The House of Mirth, Book 2, Parts 5 and 6

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

In her struggle, Lily finds the solace in a hidden ally, Carry Fisher. It does not come to a surprise to me that of all of her past acquaintances that had shunned her, Carry would be the one to lend Lilly a helping hand. I believe that Carry feels she has much to relate to with Lily: they both are single, both are talked about with much controversy about their love lives, both have used men for money. Well, in her good will, Fisher introduces Lily to a different social group whom Carry believes that Lily will fit in just fine until her old friends realize what they miss. To her initial refreshment, Lily learns that these new people do have the same kinds of wealth and luxurious standards of her old friends, but, however, are much less stuck-up and stingy. Although these seems like the time in the book where Lily finally realizes all her past vices and resolves to live out the rest of her life in easy and peaceful living with the Gormers. She finds that, "the more she saw to criticize in her companions the less justification she found for making use of them" (Wharton 192). This greatly frustrates me that when a group such as the Gormers are descent enough to except Lily, along with her risque past, she is still ungrateful to them.

Of other importance is that Mr. Dorset seems to becoming truly infatuated with Lily. Such a passion mostly most be born out of the ridicule and negligence he receives from his wife; "Here was a man who turned to her in the extremity of his loneliness and his humiliation" (Wharton 198). Although a marriage to Mr. Dorset would solve all her financial problems and even social problems, along with some sweet vendetta towards Mrs. Dorset, Lily, for whatever reason, declines the offer to be with Mr. Dorset. I believe this to be somewhat admirable of Lily that she still has a moral inclination about marriage. However, seeing that her life is so incomplete without money, it may be time for her to swallow her pride and accept a rich marriage.