The House Of Mirth

9 Pages 2258 Words

investing her money, and that he has just been giving her profits he makes off his investments. Trenor’s plan was to have Lilly pay him back by spending time with him, but it backfires and Lilly becomes upset. She vows that she will eventually pay him back, even though she does not know how.
Later, Bertha Dorset invites Lilly on a cruise to the Mediterranean with her husband, George, and Ned Silverton. Lilly accepts but soon realizes the true reason she is there – she has been brought along to distract George while Bertha has an affair with Ned. While on the cruise, Lilly begins to associate with the European royalty. When Bertha becomes aware of this, she becomes jealous and kicks Lilly off the yacht. Not only did she kick Lilly off the yacht, but Bertha started a rumor that Lilly and George were having an affair. This sole rumor ends up leading to Lilly’s drop from society. When Lilly returns to America, she learns that Mrs. Peniston has died and left her only $10,000. It is just enough money for Lilly to pay off her debt to Trenor. In the meantime, Lily tries desperately to rebuild her reputation in society, but she fails and moves in with Getrt Farish, Selden's cousin. She takes up various jobs before finally moving into a boarding house. She begins to take sleeping pills to help her get away from her fear and loneliness until the day when her check from her aunt's estate finally arrives. When the check finally does arrive, Lilly pays off all of her debts and then overdoses on sleeping pills. The next day, Selden shows up at her apartment with the intention of proposing marriage to her, only to find her dead.
A central theme within the novel is the effect money has on social rank or status. This theme is reflected throughout the book and in many key passages. From the very beginning of her life, Lily learned from her mother that wealth was a very important f...