The Great Gatsby (Pages 55-60)

The Great Gatsby

By F. Scott Fitzgerald

“’It takes two to make an accident (Fitzgerald, Page 58).’” Already, the themes of the novel begin to develop and become evident. Through Jordan’s simple phrase about cautious driving, Fitzgerald implies that the social changes of the 1920s were a matter involving all people and the themes of the novel were aimed at all readers.

During a period of economic crisis as the stock markets crashed and social class became more definitive, Fitzgerald addresses the growing issue of wealth and politics. Through Gatsby’s success gained by deceit rather than honest work, Fitzgerald additionally presents a theme of lying and trickery among the aristocratic and elite.  Through the troubled relationships of the main characters, Fitzgerald forces the reader to examine society’s morality and perception of marriage. In addressing marriage, gender roles and expectations arise. When dwelling in the past, Tom’s observations of the changes in society and acceptable actions raises the themes of the role of the past and social expectations. Additionally, in the presence of  Doctor T.J. Eckleburg, religion becomes an emphasized matter. The most prevalent theme, however, is the view of the American dream. The decline in its expectations and achievability challenge Americans as a society to look at their values and morals. Rather than selfishness, Fitzgerald encourages friendship and loyalty, rather than deceit, Fitzgerald encourages honesty and hopefulness, rather than wealth, Fitzgerald encourages human interactions and relationships.

While these themes were initially addressed at the people of the 1900s, the themes continue to be influential today as many of the issues faced then still exist. The novel still challenges the reader to formulate strong moral standards and to fix the problems of society. For, it takes more than one person to make an accident and it takes more than one person to make a change. 

The House of Mirth- Book Two

Chapter Three

The House of Mirth

By Edith Wharton

Mildred Lisette Norman once said, "Love is the greatest power on earth. It conquers all things.” Edith Wharton, seeing and knowing the power of love, challenges the emotion as one of the central themes within her novel. Whether the love a friend or the love of a spouse, Wharton emphasizes its importance and the necessity to respect it within society.   

Through the challenges that arise in Chapter Three, Wharton portrays the influence and power of love. Despite all of the grievances, betrayal, and embarrassment that Mrs. Dorset thrusts at Lily by twisting her story, Lily continues to lookout for and stay with her friend even when her own image could be at risk. Similarly, Selden, despite the heart-ake  and pain Lily has caused him by not acknowledging her love for him, continues to look out for her best interest and protect her. Even in seeing her greatest weaknesses, he loved her and tried to move on so that she could chose the life she desired and he not block her way. In that, "His real detachment from her had taken place, not at the lurid moment of disenchantment, but now, in the sober after-light of discrimination, where he saw her definitely divided form him by the crudeness of choice which seemed to deny the very differences he felt in her (Wharton, Page 174)." Despite his detachment, it is Selden that stands by Lily and helps her when everyone else leaves her. In reading this chapter and admiring Selden's continued friendship and dedication to Lily, I am reminded of John Tyree from Dear John who looks out for Savannah Curtis out of true friendship and love by helping finance her husbands medical treatments despite knowing that he will never be able to marry Savannah. 

Through such characters and acts of friendship, Wharton portrays the true meaning of love. In her work, she shows that love is one of the most beautiful gifts of friendship often given even when not deserved.  Most importantly though, she shows its power to change the world even if only for one individual. 

Chapter Two

The House of Mirth

By Edith Wharton

Throughout the novel, Edith Wharton uses various literary techniques to intensify her style and expand upon the quality of the work. Such literary techniques allow the piece to flow more smoothly by adding transitions and references to previous statements in addition to breaking the piece up with humor and outside references. One such powerful technique used constantly throughout the novel is irony. 

In reflecting upon her adventure into Europe with the Dorsets, Lily views the trip as a "...miraculous release from crushing difficulties (Wharton, Page 157)." This statement, however, is ironic in that through the trip, Lily has not truly escaped her difficulties, but simply prolonged them as she still must find a mean to pay back her debts. Concurrently, Lily finds herself in an ironic situation as she looks to help and protect Mrs. Dorset from a divorce, but finds herself threatened by Mrs. Dorset's twisting tail of events. Within the first two sections of the second book of the novel, Wharton additionally uses irony in how Mr. Selden and Lily crossed paths once more. Selden, looking to avoid Lily, ironically finds himself in a train with her.  

Such placement of irony effectively twists the story in unexpected directions and makes issues within the novel more apparent. Most enjoyably though, irony adds humor. For, as Henry James once said in the Washington Square, "Don't underestimate the value of irony-it is extremely valuable."

The House of Mirth- Book One

Chapter Ten

The House of Mirth

By Edith Wharton

Money causes division and unity, sadness and happiness, anger and friendship. In The House of Mirth, money becomes more than a piece of paper. Money symbolizes a living and untamed beast in American society. Money symbolizes success, opportunity, and power.

Throughout the course of the book, one of the most prevalent themes has been money. Money in the sense of power and luck as well as methods of possession and methods of use. In Chapter Nine, Lily, for the first time, discovers the full aptitude of money as she discovers its ability to help others. "Lily felt a new interest in herself as a person of charitable instincts: she had never before thought of doing good with the wealth she had so often dreamed of possessing, but now her horizon was enlarged by the vision of a prodigal philanthropy (Wharton, Page 90)." This new discovery re-inspires Lily with a false confidence of heirarchy. Thus, money becomes a characteristic of the possessor and a defining quality in each owner. 


Today, money continues to be an object of immeasurable power. As I read this section, I was constantly reminded of the song, "For the Love of Money" by The O'Jays, for in the song, money becomes a praised object with power beyond control. Like in The House of Mirth, money is more than just an object, it is the "Almighty Dollar." 

Chapter Nine

The House of Mirth

By Edith Wharton

"...The poor has got to live as well as the rich (Wharton, Page 86)." The House of Mirth, so eloquently composed by Edith Wharton to present the social problems of the time addresses many themes including love, the power of money, social expectations, freedom, and luck. From the story of this elite and diverse group of characters, a message of love, community, and social acceptance is presented.

For most of the novel, Lily Bart has been focused upon a process of achieving marriage and wealth for herself. In Chapter Nine, though, Lily suddenly experiences and shares emotions of compassion. Struggling with her own poor luck, Lily acts sympathetically with Mrs. Haffen who has come bearing letters by Bertha Dorset which had been written to Mr. Selden. Additionally, despite the fact that Mrs. Dorset had been greatly influential in ending any prospects of marriage between Lily and Mr. Gryce, Lily buys the letters from Mrs. Haffen to prevent them from being spread further. This act, mostly to protect Selden, gives Mrs. Haffen the money needed to keep her house and keeps proof of Mrs. Dorset's desires for Selden a secret. Such actions present a message of overcoming the pressures of society to aid those most in need. In the end though, Lily decides to keep the letters as a weapon to be used against Mrs. Dorset if needed. Thus, the struggle begins once more. 

Rather than seeing how the rich can help the poor and the poor the rich, each fights for their own piece of the puzzle making it impossible to solve in the end. Through such analogies of Social Darwinism, Wharton craftily presents the need for using wealth for the betterment of all society as in the Social Gospel Movement. Yet, only the future can tell of the success of such advice.