The End of the House of Mirth

I didn't really like the end to The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton. In fact, I hated it. The one thing that the audience has wanted throughout the entire book, is for Selden and Lily to get married. Wharton knows that, and brings them together and apart way too many times. When it comes to the very end of the book, Selden of course realizes he loves Lily. At the end Wharton writes "At the very least he had loved her..." (Wharton 267).  This of course comes to late, for Lily has overdosed on sleep medicine. Really? I understand that the author didn't want to end the book with a fairy tale ending, but did she really  have to add insult to injury by having Selden want to mary the dead Lily? I found this ending had just a bit too much coincidence, as did other pieces of this book, like the meeting at Monte Carlo. This book overall, I found to be interesting. I would've hoped that more happiness would have come to Lily Bart, after she realized her obsession with money.

The House of Mirth Book 2 Chapters 11-12

In the 11th and 12th chapters of Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth, Lily has been fired from her job. I find it sad, but slightly humorous, that Lily gets fired from a job, for before, she was much to good for a job, yet now, she isn't good enough. Lily's getting fired just makes her story even sadder. This sets in on Lily, and she decides she will go blackmail Bertha Dorset. I thought for a moment, that the story may have a happy ending for Lily, but, alas, she decides she will go to Selden instead. It seems as if her life will not get on track. When she is with Selden, she burns the letters. She is now doomed to her meager existence. I still don't understand why Wharton couldn't have had Lily and Selden get married, having Lily get over her need for wealth that way. It doesn't seem the story needed to come to this, but truly it has. I would have much rather seen Lily and Selden together, for they were seemingly the perfect couple. Rather than the happy ending that could have been, it seems we are in store for a sad ending. While Lily was preoccupied with the material things in life, and wasn't the greatest of people, it doesn't seem fitting for her to end like this, poor, and fired from a job at a hat store. Wharton writes "What debt did she owe to a social order which had condemned and banished her without trial" (Wharton 244)?  Lily hadn't been given a fair chance to prove her innocence, but neither did she try to. Lily truly seems to be doomed to a poor lonely life.

The House of Mirth Book 2 Chapters 9-10

In chapters 9 and 10 of The House of Mirth, by Edith Wharton, Lily has been brought all the way down to the working class. This is so very different from the Lily from the beginning of the story. In the beginning Lily would have used the letters to regain her social affluence. Wharton writes referring to Lily "She discovered an increasing sense of loneliness--a dread of returning to the solitude of her room, while she could be anywhere else, or in any company but her own" (Wharton 238). I still wonder why Lily is so hesitant to use the letters. While she doesn't want to hurt Selden, and I can understand that it would be the right thing not to turn in the letters, I would say not many would be able to hold back the evidence. I know that if I had gone from hanging out with the richest people of New York all the way down to making hats, I would have used the letters. She would have a whole lot of money, if she would just blackmail the wretched woman who would just be getting what she deserves. Lily is also taking sleeping medication, which can't be good, is Lily destined to become homeless and addicted to drugs now? I hope not, that does not seem like the woman we first met, yet it is entirely possible now. It is quite sad how bad Lily's life has gotten, she doesn't even talk to Gerty any more, for fear of running into Selden. I hope Lily's life picks up, for it's beginning to be a bit of a sob story.

The House of Mirth Book 2 Chapters 7-8

In chapters 7 and 8 of Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth, Lily is forced to move further and further downward on the social ladder. Wharton writes "Society did not turn away from her, it simply drifted by, preoccupied and inattentive, letting her feel, to the full measure of her humbled pride, how completely she had been the creature of it's favour." (Wharton 212)While in the beginning of the story, Lily would not even give Rosedale the time of day, she is now so bad off that she has to propose herself marriage to Rosedale. Oh how the great have fallen. I find it funny that Lily gives this man that she loathes so much an opportunity for marriage. What's even funnier is that he refuses her. It looks like Lily's out of options. Her life has gotten harder, and harder. It then seems that she and Selden might get back together, but when he rips up the paper, it seems even that path is no blocked off. I have no idea where the Lily Barton story may go from here, but I have a feeling she will not be able to go back to the rich life she is accustomed to. Our story may take a dramatic shift, if Lily cannot get her finances in order. I am curious as to what direction the story may turn.

The House of Mirth Book 2 Chapters 5-6

In chapters 5 and 6 of The House of Mirth, by Edith Wharton, it seems Lily is going to go back to her old ways. Even though most all her old friends have abandoned her, Carry Fisher introduces her to the Gormers. Lily, feels that she is too good for the Gormers even though she has almost no money to her own name. Lily goes on a trip with the Gormers to Alaska, helping the Gormers to move up the social ladder. When at the Gormers newly built country-house, Lily runs into George Dorset. George obviously wants a divorce from his wife, and for Lily to mary him. Oddly enough, Lily makes a moral decision, saying no, for she doesn't want to ruin the marriage. Even though her getting the Dorsets divorced would ruin Bertha, who has screwed Lily multiple times, she still refuses. Later, Lily meets George Dorset and is able to again refuse him.Wharton writes "Their eyes met, and for a second she trembled again with the nearness of the temptation" (Wharton 201). This shows that while it may have helped Lily, she is able to make the right decision. While Lily is still focused deeply on money, it seems that she is beginning to become a better person. She has become more moral and upstanding, and I am interested to see where this leads, whether Lily will ever pass into Selden's "Repuclic of the Spirit" (Wharton 54).

The House of Mirth Book 2 Chapters 3-4

In these chapters of Edith Wharton's House of Mirth, Lily's life begins to crumble away. Lily's supposed friends seemingly are abandoning her. Even Lily's aunt abandons her in death, giving Lily ten thousand dollars, while giving Grace Stepney the rest of her assets. I am curious as to where the story will go from here. It seems Lily's influential friends want nothing to do with her now. Will Lily be able to keep her lifestyle afloat, or will she be forced to live like the lowly Gerty Farish. Wharton writes "Lily had the doomed sense of the castaway who has signalled in vain to fleeing sails" (Wharton 185). While in the beginning of the story, Lily condemns the life of Gerty to Selden, it seems Lily may end up living like her, with only 10 thousand dollars to her name, which she is yet to receive. Miscommunication seems to be key in this story, for Grace hated Lily, only because she thought Lily hated her. It is due to this miscommunication that Grace tainted Lily's aunt's views of her, and has now lost her inheritance. Likewise, had Lily's aunt only questioned her about the accusations brought ahead of her, they may have found the truth was not what was told by Grace. I am curious as to what direction the story will now head, for it seems that Lily's life may have changed for good.

The House of Mirth Book 2, Chapters 1-2

So, apparently about three months have passed since Selden put off Lily, and Lily went off to the Mediterranean. In the meantime, Lily's apparently been making quite a name for herself, going all throughout Europe, meeting the most elite, including Duchesses and Lords. Selden went off to Paris for a client, and is now on vacation in Monte Carlo. Of course, by some bizarre coincidence, Lily comes to be in Monte Carlo at the exact time that Selden is there. This seemed a bit ridiculous to me, that the particular day that Selden is just hanging out trying to get over Lily, Lily just happens up out of nowhere. Mrs. Fisher even says "She looks ten year younger--I never saw her so handsome" (Wharton 150). Fate seems to bring the two together, but will not let them come together. At this point, I'm beginning to get a bit sick of the book. The fact that Lily remains essentially unchanged leaves me frustrated. While I did find it humorous that Bertha Dorset accuses Lily of having an affair with her husband, I'm still beginning to find this book a bit of a bore. I will continue to trudge on, however, in hopes that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.