Three Strikes

13 Pages 3274 Words

haracterizes Alice as a compassionate mother that is extremely concerned for the well being of her ill daughter Lily. Wharton writes “her affection for the child had perhaps been her decisive charm” (Wharton 1). According to the critic Gerard Sweeney, without a doubt, Alice Waythorn’s motherly duties are characterized as “not motherly” (Sweeney 2). Also he states that “Indeed, her mothering is characterized chiefly by an unmistakable nonchalance” (Sweeney 2). This is shown when Alice is informed that Lily has come down with typhoid. Wharton writes “and after a moment of alarm Mrs. Waythorn had adjusted herself to the situation” (Wharton 1). This shows that Mrs. Waythorn does deep down care about the well being of her child. But the fact that she is spending more time, nerve-racking about Mr. Haskett, wanting to keep his visitation to see their daughter. This shows Alice to be characterized as a mother with slight concern for her ill daughter. Has the new and old marriages taken over the devotion she should have for her ill daughter?
A second part of the round characterization of Alice is the depiction of Alice as a wife. Here she is revealed as a wife with a shallow, confident and tender way of approaching her husband Mr. Waythorn. Wharton writes, “She had neglected to assume the smile that went with it. And Waythorn thought he had never seen her look so worried” (Wharton 2). Sweeny states “Wharton does depict Alice Waythorn as shallow; she is most blamably shallow as a mother, not as a wife or an ex-wife” (Sweeney 1). Another scene that this is shown is when Wharton writes “when she had done all that she could for Lily, would not be ashamed to come down and enjoy a good dinner” (Wharton 2).
Without a doubt Wharton also uses round characterization to mold the figure of Mr. Waythorn. Waythorn is very complex. The situations that are brought upon Waythorn are analyzed to an excessive extreme. This shows tha...