The Great Gatsby (Pages 61-69)

The Great Gatsby

By F. Scott Fitzgerald

“Anything can happen now…anything at all (Page 69).”  This simple phrase has powerful meaning both in the sense of what it foreshadows and what promises lay ahead. In this section, the reader learns of Gatsby’s past, but mystery still surrounds him as the reader is guided to question if the story is true.  With such questioning and mystery still present, anything can happen. The plot can take any twist and the characters can turn in any direction. It is unclear as to what Gatsby wishes to discuss with Nick and who Gatsby truly is. This mystery becomes a prevalent and major attribute to both the plot of the story and the style in which it is told. For, it is the mystery of Gatsby’s Greatness and who he really is that the story is even told and becomes important. In this one simple phrase, the book takes an irreversible turn.

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. 

The House of Mirth- Book One

Chapter Six

The House of Mirth

By Edith Wharton

Minor characters can have major impacts. Although not a minor character at all, Mr. Seldon serves as less of a focus of the novel than Ms. Lily Bart, it is his interaction with Ms. Bart in Chapter Six that makes him a major attribute within the plot of The House of Mirth. As a result of the discussion of the two friends about their definition of success, differences are established in the goals of Mr. Seldon and Ms. Lily. For, Mr. Seldon views success as "personal freedom" while Lily sees it as getting "as much as one can out of life" (Wharton, Page 54). This difference progresses into a discussion of  the future that, initially only intellectual, evolves to represent the inner desires of the two debaters. Through the discussion, Lily begins to shift her focus of acquiring wealth and status to finding true love and the life she dreamed of as a child. The sudden shift reestablishes the earlier presented theme of conforming to society versus individualism and freedom. Thus, it is through Selden's influence that Lily begins taking actions of her own and resisting the pressures of society. It is through these actions that Lily finds happiness and an understanding of her true values and goals in life. While Mr. Seldon may not be the focus of the story, he is a character of major influence and importance within the plot as he presents the true values of Lily Bart. 

(The pictures shown were taken from the movie, The House of Mirth. If you are interested in visualizing the
book as through a playwright or drama, I recommend 
viewing the movie following the completion of the book.) 

Chapter Five

The House of Mirth

By Edith Wharton

Like a treasure left to be discovered, reading is a scavenger hunt guided by clues. As the character's within The House of Mirth take care in noticing even the most minute details of the actions of other characters, we as readers are challenged to notice the most minuscule components of Wharton's writing.  In looking at the fine print, Chapter Four becomes a treasure map of hidden clues. The simple phrase, "Then they had symbolized what she was gaining, now they stood for what she was giving up," hints to the reader that Lily is uncertain about her true desires. Although she appears confident in her future with Mr. Gryce, the sudden reappearance of Mr. Selden causes Lily to rethink whether such a life of conformity to riches and rituals is what she really desires. Descriptive words such as "competition" when used in reference to Lily's view of Mrs. Dorset when seen with Mr. Selden in the library shows that Lily is interested in Mr. Selden, if even just vaguely. Additionally, her avoidance of mass and neglect of holding true to her promises, though beneficial in allowing her to take a step back and re-evaluate her view of her companions, represents her continued inner-desire for independence. Such clues, so craftily hidden within Wharton's work, are key aspects in finding and understanding the treasure that lays burried at the conclusion of the book.