... Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth, the main character, Lily Bart, starts off with two goals: to marry well and acquire wealth. Lily is constantly worried about money. Ever since she was a small child and her mother complained of "dinginess-, Lily has wanted to be financially stable. She goes through life looking for a husband that can assure her a place in the leisure class, even though the shallow life is not the ... marry rich, but her actions do not show the same sentiments. Near the end of the novel, Lily begins to realize that money is not all that matters. Lily hated to be "poor, t...

• Word Count: 1273
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth, elements of naturalism are used to show how the protagonist Lily Bart's life is controlled by her struggle between love and money. According to Encarta's electronic encyclopedia, "naturalistic writers regard human behavior as controlled by instinct, emotion, or social and economic conditions." Lily Bart is obviously controlled by economic conditions and emotion. She wants nothing more than to be accepted by the high society of ... love, Selden, she decides not to because he is not a rich man. Throughout the novel, Lily continues to struggle to belong ...

• Word Count: 622
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School