Rosedale be a source of conflict for Lily in the future?  I have many questions, but they will be answered in the remainder of the novel.  In this blog, I want to focus on the exposition of the story's plot.  At first, the basis of the story is unclear.  The characters of Miss Barth and Mr. Selden are introduced by the occasion of them meeting by chance in the Grand Central Station of New York.  When Miss Barth asks him to tea, I started to notice how her character is somewhat flirtatious and attempts to spend a lot of time with men.  As she converses with Selden, it became more obvious that the reason for this is that she is 29 and needs to find a husband.  I was somewhat surprised that Lily had not yet married, because she is described as such as beautiful woman.  I suppose it is difficult for her because she has no family to help her find a match.  The introduction of this problem for Lily ushers in what I believe will be the driving force of the story's plot and overall conflict.  Lily needs to find a husband.  Of course, this chapter brings up more questions about this.  The chapter notes that Selden does like Miss Bart.  It says: "In truth, he had never liked her as well as that moment (p 4)." However, it does not clarify whether or not he has romantic interest in her nor whether she has interest in him.  This could also be a conflict later in the story.  I'll have to read further to find out.