The House of Mirth (Blog 13)

By: Edith Wharton

As I have mentioned several times, I have been waiting this entire book for Lily and Selden to finally get together!  I am going to combine multiple chapters in this post to talk about their relationship all at once.

In chapter 8, Selden is talking to Gerty about Lily.  He really is in love with her, and I was so excited while I read this part of the book.  Selden sees past Lily's obsession with money and status.  He knows her well enough to realize that she is a product of the environment she was raised in.  "'She can't help it-she was brought up with those ideas, and has never been able to find her way out of them.  But now all the things she cared for have been taken from her, and the people who taught her to care for them have abandoned her too; and it seems to me that if someone could reach out a hand and show her the other side-show her how much is left in life and in herself-'" (Wharton, 219).  When Selden said this, I just wanted him to marry Lily even more.  He is so sweet and cares so much about Lily.  When he visits Lily in chapter 9, I did not expect Lily to react the way she did.  Selden tries to help Lily by saying that she should quit her job as a secretary for Mrs. Hatch.  He explains that Gerty would be more than happy to take Lily into her home.  Surprisingly, Lily responds very rudely to Selden, and she says that she refuses to leave Mrs. Hatch's.  I think that Lily still feels betrayed by her former friends, and she feels accepted by Mrs. Hatch and her new friends.

I definitely think that Lily and Selden are in
love, but I don't think they are going to end
up together.  I think their relationship has come to
an end, leaving them both broken-hearted.

When Lily stops working at Mrs. Hatch's, she begins a new job in a "millinery establishment."  In April, however, Lily is fired from this job.  "Mme. Regina always reduced her staff on the first of May, and Miss Bart's attendance had of late been so irregular-she had so often been unwell, and had done so little work when she came-that it was only as a favour that her dismissal had hitherto been deferred" (Wharton, 241).  She ends up visiting Selden, and I was expecting her to go and finally tell him that she loved him!  I was definitely disappointed as I continued to read.  Lily went to Selden to apologize for her attitude at Mrs. Hatch's.  Selden can tell Lily is upset, and she is basically on the verge of a mental breakdown.  I think that it was a combination of losing her job, her debts, and ultimately, her loneliness.  She ends up saying that she has to leave.  "'I must go,' she repeated, making a motion to rise from her chair. 'But I may not see you again for a long time, and I wanted to tell you that I have never forgotten the things you said to me at Bellomont, and that sometimes-sometimes when I seemed farthest from remembering them-they have helped me, and kept me from mistakes; kept me from really becoming what many people have thought of me'" (Wharton, 250).  This was sweet of Lily; she finally admits to Selden that she appreciates all that he says and does for her.  I found Lily's words to Selden to be very sincere and comforting; however, I do not really understand what she means about not seeing Selden for a long time.  Is she moving away?  Is she avoiding the richer society, like her aunt suggested long ago?  I am very confused and curious to see what Lily means.  I also feel awful for Selden and Lily.  They both are clearly in love with each other, but I do not think they are going to get together after all.  It seems like this book is going to have a very depressing ending!