Photo!

I was lucky enough to visit many different places this summer; however, I was not allowed to have the book with me at the time.  :(  I thought many times how interesting it would have been to have The Great Gatsby with me while I was literally stuck in the middle of a major protest in Madrid or how interesting it would have been to have a picture with The House of Mirth during the nationwide celebration of Spain winning the Eurocup.  While my photo is not as interesting as it could have been, I tried to do something I thought no one else had done.  My photo was taken with a record player that was in use during both the Gilded Age and the Roaring Twenties.  The names of the owners are written inside and the years during which they owned it.  The earliest date on the record player I believe in 1892.  I have included a picture of the inside hoping the dates were visible but it seems the flash has made them indistinguishable.

The Definition of a Man/Woman

    I have been taught since Mrs. Miles' period three freshman English class that a man's character is defined by three things: what he says, what he does, and what others say about him.  As we see in Wharton's The House of Mirth, it is difficult to not let that last point dominate the other two.  However, those three points are listed in order of importance.  If we look at what Lily Bart has said throughout the novel, we find she has been nothing short of kind to everyone.  She never lashes out in anger or is particularly cruel to anyone (except the maiden on the stairwell).   Now, if we turn to what she does, we see a slightly different version of the kind spoken woman.  Though all of her actions do not place her in the best light, she has always done what she was taught to do by her mother.  She fights to stay alive in the only world she's ever known.  I'm sure many of us would do the same.  If we solely go by what others say of her, we receive an image so distorted that it hold little truth to the actual Lily Bart.  We receive the image of a husband-stealing, money hungry, flirtatious wench who does not preoccupy herself with life and who always gets her way.  In the end, we know this is not the real Lily.  Through this, Wharton may be attempting to tell her audience to get perspective before we judge others.

"She could bear it--yes, she could bear it; but what strength would be left her the next day?  Perspective had disappeared--the next day pressed close upon her, and on its heels came the days that were to follow--they swarmed about her like a shrieking mob" (Wharton, 262). 

♥

    Love was not prevalent in this way of living.  By saying love, I mean all types.  The love within a marriage.  The love among friends.  Love of oneself.  Love and true kindness could not scratch their way through into a world where people were objectified, and life was materialized.  I think the audience sees love but four or five times throughout the course of the novel.  Mrs. Haffen loved her family and was willing to do anything to provide a life for them even if that meant completely shaming herself.  Gerty Farish loved her cousin and loved her friend.  She puts Lily's happiness in front of her own by telling her that Selden would help her if she truly needed it.  Mrs. Struther loves not only her child but her entire life which seems unheard of until now.  Miss Lily Bart's love for Lawrence Selden presents itself when she places his happiness with life in front of her desires for wealth by burning the letters with the unknown but dangerous contents.  These few people are the ones who bring heart to Wharton's The House of Mirth and shine a light on how happiness is not defined in dollar signs.

"But something lived between them also, and leaped up in her like an imperishable flame: it was the love his love had kindled, the pasision of her soul for his" (Wharton, 251).

"...he fancied that he saw her draw something from her dress and drop it into the fire; bue he hardly noticed the gesture at the time" (Wharton, 252). 

Seriously?

    Wharton has Lily whine and complain about her desires for a worry-free life of luxury all throughout The House of Mirth.  Then, she literally grows so tired of her life that the thoughts of being so exhausted keep her up at night, and in the end, she overdoses (I choose to believe it wasn't a suicide, but she was being careless with her life) and dies.  My first reaction was: are you kidding me? All of that, for nothing.  But, was it really for nothing.  In dying, Lily got everything she needed.  Her debts were paid to Trenor.  She was on friendly terms with Mr. Rosedale.  She began to make a life for herself independent of everyone and everything else.  Selden finally open displays his love for Miss Bart.  Although she was technically dead at this point, he had no knowledge of her death until he had made the decision to go to her apartment that morning.  The most depressing point of this novel is even when all her wishes were granted (with the exception of Selden), she was still unhappy with life.  Was Selden's love the only thing that truly mattered to her? Or did trying to live the elite way of life exhaust her to death like it did her mother? Was she know at peace as her appearance through Selden's eyes suggested?  "They had never been at peace together, they two; and now he felt himself drawn downward into the strange mysterious depths of her tranquility" (Wharton, 265). 

Unresolved Mysteries of The House of Mirth

    I wonder if Edith Wharton took joy in leaving her audience wanting answers when The House of Mirth was finally read?  I still want to know what was inside those letters Mrs. Haffen gave to Lily.  My initial thought was that Bertha was petitioning for divorce from Dorset, and Selden did not want to take the case because Lily might somehow be involved and seeing her in imperfect light may taint the perfect portrait he has of her inside his head.  However, curiosity got the best of me, and I googled it.  Though no one knows for sure, most assume the letters were love letters sent from Bertha to Selden which makes absolutely no sense to me.  I assume Selden's greatest disdain to be found in Bertha Dorset because she's the stereotypical woman of New York's elite class; therefore, I cannot imagine the two of them in each other's company for than a few minutes.  Additionally, I find myself wanting to know what happened with Mrs. Hatch as well.  Why is Selden always involved in the clandestine affairs of New York's most ambiguous figures?

     I do think, however, the audience gets a feel for what Lily has felt throughout this entire story with these unanswered questions.  Lily has never truly known a full life of luxury and will probably never get to because she has ruined her chances with Mr. Gryce, Mr. Rosedale, and even Mr. Dorset.  Neither has she known a life of freedom which she will probably never be able to because she has nearly destroyed any opportunity she had with Lawrence Selden.

"It's [the world] not a pretty place; and the only way to keep a footing in it is to fight it on its own terms--and above all, my dear, not alone!" (Wharton, 204). 

What Could Have Been...

     "The future stretched before her dull and bare as the deserted length of Fifth Avenue, and opportunities showed as meagrely as the few cabs trailing in quest of fares that did not come" (Wharton, 187)

    So, Mrs. Peniston left basically nothing for Lily in her will.  For some unknown reason, Lily seems accepting of this realizing her behavior towards her aunt was not worthy of the much-needed money.  Surprisingly, Gerty Farish remains friends with Lily even after the situation with Selden and now serves as her only friend.  Lily depends on her greatly.  For the first time though, she depends on her for emotional as well as financial support.  In my opinion, this section of the novel is dominated by an underlying message.  Was Mrs. Peniston trying to help Lily by not giving her the money?  I think so.  I believe Peniston is trying to send a message beyond the grave and telling Lily that her problems will not be solved by way of payment.  I found it ironic that Lily was left just the right amount to pay off her debts to Trenor.  Mrs. Peniston attempted to offer Lily Bart an opportunity at real happiness without ties to anyone; however, as she usually does, Lily tangles herself in the gossip and soft enchantment of the elite life.  She dangerously begins to assume that life will figure its way out by way of chance.       

Trenor, Dorset, Fisher, Gerty, Gryce, Silverton, Stepney, etc.

Throughout Wharton's The House of Mirth, I have found myself relying on the notes of previous chapters to remember who all these characters are!  For me, they are confused easily.  At first, I thought I was not concentrating hard enough on the content of the novel.  As I pondered on this, the idea came to me that it is possible that Edith Wharton desired the confusion of her readers.  She wanted to display how transparent the elitist world was.  All the men are the same; they serve merely as ATMs for their wives.  The wives are but showcases of the man's wealth.  The wealth gives meaning to the last name of a man.  However, the last names of the wealthy are all synonymous.  Selden remarks this sameness in the appearance of Ms. Bart overseas.  "...a subtle change had passed over the quality of her beauty.  Then it had had a transparency through which the fluctuations of the spirit were sometimes tragically visible; now its impenetrable surface suggested a process of crystallisation which had fused her whole being into one hard brilliant substance" (Wharton, 154)  

Wharton Taking Notes from Austen

Mr. Collins in the 1995 miniseries based on Austen's greatest work.

One of my favorite novels of all time is Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice; therefore, I could not help but find similarities with Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth.  The description of the character of Mr. Rosedale reminded me greatly of Mr. Collins from Austen's infamous work.  Neither man exudes any attractive qualities besides their wealth.  A decent word to describe them both: boring.  Both men acquire a characteristic of awkwardness that makes the novel almost uncomfortable to read at times.  These are the types of men women say they "settle down" with for a marriage.  They offer safety with their financial stance.  Fortunately for the Bennet girls of Pride and Prejudice, their economic troubles were not as great as Miss Bart's.  Unfortunately for Lily, there is no Mr. Darcy to come to her rescue.  She may very well, at some point, be forced to marry Mr. Rosedale.  However, Lily, still in her indecisive state with Selden, refuses what may be Rosedale's only offer of marriage.  "Even through the dark tumult of her thoughts, the clink of Mr. Rosedale's millions had a faintly seductive note.  Oh, for enough of them to cancel her one miserable debt.  But the man behind them grew increasingly repugnant in the light of Selden's expected coming" (Wharton, 144)     

The Protagonist as a Round Character?

Is it possible?

"Tomorrow at four"

Can the main character of popular Gilded Age novel like Wharton's The House of Mirth not develop throughout the story?  This question has puzzled me throughout this recounting of this fraction of Miss Lily Bart's life.  Does she change, become a better person?  In my opinion, no.  I think she has a deep desire to lead a life with Selden, but she just cannot bring herself to do it.   The life she would live with Selden would be moral and enjoyable--something no other bachelor can offer her at this day in age.  "...the sight of Selden's writing brought back the culmination moment of her triumph; the moment when she had read in his eyes that no philosophy was proof against her power.  It would be pleasant to have that sensation again...no one else could give it to her in its fullness..."  (Wharton, 113)  However, being Selden's wife, to her, means surrendering all the hard work she has put into becoming a wealthy mannequin wife to a man like Rosedale or Dorset (if he gets a divorce).  The pressing issue is that, after meeting Selden, she does not want anyone else as a husband.  Therefore, she is unwilling to commit to the other men.  Lily traps herself in her own cycle of indecision.  She cannot choose happiness because she knows wealth, and she cannot choose wealth because she knows happiness.  (Oh, what a tangled web.)  As one can see, Lily wants to develop but cannot, and it's her own fault.  She stunts her own personal growth. 

Confessions of a Shopaholic

Lily's Strange Addiction: Shopping (well, spending money)

Lily just cannot seem to get a grip on how bad of a financial mess she's made thus far.  She, like her mother, desires to keep up appearances.  However, she can no longer afford to do so and not solely in a financial sense.  Her obsession with spending money on dresses or in a game of bridge damages her social status as well.  "Everybody knows she is crazy about bridge.  Mrs. Gryce told me herself that it was her gambling that frightened Percy Gryce--it seems he was really taken with her at first.  But, of course, among Lily's friends it's quite the custom for girls to play for money"  (Wharton, 102)  The rumors begin to spread as she digs herself deeper into the hole that she has been desperately trying to crawl her way out of for quite some time now.  With Trenor letting everyone know about her fragile financial stance and use of Wall Street, the gossip is sure to fly about town, and in Wharton's The House of Mirth, it spreads like wildfire.  Mrs. Peniston's disdain for Lily presents itself at this time as well as she learns of Lily's taking money from Trenor and Dorset.  In my opinion, her aunt takes this as a form of betrayal that deeply offends her.    It seems as though her family and friends are soon to turn their backs on her, and she will be left in the cold without a penny in her hand. 

Dear Ms. Bart, what have you done?

    For once, Miss Bart decides to stay home but not to keep good company to the simple Mrs. Peniston.  For the Bellomont society has come to know Lily and her situation all too well, and now she is literally trapped within her own life.  Although the meeting between Mrs. Haffen and Lily served as a small section of Wharton's focus in The House of Mirth, I found an interesting contrast between the two women.  During their conversation, I expected Wharton to point out the similarities between Lily and Mrs. Haffen, and she does.  However, she stresses one strong distinction between the two women: acceptance.  Lily, up to this point, has refused to accept her cascading position among the New York elite.  Mrs. Haffen, on the other had, has completely accepted her poverty.  She knows how horrific her financial state is, and therefore, is willing to go to any length to help herself and her family.  Lily has had many outlets.  The problem is, once they're right under her finger, she lets them slip away.  When a wealthy man makes his sentiment evident, she turns her thoughts toward Selden.  This common theme in the life of Miss Bart recalled to my mind a line from a song:  "what we want is only what we want until its ours."(Train-"Calling All Angels")

    I mentioned in the previous paragraph that Wharton points out similarities between the two women.  I think the most concealed yet dramatic comparison presents itself when Lily accepts the letters.  In a way, I believe this brings her down completely to Mrs. Haffen's level.  I think choosing to keep the letters serves as her moment of surrender and also one of the more devastating points of the novel.  "The thought of the ridicule struck deeper than any other sensation: Lily knew every turn of the allusive jargon which could flay its victims without the shedding of blood.  Her cheek burned at the recollection, and she rose and caught up the letters.  She no longer meant to destroy them..." (Wharton, 89).

The Fickle Mind of Miss Lily Bart

     The last word I ever thought I'd use to describe Miss Lily Bart was fickle.  She has always been steadfast in what she wants: marriage and money.  The only exception to this declaration is when she is in the presence of Mr. Lawrence Selden.  I think he makes her see how this life is not the fantasy it appears, and that scares her.  If that is true (the fantasy is not the reality) then getting everything she ever wanted will not be half as amazing as she has been dreaming. 

     While at the Van Osburgh wedding, Selden's presence appears as both amusing and irritating to Lily.  The conversation with him has always been amusing because it requires no premeditated thought: she's not trying to impress him.  However, she is trying to impress Rosedale, and this proves difficult with Selden hovering in the background.  In a way, Lily does not like being the superficial person, that she has to be with other, with Selden.  He makes her want to be better, morally, than them.  She notes that "the dread of Selden's suspecting that there was any need for her to propitiate such a man as Rosedale checked the trivial phrases of politeness" (Wharton, 77).  At this, she has a choice to make: she can either become a moral person with Selden or a wealthy wife of Rosedale/Gryce.  Unfortunately, the amount of time taken to decide may ruin her chances at both.       

The Scandalous Lives of New York's Elite

   As I am introduced to the luxurious life of Miss Lily Bart, I feel as if I have stepped into an episode of Gossip Girl: Gilded Age.  Everyone knows everything about everybody!  However, through this, Wharton points out the underlying societal issues that become prevalent as The House of Mirth develops.  She notes the alarming rise of divorce within families.  Throughout the entirety of the novel, the inability of a woman to make a life for herself without the need of man to help displays itself.  I noticed that nearly all the persons facing financial trouble are women.  I have a strong distaste for how during the Gilded Age a person was measured by the weight of their last name.  Seldom is one judged by their personal characteristics but rather by the brilliancy of the jewels wrapped around her neck or the immense capacity of his house; the harsh judgements of one person seem to be shared by all whether or not the others have conversed with the woman or seen the inside of the man's house.

    The elitists' lives are balanced upon the gossip of others.  Words can literally destroy one's social stature.  The women, as always, are the worst.  I feel as if I entered one of these women's drawing rooms on the right day my head would explode with the information being spoken about others in such a foul manner.  The narcissism in the manner of speaking is lost on no one, not even Miss Bart.  When she speaks of Mr. Percy Gryce with the other women, she speaks as if she's already engaged.  Yet, she has had but one mere conversation with him!  Lily would do anything to become a puppet in this forsaken, deluxe show even if that means marrying a man that nearly bores her to tears.  Surprisingly, while at Bellomont, Lily sees a glimpse of the reality of this life.  She recognizes herself as lost in a fantasy world wishing her reality were more picturesque.  When she takes a step back, "she saw that they were merely dull in a loud way" (Wharton, 44).  Lily wants to live the fantasy, but she seems to think the fantasy is the reality when, in fact, it is not. 

Lily and Rose

"Only one thought consoled her, and that was the contemplation of Lily's beauty  She studied it with a kind of passion, as though it were some weapon she had slowly fashioned for her vengeance"  (Wharton, 26).

     Was anybody else reminded of the movie Titanic throughout this novel?  The relationship between Rose and her mother mimics that of the relationship between Lily and her mother (so much so, that I honestly believe James Cameron has read Wharton's The House of Mirth).  After the death of her husband,  Mrs. Bart can no longer the strained life of luxury pretending the money still exists, but she does try.  Lily must have taken after her mother because both put up a front that forces others to believe everything is alright even as the floor falls out from under them.  Once the money expends itself, both mothers (Mrs. Bart and Rose's mother) throw their reliance on the beauty of their children and put extreme amounts of pressure on their daughters to marry rich.  When this proves unsuccessful, both mothers seem to fade away.  Mrs. Bart dies of "deep disgust" from living in a world of dinginess, and well, Ruth Bukater (Rose's mother) gets on a lifeboat and leaves her daughter aboard the Titanic.  Lily is forced to take up residence with her aunt and by no means does Mrs. Peniston serve as a viable replacement for Lily's mother who claimed no shame in indulging in the luxuries of life.  Mrs. Peniston lives a much more conservative lifestyle of which Lily seems to hold much disdain.  Lily, forced to now fend for herself, hastens the process of choosing a husband as her life of dependence commences.     

The Art of Conversation

     Lily is an expert in conversing; this is the idea Wharton plants within the first two sections of The House of Mirth.  In truth, conversation serves as a type of career for Miss Bart.  At this point, we already know, somehow, she gets everything she wants.  She utilizes her face as a type of tool to aid her in receiving the desired responses.  I believe this aspect of Lily to be most obvious in her conversation with Mr. Percy Gryce in the train.  Without knowledge of her financial issues, the audience can conclude that Lily gets what she wants through her majestic ability at covert manipulation.  However, this learned ability is not necessarily something to take pride in.  The thought that she has to work even in the slightest to stay afloat is abhorrent to Lily.  A woman like her cannot afford to marry for love--but who, in Lily's world, does that anyway?  Marriage stands as a business deal.  In my opinion, the married women of this time merely stood as mannequins of their husband's wealth; there is little regard for them as valuable factors of society.  All Lily can think about is becoming the most decorated mannequin in New York even though "it was a hateful fate--but how escape from it?  What choice had she?"  (Wharton, 19).          

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

Miss Lily Bart and Mister Lawrence Selden

     In the first fraction of Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth, the audience is introduced to Ms. Lily Bart and Mr. Lawrence Selden (although I don't believe his first name is given until much later in the novel).  The manner in which Wharton elects to familiarize her audience with these two is somewhat engaging.  We meet Ms. Bart through the eyes of Selden and vice versa.  Through Selden's perspective, we view Lily Bart as what could be referred to as a "flat character" in the way that her beauty appears to be merely skin-deep.  Selden acknowledges that "the qualities distinguishing her from the herd of her sex were chiefly external" (Wharton, 3)  He moves forward to remark her mere "glaze of beauty" which suggests his placement of her under a stereotype of upper-class New York women.  In short, she is unremarkable.  Through Ms. Bart's eyes, Selden serves rather insignificant himself; he is a common man with no remarkable qualities.  He is disposable.  How could these two possibly be friends?

 "...what I want is a firend who won't be afraid to say disagreeable ones [things] when I need them?"  (Wharton, 6).

     As the deeper conversation begins, one may notice the ease at which these two speak to each other: no fear, no preoccupations of what the other might think.  This type of open conversation, at this time is history, was only common among friends.  She openly admits to him all her material cravings and how she can not wait to live a life of freedom.  In my opinion, this type of life seems more trapping than it is liberating.