House of Mirth: I

I have read the first eight chapters of House of Mirth and already so much has happened. The book is interesting and hard to put down. Edith Wharton ends each chapter by revealing a new bit of shocking information, leaving the reader dying to know more.

Miss Lily Bart is the protagonist and in my opinion, a tragic hero—her flaw being her insatiable need for acceptance and luxury. Miss Bart starts off in the novel with no prospects for marriage, very little money, and an intensely strong desire for the lavish and the exquisite. Miss Bart's age is her worst enemy because currently her only possessions are her beauty and her charm.

As she heads to Bellomont--an annual retreat for the super wealthy--she sets her eyes on a dull, but very rich, Mr. Gryce. She plays her cards perfectly and adheres to his standards. That is, until she has a run in with a suddenly more appealing Mr. Selden. Lawrence Selden represents the antithesis of everything that Lily Bart has been working for. They share an afternoon walk together that causes Lily to question her life choices. Mrs. Dorset is another important character in the life of Miss Lily. She was linked to Mr. Selden in the past and is incredibly angry to hear that he arrived to Bellomont with Lily in mind. Mrs. Dorset then conspires to tarnish Lily's reputation in the eyes of Mr. Gryce, thereby eliminating Lily's chance of winning him over and achieving her idea of success. In another plot twist, Lily approaches her best friend's husband, Mr. Trenor, with the hope that he will help her turn her small pile of bills into a large treasure. All we know about Mr. Trenor so far is that he makes his money by taking tips from a sketchy Mr. Rosedale who is regarded with ill repute by the rest of the community. With her first few investments in the risky stock market, Miss Bart has won thousands of dollars, which helps restore her confidence and the belief that she still may have a chance to win over Mr. Gryce.

Since all of these hectic scenes have passed and I am only ninety pages into the book, I can only think that there is so much more in store for these characters. Miss Lily Bart's tendency to sabotage herself may lead her into some very perilous situations especially with her recent entry into the risky stock business. As a reader, I identify and sympathize with Lily. I hope for her that she sees the error of her ways and lets love and freedom into her heart in the form of Mr. Selden. I look forward to reading the rest. I couldn’t be happier with my book of choice.