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.
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