Class Differences in Edith Wharton's House of Mirth tells the story of Lily Bart's fall from the highest levels of the social spectrum to the humble levels of the working class. The characters in the novel represent all levels of society, from the urban poor to the extremely wealthy. Wealth, however, is not the only factor in defining the social status of characters. The method of acquiring money and, more importantly, the need to work is what defines an individual's social rank. Lily oscillates between the wealthy and the working class; although she is not independently wealthy, she initially scoffs at the idea of working because it is her idleness that allows her to maintain her social status. As an aristocrat, working for a living would be unthinkable; but once abandoned by her friends, her reluctance and inability to work leads to her downfall. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The upper echelons of society are occupied by people with "old money" (like the Trenors, the Dorsets and the Van Osburghs) . These families were born rich and never needed to work to earn a living. Born into a family of wealthy bankers and merchants who were among the first settlers of New York, Wharton herself was a member of this leisure class, and therefore writes about them with accuracy and insight (McDowell, 19). The class is characterized by uselessness and lack of productivity. They spend their days hosting dinner parties, taking vacations in Europe, and buying useless items. Percy Gryce, for example, has a large collection of American books, and “was as proud of his [Americana] heritage as if it had been his own work” (Wharton, 22). However, the fact that his collection was not actually acquired through his own labor “underscores his position as a gentleman” (Yeazell, 716). Unlike the old rich, the new rich have recently earned their money and must struggle to climb the social ladder. In The House of Mirth, this class is represented by the Wellington Brys, the Gormers, and Simon Rosedale. The Wellington Brys and the Gormers are assisted in their climb by Carry Fisher and Lily, who are familiar with the delicate tastes and customs of the old rich, have connections with members of the leisure class and, lacking a source of wealth of their own, can take advantage of the 'help newcomers. The divisions between the leisure class and the nouveau riche are not entirely insurmountable; some members of the nouveau riche win the struggle to find a place in the upper echelons of society. The Wellington Brys attempt to advance in society by throwing lavish, yet tasteful, parties under the supervision of Carry Fisher that aim to “attack society collectively” (Wharton, 129). Simon Rosedale, on the other hand, tries to make useful acquaintances, for example by giving "advice" to Gus Trenor or Jack Stepney on how to invest on Wall Street, or, as in the case of Lily, "demonstrating an uncomfortable familiarity with the market habits of those with whom he desired to be considered intimate" (Wharton, 17). Over the course of the novel, Rosedale gradually improves her social status and decides that she wants "a woman who will hold her head higher the more diamonds I put on it" (Wharton, 172). When he initially proposes to Lily, she rejects him, but once he falls from society's grace, and no longer has the power to "shorten the remaining steps of Rosedale's path" to high society, he no longer needs her ( Wharton, 234). Rosedale has “gradually achieved her purpose in life” through “slow and unalterable persistence,” while Lily's indecision slowly led to her downfall (Wharton, 234). Gerty Farish and Lawrence Selden are workers, but maintain a bond with the members ofwealthy class. Gerty was born into a wealthy family but chose a modest life doing charity work. Selden is related to wealthy people, and therefore still spends his free time with aristocrats. Gerty is despised by high society and "both Lily and, to some extent, the narrator herself define Gerty as a different and inferior kind of being" (Buell, 660). She is considered a "parasite of the moral order, living on crumbs from other tables and content to look out of the window at the banquet laid out for her friends" (Wharton, 147). Although Selden claims to "maintain a sort of republic of the spirit," as Buell points out, "his drive to remain part of the world of high fashion is certainly no less strong than Lily's" (Wharton, 68; Buell, 660) . Selden, although he earns his living as a lawyer, "spends the evening...dining out with the society he loves to ridicule" (Auchincloss, 29). Selden is “such a refined hedonist that he is never able to detach himself from [high society]” (McDowell, 45). Although Gerty and Selden may work for a living, they remain connected to high society and maintain an enjoyment of the finer things in life. However, the fact that they work for a living separates them from their friends; Lily, although she ultimately realizes that she loves Selden, will not consider marrying him. Likewise, Gerty, because she is "the only woman in the Lily cast who opts for an unfashionable lifestyle of charity" is scorned for choosing a life of modesty. The only characters in the novel who are true members of the working masses are Nettie Struther and the cleaning lady. At the beginning of the novel, Lily runs into the cleaning lady as she leaves Selden's apartment. Wharton describes the cleaning lady in unflattering terms: “She had a broad, sallow face, slightly pockmarked with smallpox” (Wharton, 15). The author paints a slightly kinder portrait of Nettie Struther. During her brief charity phase, Lily sponsored Nettie's trip to a sanatorium when Nettie contracted a lung disease. After recovering from her illness, Nettie married and had a son. Although Nettie is very poor, she has found happiness in the love of her family. However, his life "had the fragile, bold permanence of a bird's nest built on the edge of a cliff - a simple tuft of leaves and straw, yet so put together that the lives entrusted to it may hang safely above 'abyss' (Wharton, 311). While Lily is grateful for the refuge Nettie provides, Nettie is still described as being of a different species than members of the upper class. Wharton describes her beauty as "common" and has an almost childlike admiration for Lily, looking for her name in the newspapers. Despite having a fulfilling life, Nettie is still portrayed as an inferior being, as are all the workers in the novel. The workers envy the glamorous life of the upper classes and faithfully follow their lives in the newspaper's gossip column. Wharton describes women working in millinery as an “underworld of workers who lived on their vanity and self-indulgence” (Wharton, 278). Nettie Struther tells Lily that she wants her daughter to grow up to be just like her. Although the workers in the novel may be happier than those who do not work, Wharton depicts them as simpler, more primitive creatures who think that rich people live better lives than they do. Lily represents a unique case in that, at the beginning of the novel, she is a popular member of the upper class and, by the end, has fallen into the working poor class. Lily was born into a wealthy family that fell into financial ruin. Because of her beauty and grace, however, she remains popular among the upper classes. 59 (1992): 713- 734.

Topic > Class Differences in Edith Wharton's House of Mirth tells the story of Lily Bart's fall from the highest levels of the social spectrum to the humble levels of the working class. The characters in the novel represent all levels of society, from the urban poor to the extremely wealthy. Wealth, however, is not the only factor in defining the social status of characters. The method of acquiring money and, more importantly, the need to work is what defines an individual's social rank. Lily oscillates between the wealthy and the working class; although she is not independently wealthy, she initially scoffs at the idea of working because it is her idleness that allows her to maintain her social status. As an aristocrat, working for a living would be unthinkable; but once abandoned by her friends, her reluctance and inability to work leads to her downfall. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The upper echelons of society are occupied by people with "old money" (like the Trenors, the Dorsets and the Van Osburghs) . These families were born rich and never needed to work to earn a living. Born into a family of wealthy bankers and merchants who were among the first settlers of New York, Wharton herself was a member of this leisure class, and therefore writes about them with accuracy and insight (McDowell, 19). The class is characterized by uselessness and lack of productivity. They spend their days hosting dinner parties, taking vacations in Europe, and buying useless items. Percy Gryce, for example, has a large collection of American books, and “was as proud of his [Americana] heritage as if it had been his own work” (Wharton, 22). However, the fact that his collection was not actually acquired through his own labor “underscores his position as a gentleman” (Yeazell, 716). Unlike the old rich, the new rich have recently earned their money and must struggle to climb the social ladder. In The House of Mirth, this class is represented by the Wellington Brys, the Gormers, and Simon Rosedale. The Wellington Brys and the Gormers are assisted in their climb by Carry Fisher and Lily, who are familiar with the delicate tastes and customs of the old rich, have connections with members of the leisure class and, lacking a source of wealth of their own, can take advantage of the 'help newcomers. The divisions between the leisure class and the nouveau riche are not entirely insurmountable; some members of the nouveau riche win the struggle to find a place in the upper echelons of society. The Wellington Brys attempt to advance in society by throwing lavish, yet tasteful, parties under the supervision of Carry Fisher that aim to “attack society collectively” (Wharton, 129). Simon Rosedale, on the other hand, tries to make useful acquaintances, for example by giving "advice" to Gus Trenor or Jack Stepney on how to invest on Wall Street, or, as in the case of Lily, "demonstrating an uncomfortable familiarity with the market habits of those with whom he desired to be considered intimate" (Wharton, 17). Over the course of the novel, Rosedale gradually improves her social status and decides that she wants "a woman who will hold her head higher the more diamonds I put on it" (Wharton, 172). When he initially proposes to Lily, she rejects him, but once he falls from society's grace, and no longer has the power to "shorten the remaining steps of Rosedale's path" to high society, he no longer needs her ( Wharton, 234). Rosedale has “gradually achieved her purpose in life” through “slow and unalterable persistence,” while Lily's indecision slowly led to her downfall (Wharton, 234). Gerty Farish and Lawrence Selden are workers, but maintain a bond with the members ofwealthy class. Gerty was born into a wealthy family but chose a modest life doing charity work. Selden is related to wealthy people, and therefore still spends his free time with aristocrats. Gerty is despised by high society and "both Lily and, to some extent, the narrator herself define Gerty as a different and inferior kind of being" (Buell, 660). She is considered a "parasite of the moral order, living on crumbs from other tables and content to look out of the window at the banquet laid out for her friends" (Wharton, 147). Although Selden claims to "maintain a sort of republic of the spirit," as Buell points out, "his drive to remain part of the world of high fashion is certainly no less strong than Lily's" (Wharton, 68; Buell, 660) . Selden, although he earns his living as a lawyer, "spends the evening...dining out with the society he loves to ridicule" (Auchincloss, 29). Selden is “such a refined hedonist that he is never able to detach himself from [high society]” (McDowell, 45). Although Gerty and Selden may work for a living, they remain connected to high society and maintain an enjoyment of the finer things in life. However, the fact that they work for a living separates them from their friends; Lily, although she ultimately realizes that she loves Selden, will not consider marrying him. Likewise, Gerty, because she is "the only woman in the Lily cast who opts for an unfashionable lifestyle of charity" is scorned for choosing a life of modesty. The only characters in the novel who are true members of the working masses are Nettie Struther and the cleaning lady. At the beginning of the novel, Lily runs into the cleaning lady as she leaves Selden's apartment. Wharton describes the cleaning lady in unflattering terms: “She had a broad, sallow face, slightly pockmarked with smallpox” (Wharton, 15). The author paints a slightly kinder portrait of Nettie Struther. During her brief charity phase, Lily sponsored Nettie's trip to a sanatorium when Nettie contracted a lung disease. After recovering from her illness, Nettie married and had a son. Although Nettie is very poor, she has found happiness in the love of her family. However, his life "had the fragile, bold permanence of a bird's nest built on the edge of a cliff - a simple tuft of leaves and straw, yet so put together that the lives entrusted to it may hang safely above 'abyss' (Wharton, 311). While Lily is grateful for the refuge Nettie provides, Nettie is still described as being of a different species than members of the upper class. Wharton describes her beauty as "common" and has an almost childlike admiration for Lily, looking for her name in the newspapers. Despite having a fulfilling life, Nettie is still portrayed as an inferior being, as are all the workers in the novel. The workers envy the glamorous life of the upper classes and faithfully follow their lives in the newspaper's gossip column. Wharton describes women working in millinery as an “underworld of workers who lived on their vanity and self-indulgence” (Wharton, 278). Nettie Struther tells Lily that she wants her daughter to grow up to be just like her. Although the workers in the novel may be happier than those who do not work, Wharton depicts them as simpler, more primitive creatures who think that rich people live better lives than they do. Lily represents a unique case in that, at the beginning of the novel, she is a popular member of the upper class and, by the end, has fallen into the working poor class. Lily was born into a wealthy family that fell into financial ruin. Because of her beauty and grace, however, she remains popular among the upper classes. 59 (1992): 713- 734.