The House of Mirth: Blog 15- pages 252-THE END!

   I hate unhappy endings. So, yes this novel was a huge disappointment to me.
   As much as I was not expecting the ending, I am not very surprised, either. I just hate when a book ends, leaving everyone to make their own assumptions about what happened next, but here we are with a hundred unanswered questions. However, the ending does comply with our ongoing theme of materialism. Plainly, simply: money, wealth, power, reputation, and those materialistic things do not assure happiness in life. And for some people that's okay. For Mr. Rosedale, Bertha Dorset, Percy Gryce, Mr. and Mrs. Bry, and many other characters, that is okay for them. But for Lily Bart, Seldon, and Gerty Farish, it's not. It may have taken Lily an entire novel and a random run-in with Nettie Struther-practically a stranger- for her to finally come to terms with this fact of life. "But it had taken two to build the nest; the man's faith as well as the woman's courage" (Wharton 260). Giving up love for money may work for some people, but Lily has a big heart, and Seldon was right all along- that kind of a life would never satisfy her. And realizing this, makes me all the more upset with the way things ended. I truly believe after all those times I was disappointed thinking she would change and didn't, I believe now that she really was going to change this time and become the person that I wanted to see the entire novel. The one who chooses love. But it was a tragedy, and tragedies don't have happy endings.

House of Mirth: Blog 14-pages 241-252

    So, Lily Bart is not cut out for the world of working-shocker! Just as she doesn't know how she is going to go on any longer, Rosedale shows up to save the day, to save Lily. They agree to marry as soon as Lily uses the letters to clear things up with Bertha. Then, just as all the readers think it's the end of the story, we are wrong once again. It is only the beginning of the end, and there are still a few lessons to be learned. Primarily, she needs to recognize and admit to all the mistakes with Seldon- the man she actually did truly love and lose. Stopping by his house on the way to Dorsets', Lily finally lets her guard down and is honest, pouring her heart out to poor Seldon. She admits that it was his love, and belief in her was what kept her going all this time. Though she desperately wishes things could be different, she is convinced that they can't be. Finally we see that Lily recognizes and regrets the mistakes she made, people she hurt, and all the things she ever took for granted. This may not be the turning point for the plot line in the novel, but it is definitely a turning point for our main character who, while in struggling to secure her place in society, thought she had wound up all alone with nothing. It is now that she realizes that she will always have these friends like Seldon and Gerty who were there through the whole thing. Wharton writes, "I remember your saying such a life could never satisfy me...that is what I wanted to thank you for. I wanted to tell you that I have always remembered..." (Wharton 250).

House of Mirth: Blog 13-pages 221-241

    This section of Edith Wharton's House of Mirth may as well be titled, Let's Start Over Again. New job, new place to live, new reputation. Our main character finally did make some life changes, but are they the right ones? Working as an assistant to a new character, Mrs. Hatch, Lily finally has a real job that includes living in a hotel! However, Mrs. Hatch is not exactly the most reputable person in New York, so when that doesn't work out, she is left to live at Gerty's flat for the time being. But she is sick of being a "moocher"-to put it in modern terms- off of her friends, so she goes to work at a hat shop.
    Meeting Rosedale sort of gives me a sense of how serious Lily's situation is. He and Lily have a pleasant discussion, but he has such a difficult time believing that she is actually in the working class. The place that she's currently residing symbolizes this as well- Lily Bart: member of New York's Working Class. It seems as though she is living the life of "dinginess" that her mother warned her about.

House of Mirth: Blog 12-pages 201-221

   As the House of Mirth by Edith Wharton is slowly coming to the ending, we see that Lily has fallen almost completely off the ladder of high society. Almost completely broke, with her inheritance money soon to be used to pay off her debt to Gus Trenor, life is not looking up anymore for our poor protagonist.
    Furthermore, when she confronts Rosedale, and brings up his previous marriage proposal, he denies it. He isn’t stupid and knows that Lily only needs him now because of the ongoing circumstances between Lily and Bertha. But he does say that he would be willing to take Lily back if she cleared her name and settled things with Bertha using the letters. More specifically, it is written: "he would marry her tomorrow if she could regain Bertha Dorset's friendship" (Wharton 209). Which brings me to a good point: the letters have now come back into the novel, as a weapon to be used to get back at Bertha, but for now, Lily has not succumbed to their power. She loves Seldon too much to let his reputation be tainted by those letters. 
    However, come autumn, Lily is intent on changing things for herself. She and Carry Fisher begin a job search, while Gerty Farish-concerned as ever for her friend-is trying to get Seldon to help out Lily. Maybe as the book nears its end, Lily will finally accept who her real friends are and where her life is at this point, and stop giving in to the pressures of materialism. Not everyone in life gets to come out the victor, sometimes we lose.

House of Mirth: Blog 11-pages 183-201

Lily’s financial situation has led to some new major changes in her lifestyle in this section of Edith Wharton’s House of Mirth. I see this as the falling action of the novel. Having almost no money to support herself, she is relying a lot on the support of her dear friend Gerty Farish. Thanks to Carry Fisher, she was able to spend the summer with some new characters, the Gormers, in Alaska. Wharton writes, “She knew that Carry Fisher was right: that and opportune absence might be the first step toward rehabilitation, and that, at any rate, to linger on in town oit of season was a fatal admission of defeat" (Wharton 191).

One other thing Lily has to think about is getting married. If she could manage to get married, she could still save her reputation. The way Carry Fisher puts it, she has two options: George Dorset or Rosedale. She actually considers marrying Rosedale, though she wants the marriage to be out of love.

What really makes things interesting for Lily, though, is when George Dorset comes to Lily asking for forgiveness. Lily, aware of the danger that being seen with Mr. Dorset proposes, quickly turns him away, focusing all of her attention on Mr. Rosedale for the time being.

House of Mirth: Blog 10- pages 168-183

    In this next section of Edith Wharton’s House of Mirth, we are more acutely aware of the Dorsets’ situation, and its possible consequences for Lily. Seldon sees the potential problems for Lily and strongly advises her to move out of the yacht before things get bad. She doesn’t take his advice at first, and unfortunately she will come to greatly regret that decision. Bertha Dorset, in an attempt to save her own reputation, throws Lily out under the bus saying that she tried to  have an affair with her husband and it made her very jealous. After all Lily had done for Bertha during the entire trip, entertaining her husband so she could enjoy the company of Ned Silverton! I was so disappointed to read that about Bertha, however, I was not at all surprised.
    These kinds of situations go on in the real world as well. All of us have known that person who wants to be your friend to get something out of you. Then the second things get bad, they take off running and leave you to pick up the pieces. This would be Bertha in a nutshell. Our antagonist has found yet another way to prevent our protagonist from surviving in the “society”. And poor Lily just accepts it for what it is, and Edith Wharton describes it perfectly, “She had risen, and stood before him in a kind of clouded majesty, like some deposed princess moving tranquilly toward exile.”
    What happens next throws all the characters in the novel for a loop, though not surprising at all to myself. Mrs. Peniston passes away and leaves her fortune to Grace Stepney, only leaving a small amount to Lily to survive on for a while.

House of Mirth: Blog 9- pages 147-168

Nice, France

As Book II of Edith Wharton’s House of Mirth commences, as a reader, we have to pick up quickly on the new setting. No longer in New York, most of the “society” we have gotten to know in the first book are in Europe traveling abroad. Opening the second book, it is mid- April now, and we know that the majority of them are currently in Monte Carlo and Nice- including Seldon, Carry Fisher, Mrs. Stepney, Mrs.  Bry, Lily, the Dorsets, and others. I personally found the change of scenery to be awesome. All of the character are admiring the beauty of France and Monaco, which I know myself to be true since I have been to Nice and driven through Monaco. Both are so marvelously beautiful and having that experience myself makes me all the more appreciative of the characters in the book and their descriptions of the sights. Good diction and imagery by Wharton, paint beautiful pictures for all the readers. For example, Wharton describes, "Unclouded sunlight enveloped sea and shore in a bath of purest radiancy" (Wharton 157).

The characters, especially Lily and Seldon, had had a more difficult few months back in New York with stresses brought on by money problems, and other more emotional troubles. Unfortunately, vacations don’t last forever, and their problems will just be waiting for them when they get back. For now though, they get to enjoy the beauty of their surroundings.  

Lastly, a new conflict is introduced as Mr. George Dorset realizes that his wife has been having an affair with one of the people on the trip, Ned Silverton. At the end of the second chapter, George even decides to send for Seldon, a lawyer, to prepare himself for what might be coming.

House of Mirth: Blog 8- pages 132-146

In the last section of the first book of the House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, Lily Bart sets  herself up for the second book in that she has decided to rid herself of all of her debt and make some serious changes in her life. Her encounter with Trenor taught her that much. Thanks to Gerty Farish and her ongoing selflessness- even despite her broken heart- Lily was able to recover from what seemed like a nightmare.

Throughout the past few sections of the book, I have really taken a liking to Miss Farish. Even though Seldon loved Lily instead of her, she still saw her friend in need, and was her rescue. Gerty has a big heart and is definitely a big part in helping the theme of materialism. She was never a big believer that money buys happiness, instead she spends her time working at charities to help those less fortunate than herself. If only Lily could take after her, things might work out better for her in the future. Gerty knows that the “real” Lily is a genuinely kind person, and maybe that person will prevail by the end of the novel. But at this point, Lily still has selfish wants. Hopefully, with the life changes she is making, she will come out a better person, but until then, we can only wait and see what the second book brings.

House of Mirth: Blog 7- pages 112-132

This section of Edith Wharton’s House of Mirth includes one of the most important conflicts in the entire book. Lily received a letter from Judy Trenor telling her to meet at their house late at night, but she had no idea what would be waiting for her when she got there. Only Gus Trenor was waiting for her when she arrived because he purposefully did not inform her that Judy was unable to make it. The interaction between Lily and Gus left Lily a wreck. They had bickered over their current situation: he had invested money for her and expected things of her in return for the favor. He frightened her more than she allowed him to see, and he had tried to take advantage of her in this weak state. Thankfully, Lily got out unscathed physically; however, she was broken emotionally. The only place she could think to run to is Gerty Farish. Then, we see Wharton use a bit of irony here because although Lily sees Gerty as her best friend, Gerty cannot stand the thought of Lily, especially after realizing Seldon’s feelings for Lily and not her.

Wharton has done a marvelous job in this section of the novel using many literary techniques to add to the conflict brought about. Her irony, diction, and imagery greatly help to create the dramatic scen she was looking for. For example, Wharton writes, “His first rush of inarticulate resentment had been followed by a steadiness and concentration of tone more disconcerting to Lily than the excitement preceding it” (Wharton 117). This is an instance where Wharton’s diction and imagery add to the suspense and drama of one of the most important scenes in the novel up to this point.

House of Mirth: Blog 6- pages 97-112

In this section of the House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, Lily’s Aunt that cares for her- Julia Peniston- becomes a more prominent character. When her preferred company, Grace Stepney, sheds light on Lily’s life and what the rumors are saying now. She explained the situation with Gus Trenor and all of the awful allegations that have been made against her regarding that. Also, Lily’s gambling problem is brought to light, and Mrs. Peniston’s reactions to all of this new information comes as a bit of a surprise. She remains calm the entire time, excusing Grace and not even mentioning one part of it to Lily! Any other guardian probably would have gone insane knowing the behavior that Lily was accused of conducting. What Edith Wharton has planned for this character later on, we can only guess. 

Also, while reading chapter 12, it was very interesting to hear all the characters' comments on Lily's incredible beauty highlighted by a portrait drawn by artist Paul Morpeth who had been hired for a party that the Welly Bry family. They are all looking on the outside and noticing her obvious beauty. But Seldon, a character I have a great liking for, sees her as so much more than that. He loves her, and wants more than anything to be with her for the rest of his life. Unfortunately, she still doesn't feel the same, even after they share a kiss. As much as I want them together, I have a bad feeling that they won't, and it breaks my heart, especially for Seldon. Lastly, I am very interested to see how the relationship between Gerty Farish and Lily develops because Gerty is a genuinely good-hearted person. Her comment, "It makes her look like the real Lily" (Wharton 110) shows that.

House of Mirth: Blog 5-pages 79-97

    Analyzing chapters 9 and 10 or Edith Wharton's House of Mirth is quite the task. Many significant events take place- a great deal of them in Lily's favor! With the news of Percy Gryce's engagement fresh in mind, the first major event in chapter 9 is that minor character Mrs. Haffen actually plays a major role in the plot at this point in time. She shows up at the Peniston household with a stack of letters from Mrs. Dorset to Seldon that Seldon had not taken the time to properly dispose of. These potentially reputation-ruining, sold to Lily, give Lily a whole new power in this "game". Unfortunately, the power is dangerous because while she may be thinking short term of how she could get revenge on Bertha, exposing those letters could have consequences on her own precious reputation in the long run.
    Later on in the chapter, I noticed a newer theme introduced. Wharton writes, "...she saw only a future of servitude to the whims of others, never the possibility of asserting her own eager individuality," (Wharton 82).  Might that be a new theme? Yes, the idea of materialism is a big theme, but Lily has just come face-to-face with an entirely new realization- that her life is her own life. She ought to figure out who the real Lily Bart is and not worry about who she should be, according to society's standards. Now whether she will actually try this is undecided.
    Lastly, the end of chapter 10 sounded to me like foreshadowing. With the mention of the Malay proverb on enemies, and the reminder of Lily's power with the letters, anyone can predict that this will come back to haunt someone, we just don't know who yet.

   

House of Mirth: Blog 4-pages 61-79

    In this section of the House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, we really get a good glimpse to how far Lily is willing to go to get what she wants; and she wants money. After learning that Percy Gryce ran home, possibly after being told of Lily's gambling problem, Lily devises a plan in her mind and gets Gus Trenor to feel such pity for her "situation" that he lends her money and invests it in stocks. So our protagonist has now dug herself in a pretty deep hole because now, no matter where Lily goes, she will always be somewhat indebted to Mr. Trenor. Also, it has become increasingly clear up to this point that one of our antagonists is Miss George Dorset. And with her last stunt with Mr. Gryce, there is no doubt in my mind that she has it out for Lily, most likely because Seldon did indeed come to Bellomont for Lily and not Bertha. 
    Chapter 8 of House of Mirth takes place at Miss Van Osburgh's wedding, and within the first few pages, I was able to see a resemblance of the scene at hand to the movie 27 Dresses. In that movie, actress Katherine Heigl plays the girl who has been bridesmaid one too many times, and wants so desperately to be the one on the altar. While reading, I immediately saw the connection between Heigl and protagonist Lily Bart. Lily even thought it to herself, "The truth was, she had attended too many brides to the altar: when next seen there she meant to be the chief figure in the ceremony" (Wharton 70). As the plot thickens even more, hopefully more questions will become clear. Which of Lily's dreams will come true: her want to be married, her obsession with wealth, or her heart's desire for love? And does it really have to be a choice between them?

House of Mirth: Blog 3-pages 41- 60

    Finally getting to Lily and her internal struggle, chapters four and five of Edith Wharton's House of Mirth are mostly about showing the reader how Lily's head and heart are beginning to clash. The first thing she did was break off her plans with Mr. Gryce and made up the excuse that she was feeling ill. Though she may have believed that money and wealth were everything, after talking and spending an entire day with Seldon, she may have to rethink that. I mean in a simple afternoon that began with an innocent walk, they managed to fall in love and practically get engaged! Except Lily can't shake the thought of her other motives out of her head quite yet. Readers can see this when Lily declares, "'But isn't it possible that, if I had the opportunities of these people, I might make better use of them?'" (Wharton 57).
    Throughout these chapters, Wharton has revealed some of the themes of the novel. The main one would be materialism and the belief that money is all a person really needs. Lily is still trying to decide for herself if she would allow that to be true for her, and from the looks of her entire day spent with Seldon, she still has a lot to figure out. 
    As a main character, Seldon really takes a huge role in these last couple chapters. He is the influence that is teaching her that money doesn't mean happiness. Mr. Gryce and Seldon represent the two choices that Lily has at the moment. A relationship with Mr. Gryce means wealth and an upperclass lifestyle, while Seldon would mean the opportunity to marry for love. As the decisions finally begin to unfold for Lily, we will be able to see the path our protagonist with take.

House of Mirth: Blog 2-pages 18-40

    Chapters 3 and 4 of Edith Wharton's House of Mirth are incredibly eventful compared to the last chapters. I was able to understand much more about Lily's background and personality than earlier on in the novel. Firstly,  a gambling problem is introduced. After losing over 300 dollars in a game of bridge, I am quickly beginning to notice that she is not as wealthy as I had first pictured. Also, shortly after that revelation, we are given helpful insight into Lily's past and how her family troubles have contributed to the person she is today. With a mother that obsessed over living a lifestyle nothing short of wealth, and a husband who tried and failed to provide that, we see that Lily was raised to believe that without money, a person has nothing. Wharton states, "To be poor seemed to her such a confession of failure that it amounted to disgrace" (Wharton 26). "Dinginess" as it is referred to in the novel is failure, so Lily seems determined to stay on the track to success, which most likely includes marrying rich. Because of this understanding of Lily, I was not surprised that she was still trying to befriend Mr. Gryce because while he may be exceedingly boring, he is known for his great wealth. Then, with the appearence of Seldon and Bertha Dorset towards the end of the 4th chapter, while I may be more clear on Lily's motives and values, I am left with numerous questions. The most prominent being, will Lily Bart go against her conscience, go with her head, and marry for money or follow her heart and marry for love? And even more, will she ever meet someone she wants to marry at all?

House of Mirth: Blog 1-pages 1-18

    In Edith Wharton's House of Mirth, readers don't have to get very far in the book to realize how many characters are quickly introduced within the first section of the book. The novel introduces Seldon who in the very first paragraph catches sight of the beautiful Lily Bart- also the book's protagonist. At first, a reader like myself might get the impression that she is selfish, rich, and spoiled, but during her brief time with Seldon, one begins to notice that there is more going on with Lily than meets the eye. She may have particularly high standards, but she does have troubles and struggles daily with expectations to be a perfect woman- which she knows will mean marriage soon. She reveals a lot of this to Seldon very early on in the book. At this point, I have no idea where Seldon fits into the picture- if he is an important character later on in the book, or if he was just a lucky person for Lily to run into in the book's introduction. They talked briefly on marriage and the reader gets a glimpse into the minds of both Lily and Seldon. Lily is stuggling to decide on wealth or love, as she is convinced she cannot have both. Seldon, while not in any hurry to find someone to settle down with, knows that he won't settle for someone- even if it means living poor.
    Further along, after Lily leaves Seldon's place, she hurries off to catch the train where other important characters come into play. First there is Mr. Rosedale, who has Lily so flustered that she lies about where she had come from. Why? I am not sure yet, but I do know that she seemed very intimidated by his presence. Especially through Wharton's comment, "But, after having let herself be surprised in a falsehood, it was doubly stupid to snub the witness of her discomfiture" (Wharton 11). As she enters the train on her way to Bellomont, she spots Mr. Gryce and quickly moves to greet him and begin a conversation. Whether or not he is just another "toy" at her disposal is yet to be decided. However, she is very upset when another character- possible antagonist Mrs. George Dorset- enters the scene, interrupting Lily's time with Mr. Gryce. All in all, there is still much to be learned about each character that has come into the picture at the beginning of the novel. I look forward to seeing how omniscient narrator and auther Edith Wharton decides to use these characters as the novel unfolds.