The House of Mirth: Book I XII-XIII

In this chapter of Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth, Lily's story takes a dramatic turn. Mr. Trenor's deciet and betrayal are a turning point in the story. No longer can Lily rely solely on her wit and charm to aquire money. In fact, doing so has backfired greatly. Trenor, feeling humiliated, lashes out and exposes rumors regarding Lily and Seldon. The fight leaves Lily emotional distraught with no idea who she can turn to, admitting she "had no heart to lean on" (Wharton, 121). Having no one she can trust brings out Lily's deep fear of being alone. The realization is the main turning point in Book I. So far, Lily has remained confident in her ability to talk or charm her way out of sticky situatioins. When that fails and she finds no one there to comfort her, she truly realizes how alone in life she is. Her rejection of those she feels are beneath her, like Selden or her cousin Grace, has driven them away. Her high-society friends reject her desperation for money and gossip about her alledged flings, created more conflict. Lily is responsible for her own solitude, and that realization is a personal turning point for her character.