The House of Mirth: Book II III-IV

In Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth, Lily Bart's whirlwind life has taken a turn for the worse. She has been socially rejected, financially ruined, and suffered the loss of her aunt. Throughout all this, however, Lawrence Selden has remained a constant. He shows her unconditional support and concern. He even states "whatever her share in the situation - and he had always honestly tried to resist judging her by her surroundings -...she would be better out of the way of any possible crash" (Wharton, 172). Selden, unlike Lily's other friends, refuses to reject Lily for the poor situations she finds herself in. But Lily is not the victum of unfortunate circumstances, rather the cause. Her decisions, or indecisions, have directly lead to all the trouble she has gained. No matter what drama she causes or is a part of, Selden refuses to judge her, and instead lends his help. He advised her to leave the Dorset's yacht to protect her from gossip. Lily spends most her time begrudging having no one who she can truly rely on, not taking notice that Selden has always been there to support her, even when she does not deserve it.