What is the symbolic value of money in the novel? What does it mean to different characters?
Money could be contrued as life or death. take into consideration Lillys parents who die shortly after becoming ruined and Lillys inability to go on with life without it.
2. Does Lily change over the course of the novel? What motives her, and how do her motivations change?
I agree, Brienn. she was motivated by moneyand social standing but she also was extremely vain in her appearance and went to great lengths and expense to look the part.
3. What do you think it Lily's biggest flaw as a character? What is her "Achilles' heel"?
I thought it was her vanity. she cared too much about what others thought to ever make a decision about anything. She couldn't sa no to cards because she would look bad in the eyes of the crowd. She couldnt tell men no when the might put her in compromising positions because it wouldn make a fuss
4. Is Lily's death inevitable and necessary, or could she have recovered and found a way to get back into society? In other words, is Lily fated to die?
No, she wasn't fated to die. I think she was looking for a temporary escape. she could have made something of her of her life but maybeWharton was trying to show that her inability to let go of being wealthy would have never allowed her to accept help or a proposal from anyone.
5. Describe the differences between Lily's outlook on society and Selden's. What views do they hold in common? On what viewpoints do they differ?
Seldon didn't gorw up with money being an end all. He could see it was everything to lilly did they have any view points in common other than they both knew they loved one another.
6. Many of the married men in this novel lead boring and sad lives. Compare the attitudes and characterizations of Gus Trenor and George Dorset to those of Lawrence Selden and Simon Rosedale. What do they have in common with one another? What are their differences?
Both of the older men have been married a long time and at least one of them got married very young. I think they are bored with their lives and the entertaianments they are pressed into by their wives. Niether sound like they do a lot of work thus they have little gratification. They are drawn to Lilly becasue she is young, pretty and nice to them, stroking their male egos. The otther tow are young and attractive to women for separate reasons. the have work outside of the weekend parties which give them a feeling of worth.
7. How does the novel work with behavioral details? Pick three tiny details that Wharton uses to give the reader a clue as to what a character is thinking. You may want to consider Lily's blushes and smiles in the novel, as well as the role of lighting cigarettes in the novel. Or you can look at the opening scene, in which Selden plays a mind game with Lily to determine by her actions what she is doing.
8. How does this novel compare with another novel of manners you have read (see "The Novel of Manners" section)? You may wish to consider the novels of Jane Austen, Henry James of George Eliot.
they are all romances, all deal with inequality of the couples either by social standing, money, age or a comibnation of these. they make for tedious reading. I prefer something with more going on than the push and pull of class/sexuality, etc.
Subject: Discussion Questions 
Tue Jun 19, 2007 1:34 am
