Monday, February 18, 2013
Blog Prompt 2/18
I think Ecclesiastes 7:4 means that a wise person knows better so they'll do better, even though it may cause them to feel unhappy with their choice they know it's for the good. The fool will squander his life and possessions over stupid and meaningless things and still find it enjoyable. The House of Mirth shows Lily as a prime example of how someone who has their mind in the wrong place will find meaningless things enjoyable. She finds pleasure wherever she benefits financially. Lily is one of the worse persons to deal with when she loses money and she'll do whatever it takes to attain it and save her face, even if it means marrying someone she doesn't like. She even went to the opera with someone she doesn't like just to maintain an image that will benefit her in the long run. Wharton depicts this biblical passage in the book by showing how vanity has taken over people's lives. They seem to be happy with what they are doing. They gamble, deceive, and risk marriages to get what they want, even if it isn't money. We are just shown how to realize how we as humans will go to extreme measure for things that are easily attainable.
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Ramone,
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with you here. I feel this statement really reflects the moral concepts of the novel and helps to reflect how though you may not be better off, you can still be happy. I feel Nettie was used in this concept and how she was shown as a reflection of Lily of 'what she could have been'.
Adam