Edith Wharton
Although Gus Trenor was only in the last bit of this section, I want to focus on him because I think he will play a major role, even as a minor character. When Lily finally asked him, a little indirectly, for a loan, she really swallowed her pride in the hopes of retaining her luxurious lifestyle. Lily also used her feminine charms, along with a "sob story," to persuade him to lend her some money. Although this was sort of inappropriate to beg for a loan from a friend, Lily thinks that living the life society desires for her is more important than anything else, especially love. Gus Trenor plays an important role because he offers Lily payments to help her with her debts and other problems she faces. It is presumed that he would not tell his wife or anyone else about the transaction, which I'm sure would not please Mrs. Trenor. I think that we will see Gus take more of an important role later in the novel because Lily's wealth is the most important aspect of her life. As a major theme in the novel, the search for wealth and social achievements will definitely affect the outcome of her attempts with relationships, and I think Gus' role may change dramatically.
Also in chapter 6 of The House of Mirth was Lily's outing with Lawrence Selden that Edith Wharton surprised us with, and they nearly declared that they were both interested in getting married. Selden claimed that "If I had, it should be yours, you know," (Wharton, page 57) when Lily accused him of having nothing to offer her. She is obviously torn between the lifestyle that she's accustomed to and possibly being with the love of her life.
No comments:
Post a Comment