The House of Mirth, Book 1, Parts 9 and 10

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

Part 9 first begins with Lily returning to her actual home in New York with Mrs. Peniston. The way in which the first parts of the book begin at other people's homes and just now takes us to Lily's home helps paint the picture of how much Lily believes she does not belong in that house. However, the biggest development comes when the very woman who had eyed Miss Bart on the stairs at the Benedick arrived with letters in which she intends to blackmail Lily with. Lily recognizes the letter as letters that Mrs. Dorset and Mr. Selden would not prefer to see the light of day. With this integrity toward Selden, she purchases the letter's from the poor woman, whom I would like to think looks like the maid from Two and a Half Men.

I never saw it in her...

What I find strange of all things is Lily's apathy for the whole situation and its having to do with Lawrence. She does show a sympathy in the saving his reputation, but she does not seem flustered in the least that a woman as detestable as Mrs. Dorset is having inappropriate relations with the man that has so constantly diverted her attention and even aspirations so easily! However, Miss Lily Bart does decide on a whim to keep some of the letters, out of a hatred for Mrs. Dorset that is ascribed from her sly dealings with hitching of the youngest Osbourgh and Mr. Gryce; "Her cheeks burned at the recollection, and she rose and caught up the letters. She no longer meant to destroy them" (Wharton 89). However, maybe the true nature of her anger comes from her jealousy towards Mrs. Dorset and Selden. Another wierd thing is Mr. Rosedale and Mr. Trenor both are looking for a piece of the action with poor Lily. Mr. Trenor, as expected, has mistook Lily's flattering as genuine interest (or at least pretends to mistake it) and now is looking for a piece of what he paid for in Lily Bart. I now am starting to believe that these men characters are not as dimwitted to the happenings around them as previously suspected. When Wharton convinces Lily to attend the opeara,  Wharton describes it as, Mr. Rosedale... was not above taking advantage of her nervousness" (Wharton 93).