The House of Mirth
Edith Wharton
This section begins with a look into the fact that Lily enjoys playing bridge, and she likes to gamble. The problem with the latter is that gambling could lead to some serious financial issues. Then we see times from Lily's past that formed her lifestyle in the present. However, while reading that none of her family members wanted to take her in after her mother died, I did not understand what made Lily such a burden. Mrs. Bart, a minor role in the story, shaped Lily, a major character, into the woman she was. Mrs. Bart was Lily's mother first and foremost, and parents help instill personality traits in their children. Furthermore, Mrs. Bart was a woman who taught her daughter to despise those who "live like pigs," and helped her in her search for a husband who must be rich. "She knew that she hated dinginess as much as her mother had hated it..."(Wharton, 30). I feel this quote explains that her mother did influence Lily into living as she is in the story. Her father, however, did not influence her as much due to his lack of time spent with her and then dying shortly after he had discovered he could no longer provide for his family.
But now we must figure out why Lily would be interested in Percy Gryce. Wharton portrays Lily feeling so certain that Gryce will love her, and be fond of her, and that he would not be able to say no to her: he had to marry her. However, there was absolutely nothing that Gryce did in order to make her feel that the latter was certain to occur. Furthermore, the main interest in Gryce is his money, because he could take Lily out of debt. The whole idea seems unlikely to occur, or likely to turn into a completely horrible situation.
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