Irony Always Strikes [The House of Mirth Book 2: Chapters 3&4]

The House of Mirth
Edith Wharton

"Whatever her share in the situation-and he had always honestly tried to resist judging her by her surroundings-however free she might be from any personal connection with it, she would be better out of the way of a possible crash; and since she had appealed to him for help, it was clearly his business to tell her so" (Wharton, 172). Selden wishes Lily to avoid getting into the middle of the Dorset's arguments. Though Lily firmly believed nothing would really happen, she was kicked off the yacht. In Lily's case that would be situational irony, based on the fact that she did not expect something to happen, and something of course did.

Shortly after, she returns home because her aunt had died unexpectedly. Lily was sure she would get a majority of the estate and the money. However, she received only $10,000. On the bright side that was enough to pay back Trenor. On the down side, she was disinherited and had nowhere to go.

Her friend, Gerty, was willing to help her, but Lily did not wish to burden her. Lily wanted to mend her past relationships, specifically with Judy Trenor. By paying off the debt she hoped that would mend the friendship. Worse of all for Lily, she had to face the woman, Grace Stepney, who had received the majority of estate. Lily can find a way to better herself on the money she will have left after paying off the debt. However, her personality leads me to believe that the chances of her searching to find that path are slim.