It was due to this exclusion that Lily became emotionally exhausted and utterly hopeless. She began to take sleeping pills, which were prescribed to her employer, Mrs. Hatch, not her, in order to escape from the reality of life. Finally, one day, due to the stresses of being socially unaccepted, financially devastated, and without any true ability to live on her own, Lily overdosed on the sleeping pills and died. Throughout the book, all of Lily's actions- begging for money, refusing to marry Selden, eventually giving in to the marriage proposal given by Rosedale, a man she did not truly love, or even like- were all revolved around the fact that she wished to maintain the social status she was accustomed to. Lily Bart provides insight towards the influence social class had on a woman's decisions and actions.
Bertha Dorset's entire personality was based on the fact that she held a high position in society. Her high social standing caused her to feel powerful and superior to others. She was greedy and selfish and was unashamed of acting condescendingly towards the other people in society. Her jealousy of Lily and her desire to maintain her upscale reputation, Bertha spread a malicious rumor about Lily. Accusing Lily of having an affair with George, Bertha's husband, Bertha caused Lily to become unaccepted in her social circle. This also enabled Bertha to have one of her numerous affairs with other men such as Lawrence Selden and Ned Silverton. The fact that Bertha was so highly ranked gave her the idea that it was her right as a hierarchy to be unjust and act nastily to other people. Her social class made her the person she was. .
Though completely opposite from Bertha's character, Judy Trenor's personality was also formed by her social class. This woman, who had the same respectable position in society as Bertha, used her status for good instead of evil. She hosted many parties and by deciding who would be invited and who would not be invited, she ultimately decided who would be deserving of society's utmost respect.
