Seriously..?

The House of Mirth
Edith Wharton
Chapters XIII & XIV, pages 252-268

...268 pages, and it ends like this...

I honestly don't know how to feel about this. Part of me wants to be happy for the the difference that Lily made in the life of Nettie Struther and the peace that Lily now experiences as her life started to turn around. Yet, I feel like the ending could have been SO much happier. Selden with his marriage proposal and Lily with the reassurement that she could once again rise to the social status with which she was so familiar.

I have so many questions left unanswered.
What was this "word" to be shared between Lily and Selden?
Was the baby that Lily felt in her arms a foreshadowing of the life she could have with Selden?
Why had the two not professed their love beforehand?

I guess Wharton leaves these open for the reader to decipher. But at least she does give us some comfort in one of her favorite motifs throughout the story: the weather. On the morning of Lily's death, the weather was described as "mild and bright, with a promise of summer in the air" and the sun shone "joyously down Lily's street...and struck prismatic glories from the panes of her darkened window," (Wharton, 263). So maybe Lily was happy after all, and her world was at last at peace. Who knows. I guess that is why this novel is considered a great of American literature.

Love Conquers All!

The House of Mirth

Edith Wharton
Chapters XI & XII, pages 241-252

Because of my excitement, I have to exclaim something before I begin my analysis of this section. YES! FINALLY!

Lily lets Selden know how she feels! Letting go of the "old Lily," however, is nonsense because they will still end up together.

But back to what I am actually supposed to be doing...

Again, we see the symbolism of the weather come into play. As Lily leaves Rosedale, she walks along the street to "a rush of cold rain slanted into her face," (Wharton, 247). I have two theories behind the meaning of this sudden change in the weather: Lily has either reached her lowest point and is beyond the help of others or the rain acts as a moment of clarity or a smack in the face by which she realizes that Selden is the one for her. I favor the second option, but the first has basis as well.

When Lily finally reaches the Benedick, she notices that Selden's apartment is just as she had remembered it. Wharton included this recollection to illustrate that Lily feels as though Selden is the only person in her life that has not changed his attitude towards throughout the development of the story. She feels comfort in the invariability that Selden has offered to her.

Referring back to my burst of joy at the beginning of this post, Lily reaffirms that she does not want to leave Selden by burning the letters that would ultimately have harmed him. Following their conversation, Lily experienced an ironic change of heart. Just moments beforehand, she was ready to ruin Mrs. Dorset (and consequently Selden) in exchange for a marriage for money. But alas, she realizes that money cannot replace the feeling of true love, and her true love is Selden.

What Does She Want?!

The House of Mirth
Edith Wharton
Chapters IX & X, pages 221-241

At last, a reunion between Selden and Lily. Not quite the star-crossed lovers that I had hoped that they would turn out to be, but at least Selden was able to get over himself and bring himself to stop avoiding Lily. As I said earlier, and still hold to be true in the bottom of my heart, Selden and Lily will end up together whether by the fate that seems to be controlling the life of Lily Bart or by their own free choice. Although, I feel like Lily might have a plan for her future. "...but as you have always told me that the sole object of a bringing-up like mine was to teach a girl to get what she wants, why not assume that that is precisely what I am doing?" (Wharton, 228). However much Selden wants to deny that she can do what she sets her mind to, he cannot deny that he wants her to be happy, and he wants to be happy with her. If only he would have waited a little longer to listen to Lily, I'm sure Selden would have been able to express his true feelings towards her.

Their relationship keeps reminding me of songs by Adele. Maybe it's the heartbreak, the unhappiness of having to hide their feelings, or maybe it's the need to let each other go. In any manner, the song that seems to fit their situation at this time is "Turning Tables" because it is not a one-sided love affair, and the two cannot keep fighting for the affection of the other and then let it slip away.

A lot can happen in thirty pages, and I expect that Wharton will accept my challenge of a thoroughly entertaining ending!

Fate's Guiding Hand

The House of Mirth
Edith Wharton
Chapters VII & VIII, pages 201-221

"'Oh, Gerty, I wasn't meant to be good,'" (Wharton, 215).

I am starting to feel bad for Miss Lily Bart. I feel like her plight has now fallen out of her control, and she is at the mercy of fate. Up until this point, I could always find some way that Lily could have avoided a social blunder or financial point, but I find a more difficult time as she slips farther and farther off of her social pedestal. I want her to be happy again. I want to be able to live the only life that she has ever known.

However, I fail to think that this will be so. The above quote is likely a form of foreshadowing or maybe a revelation of Lily's hubris embedded by Wharton in the context of her characters' conversation. As I read further and further into the book, I think that Wharton had destined Miss Lily Bart to failure since she was a mere thought in the mind of her creator. It is sad, yes, but I have come to accept that not everyone can be happy, especially when one has passed up so many opportunities to make oneself happy. Maybe it is just too late for Lily, but I favor the explanation of the role of fate.

I might be wrong, but I'm willing to bet that the rest of the book continues to follow Lily downwards until it closes with a last glance at the place from which she had fallen.

Love over Money

The House of Mirth
Edith Wharton
Chapters V & VI, pages 187-201

Lily Bart seems to revert a little bit back to her old ways in this section by feeling below her standards by socializing with the Gormers. However, the change that I noticed the most in Lily was her reasoning behind finding a suitable husband. With some persuasion by Carry, Lily begins to reconsider marriage again. Except this time, she wishes to marry for redemption into her previous social standing and for financial stability which she desperately needs. Earlier in the story, Lily simply wanted to marry in order to firmly establish herself in the social hierarchy and to continue to live the lavish lifestyle that she so very loved. Yet, with the suggestion of Rosedale, a character that she despised only sections ago, Lily thinks again of her needs and determines that he would be a suitable candidate. She cannot marry him for the social aspect, seeing as she has fallen from her position, so she decides to take a different approach. "What if she made him marry her for love, now that he had no other reason for  marrying her?" (Wharton, 195).

A Welcome Change

The House of Mirth
Edith Wharton
Chapters III & IV, pages 168-187

Lily Bart's world has crumbled around her. She is rejected by the society which had included her only months beforehand. She is neglected by her caregiver and is subsequently faced with an almost unbareable financial situation.

This is the first time that we begin to see a change in Lily; her change from a more or less static character into a round character. Earlier in the story, Lily was concerned with her own betterment by marrying rich, but as the marriage of her companions, the Dorsets, begins to fall apart, she offers her hand to help save the couple. However, she is cast out from their social graces and forced to retreat to her only remaining friends, Selden and Gerty. With "the pale bravery of her recovered smile," Lily holds her head up and continues to live (Wharton, 176).

She, now destitute, can relate to Gerty in a new way. She no longer looks down on the woman for her meager finances but rather accepts the fact that she will be living in even worse conditions than what she once thought was below her comfort level.

Another change we see within Lily is that money, although still important, does not rule her anymore. Upon receiving the inheritance from her aunt, Lily maintains her composure and even politely talks to the others. It's a refreshing change in the conceited character of Lily Bart, and I am interested to see how it develops.

Running Away From Problems

The House of Mirth
Edith Wharton
Chapters I & II, pages 147-168

Although the beautiful setting of blue waters and old time charm may be able to distract most people from their troubles in life, both Selden and Lily have a difficult time escaping their own. "[Selden] had reason to think that his three months of engrossing professional work...had cleared his mind of its sentimental vapours," (Wharton, 150). However, the sight of the Sabrina recalled all of the feelings which he consciously or unconsciously suppressed, and Selden realizes that "he had not come off unhurt" from his feelings for Lily (Wharton, 150). Yet, for some reason, he is hesitant to pursue his emotions and locks them away behind a personal detachment and analytical thinking. I can relate to Selden because I understand the conflicting feelings that he is experiencing: wanting something with all one's heart but knowing that it is not right in some fashion. Hopefully, he comes to a resolution to his inner conflict and is able to settle his relationship with Lily.

Lily, on the other hand, loses her concern for her financial responsibilities to Gus Trenor. Although she is able to relax and feel carefree, the seas do not wash away the burdens and debts held on the shores of home. But as Mrs. Fisher describes her, Lily likes to sabotage herself when life is going in her direction. "I think it's just flightness - and sometimes I think it's because, at heart, she despises the things she's trying for," (Wharton, 152). Finally! Someone offers an explanation as to why Lily can't seem to find happiness; it's all to her own accord.

Foolish Pleasure

The House of Mirth
Edith Wharton
Chapters XV pages 136-146

"You like to have a good time, and not have to settle for it," (Wharton, 144).

For the first time in the book, Lily is faced with everything for which she could ask: a husband, wealth, and freedom to live in the manner she chooses. Why doesn't she just snatch it right up? Does she still love Selden? As the first book (yes, I was disappointed to learn there was a whole second half to this book) draws to a close, it seems unfinished and anticlimatic. I am awfully confused as to why the story was split between two books. I do not see how it proves to be more effective or help the flow of the plot better, but I guess that I'll see where Wharton takes me in the second half of her novel.

Also, I did some research on the origins of the title, seeing as I have yet to discover how laughter or its house have come into play throughout the book. But it is actually a biblical allusion.

"The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth." - Ecclesiastes 7:4.

Perhaps this is the answer I was looking for to my earlier questions. I think Miss Lily Bart is destined to fail in her pursuit of happiness. The fool that she is will become lost in her pleasures and abandon the many opportunities that have and will be presented to her.

Through Different Eyes

The House of Mirth
Edith Wharton
Chapters XIII & XIV, pages 112-136

The manner in which Wharton structured this section was really cool. It reminded me of the movie Vantage Point, an adventure which rewinds itself to experience the same event from the perspectives of various witnesses.

In any manner, the parallelism between Chapter XIII and Chapter XIV is incredibly effective. Just as the reader is beginning to empathise with Lily Bart, we are presented with how her ordeal looks through the eyes of the rest of society. Although nothing occurred during her time at the Trenor household, Selden and Van Alstyne still leave room for their imaginations to wander. Furthermore, even Lily's good friends seem to have different opinions on the woman; Gerty develops a fleeting hatred for her companion when she learns of the love that Selden possesses for her. I use the word fleeting because Gerty eventually drops the hatred when her distraught friend shows up on her doorstep in the middle of the night.

This change through various points of view gives the audience the ability to look at the main character through the eyes of others all in the instance of the same event. It also allows us to relate to the idea that Lily really isn't doing anything morally wrong, but the perceptions of society lead to the rumors and dislike, a very relateable subject for most high school students. "She felt suddenly weak and defenceless; there was a throb of self-pity in her throat," (Wharton, 118). Many have experienced the damage that rumors and misconceptions can incur upon their helpless victims.

Tableaux Vivante

Mrs Richard Bennett Lloyd

by Sir Joshua Reynolds.

This is the portrait for which Lily posed. I thought it was cool, and it gives a visual for the beauty of Miss Bart.

Let's be Exclusive. Better yet, put on a Facade!

The House of Mirth
Edith Wharton
Chapters XI & XII, pages 97-112

"...life's too short to spend it breaking in new people," (Wharton, 112).

As the final sentence of the chapter, the quotation of Mrs. Trenor given by her husband offers an explanation of the social structure and its seeming disapproval of change. Through earlier references and gossip in the novel, we learned that the elite of society have long been associated together. Their intrinsic inclusion into the extravagant celebrations and extended stays in country estates hint at their exlusiveness.

However, it has never been verbally acknowledged by a character in the story before Gus Trenor. This seemed a little ironic to me because his unrequited love affair with Lily Bart is one of the prime examples of this unwillingness to change. Despite rumors that her husband and Lily were being overly flirtatious, Judy Trenor still finds time to invite Lily to an upcoming party at the Bellomont. Also ironic because earlier in the story, Lily had commented that she would stay away from Bellomont due to a fear that the others were growing bored with her.

Yet, neither Mrs. Trenor nor Miss Bart seem able or willing to upset the social grouping that had established itself through years of wealth and parties.

I find this to be incredibly frustrating. It seems that all the characters are putting on a show to impress the others and keep everyone but themselves happy. Why do you continue to socialize with those of whom you're not fond? Why do you continue to pursue loves that simply cannot be?

Money, Men, and Mischief

The House of Mirth
Edith Wharton
Chapters IX & X, pages 79-97

Another man in Lily's life? And finally some money? Well, at least things are turning around for her. Wharton also brings the motif of the money back to the forefront of the plot. As Lily continues to have her financial success in the stock market, she begins to experience more freedom and a lack of responsibilities. However, that same money also seems to give Mr. Trenor a sense of entitlement to Lily. After all the help that she had received from him, Trenor begins to feel used and even rejected at the statement that Lily is still contemplating a marriage to Percy Gryce. "She smiled as she spoke, letting her eyes rest on his in a way that...made him suddenly malleable to her will," (Wharton, 96).

The closing of this section seems to foreshadow a certain form of revenge to be enacted on Bertha Dorset with the letters bought off Mrs. Haffen. I now can look forward to reading the book because the story line continues to add to the overall drama and deceit of the unfolding action.

Finally, Something Entertaining...

The House of Mirth
Edith Wharton
Chapters 7 & 8, pages 60-79

Just as things were looking good for Lily Bart, Wharton throws in a twist by ruining her carefully calculated plan to marry Percy Gryce. Or should I say that the saboteur Bertha Dorset ruined her courtship? For her own gain, Miss Dorset silently accused Lily of a simple infatuation with Gryce's financial background when she recognized the bond forming between Lily and "her" man, Selden.
The House of Mirth is starting to sound like a modern-day telenovela: a twisted plot of money, deception, and love. Only, it is a tad bit less dramatic. Nevertheless, it is developing its own entertaining story line (thankfully...). I'm actually starting to get involved in this book for the first time since I've started reading.

"The rise of her blood as theior eyes met was succeeded by a contrary motion, a wave of resistamce amd withdrawal," (Wharton, 71). NO! Lily, like the typical glossy eyed woman at a wedding, needs to imagine her own love story with Selden as the prince who comes in and rescues the poor princess from her shackles of depression. Oh well, maybe it's not meant to be, and she should end up with someone else or even alone. I can't wait to see what happens in the next episode of Lily's adventures...

Will She Ever be Happy?

The House of Mirth
Edith Wharton
Chapters V & VI, pages 40-60


ARGH! WHY?! Lily and Selden were so close! But alas, we are not finished with the book, so there is always still a chance of their falling in love. We shall see...

Again in this section, we are presented with a connection between the weather and the mood of the Miss Lily Bart herself.  As we saw in the first chapter of the book, the rain outside of the train station appears out of nowhere similar to the random appearance of Lily Bart. "The light air seemed full of powdered gold; below the dewy bloom of the lawns the woodlands blushed and smoudlered, and the hills across the river swam in molten blue," (Wharton, 46). The weather at this part of the story is agreeable and beautiful; it compliments Lily's mood and foreshadows the mood of the conversation between Selden and Lily.

Another reoccurring motif that I have noticed is Lily's wanting to enter the upper social ring of the married women no matter what the level of her happiness is. I'm interested to see whether Lily finds a love that makes her happy or a love that makes her rich.

From Riches to Less Than Riches

The House of Mirth
Edith Wharton
Chapters III & IV, pages 18-40

As Lily arrives at Bellomont, we gain our first view into her dire need for money to continue to live the lifestyle of her companions. We are told of her lavish and luxurious childhood and of its abrupt end and subsequent troubles for her mother and herself. But it wasn't necessarily the loss of the money, but the loss of privelege and the onset of dinginess. "There was a little money left, but to Mrs. Bart it seemed worse than nothing - the mere mockery of what she was entitled to," (Wharton, 26).

The tale of the Barts is very relatable in our society today. Faced with unemployment, rising prices, and economic downturn, many families face the same financial situation as the Bart family. I have known many people who struggle to maintain the same school, vacations, and overall lifestyle to which they were accustomed before the disappearance of their fortune.

The author also begins to establish a personal connection between the reader and Miss Bart. By revealing  intimate details of Lily's childhood, we are able to relate to the struggles and current condition of her life. As the novel continues, I hope that Wharton continues to drop clues into the past of Miss Lily Bart so that I might gain an even deeper view into her psyche.

Nice to Meet You, Miss Lily Bart!

The House of Mirth
Edith Wharton
Chapters I & II, pages 1-18.

As the I take my first step into this marathon of a novel, I had no idea what to expect spare the ever so appropriate allusions dropped by Mr. Costello throughout his emails: a young woman on wild adventures traveling at her heart's desire. Honestly, I had never even heard of this book before it was assigned for a summer reading. Therefore, my familiarity with Miss Lily Bart was lacking to say the least.

However, it wasn't long before Selden introduced me to this mysterious woman.

Then, through later conversation taking place between the two, I begin to discover what the story is actually about; it is a story of young woman struggling to live up to the expectations of an upper class society. Miss Bart wasn't wild after all but simply trying to find happiness unsuccessfully. "She was so evidently the victim of the civilisation which had produced her, that the links of her bracelet seemed like manacles chaining her to her fate," (Wharton, 5).

Another theme that seems to be prevalent is the importance of wealth and money within Lily's society. (All of my annotations at this point indicate this relationship somehow)

While the plot continues to develop, I'm interested to see how these two themes develop as well as if any other themes present themselves. Also, I hope she gets together with Selden. He seems like a nice dude.