The Message that the Author has About the Society/ Times
Money. Money is delicate. Money if handled wrong by the rich or poor has the power to destroy a whole lifestyle. In Lily Bart’s case, money destroys a life. The message the author of “The House of Mirth”, Edith Wharton has about the society in this book is that money runs things. Throughout the book Lily Bart is striving to obtain high social status and by doing so she must become the wealthiest to get the nicest clothes and the snobbiest people as her friends. Edith Wharton tries to show how money back in the time this book took place, was the main motivator and what the world rotated around. In the late 1800’s you were considered to be poor if you had a few servants in your mansion. It was a time in which working class earned less then the rich would pay for their food in one day. The rich worked hard at choosing their servants to make themselves look good. The poor would work hard to make ends meet and produce anything the rich needed to flourish. The author by focusing on money touches on …show more content…
Except most of the time those at the top aren’t the most pleasant to be around. In “The House of Mirth” people like Gus Trenor and Bertha Dorset were at the top. Bertha Dorset, a women full of revenge, was ready to use her power of money to blackmail any one who got on her bad side. She also had an affair with a man, but when her husband wanted to do the same it was no longer okay. As for Gus Trenor he was a man he would pay women for a good time. During that time he was married. These were the wealthy people at the top of society. Edith Wharton was trying to show the cracks in society and how as money seeps in so does poor morals. Money has the power to damage a person and how they are seen, money can be used to buy status or it can be used to buy revenge. Being at the top and being the richest one in society isn’t as luxurious and comfy as it
Money. Money is delicate. Money if handled wrong by the rich or poor has the power to destroy a whole lifestyle. In Lily Bart’s case, money destroys a life. The message the author of “The House of Mirth”, Edith Wharton has about the society in this book is that money runs things. Throughout the book Lily Bart is striving to obtain high social status and by doing so she must become the wealthiest to get the nicest clothes and the snobbiest people as her friends. Edith Wharton tries to show how money back in the time this book took place, was the main motivator and what the world rotated around. In the late 1800’s you were considered to be poor if you had a few servants in your mansion. It was a time in which working class earned less then the rich would pay for their food in one day. The rich worked hard at choosing their servants to make themselves look good. The poor would work hard to make ends meet and produce anything the rich needed to flourish. The author by focusing on money touches on …show more content…
Except most of the time those at the top aren’t the most pleasant to be around. In “The House of Mirth” people like Gus Trenor and Bertha Dorset were at the top. Bertha Dorset, a women full of revenge, was ready to use her power of money to blackmail any one who got on her bad side. She also had an affair with a man, but when her husband wanted to do the same it was no longer okay. As for Gus Trenor he was a man he would pay women for a good time. During that time he was married. These were the wealthy people at the top of society. Edith Wharton was trying to show the cracks in society and how as money seeps in so does poor morals. Money has the power to damage a person and how they are seen, money can be used to buy status or it can be used to buy revenge. Being at the top and being the richest one in society isn’t as luxurious and comfy as it