The House of Mirth Book I III-IV

By chapter four of Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth, the reader has been thoroughly introduced to the main character, Miss Lily Bart. Lily's thought center around her world of extravagance and luxary and her need to supplement her income by finding a rich husband. Her worries tend to focus around her gambling debts and how the upper class women percieve her. She plans to makes use of her unique beauty and intelligance to insnare a rich, if somewhat dull, husband in Mr. Gryce. This shallow and materialistic nature should make the reader despise the character for her personality flaws. However, Edith Wharton's character fails to invoke hatred or even annoyance from the reader. Instead, one feels almost pity for her plight and cheers her on. Wharton clearly writes an endearing character in Lily. The same can be said for Miss Bart's friends, whom at first appear to be spoiled and selfish creatures with little use. However, Lily seems to have found at least one true friend in Mrs. Trenor, whom, despite being a gossip, appears to truly care for Lily. Mrs. Trenor even agrees not to invite Lily in on the bridge games, stating "There's nothing I wouldn't do, you poor duck, to see you happy!" (Wharton, 36). Clearly, Wharton has a unique ability to make a character with the most annoying of characteristics, lovable.