The House of Mirth- Book Two

Chapter Nine

The House of Mirth

By Edith Wharton

"Lily had an odd sense of being behind the social tapestry (Wharton, Page 224)." Much like watching a play from behind the curtain, Lily feels as though she is seeing society from the outside. It is in this analogy, that I was drawn to the similarity of the story of The House of Mirth with the plot of the famous Broadway play, Wicked. 

Like Wharton's novel, Wicked is a play with a beautiful story that surreptitiously addresses social issues including wealth, power, and social expectations. As I read of the struggles of each character and learn of their defining qualities, I begin to see connections in their manners and find comparisons in their pasts allowing me to guess at their futures. Like the main narrator and one of the central figures of the play, Lily Bart reminds me startlingly of Glinda in how she acts and dresses, in her past, and in her plans and expectations for the future. Her struggle to overcome material addictions and to go against social expectations in how she acts matches perfectly that of Glinda who in the end fails to rise above the restraints of peer pressure and physical pleasure. Through it all though, Lily and Glenda are encouraged and supported by a loyal friend, Girty Farish and Elphaba, who see the greater good in the world and works to overcome society's immoralities by "Defying Gravity." Similarly to Elphaba and Glenda, Girty and Lily both love the same man, Selden or Fiyero Tigelaar, and while one knows the other's love is requited, neither are in the end able to live happily ever after with him. Finally, I am reminded of the similarities between Rosedale and the Wizard of Oz as, like the Wizard, Rosedale becomes so focused on power and acceptance that he begins to live a life of disillusionment and misses happiness. 

Fiyero Tigelaar

Chapter Eight

The House of Mirth

By Edith Wharton

One word can change a sentence and one phrase change a book. In Edith Wharton's writing, every detail is an influential aspect and key characteristic of her narrative. Thus, one phrase can be powerful in reaching the last.

"'I wasn't meant to be good (Wharton, Page 215).'" This one phrase, simple in appearance, is complex in meaning. Spoken by Lily herself in a moment of emotional break-down, Lily chooses the direction of her future by giving up on her past. For me, this phrase is more than a simple self-analysis, but a self-prediction for the future. In this one moment, Lily gives up all hope for change and loses any determination in pursuing in life. She sees no more purpose and accepts failure in creating the world she had always dreamed of with no hope, perseverance, or determination, Lily becomes her own greatest downfall. The masks of all her past acts are pealed away and Lily is left vulnerable and uncovered. 

Despite her initial rebuilding through her work with Mrs. Norma Hatch, Lily, through one simple phrase, begins her own destruction. Selden, Mrs. Fisher, and Ms. Farish work diligently to support the reconstruction, but become helpless as Lily chooses her own destiny. From one word to a simple phrase, a single sentence changes the entire story.