The Bestselling Novel: Currents in American History and Culture

Its a pity showdown

 

“In the affairs of love, a young heart is never in more danger than when attempted by a handsome young soldier” (Rowson, pg. 22). 

This quote is a perfect example of foreshadowing of Charlotte’s eventual doom, leading the reader to take a sympathetic approach when reading her character.   From the get go, Charlotte is painted as being “in danger”. She is a character that is destined to be doomed- some way or another. A doom that she would be led to by virtue of her foolish heart; hence leading the reader to take a sympathetic approach to reading her character. 

 This is contradicted with Lily, whose character is portrayed early on as someone who is moving the chess pieces of her life allowing the reader to hold her more accountable for her actions.  The portrayal of Lily in the beginning can be likened to that of Scarlet O'Hara from Gone with the Wind 

"she still had the art of blushing at the right time"
"he could never be a factor in her calculations
" (Wharton, pg. 6).

This could be why her eventual doom comes as much more of a shock.
Lily’s character develops through the course of the novel- and is shaped by the events of her life- to become someone who ‘deserves’ the pity of the reader. 

"I have tried hard- but life is difficult, and I am a very useless person... I was just a screw or a cog in the great machine and when I dropped out of it I found out I was of no use anywhere else" (Wharton, pg. 308). 

We can see that, by the latter part of the book, Lily becomes apathetic and complacent; very much like Charlotte Temple.  She has succumbed to the cruelty of the world, especially her world.  


References: 
Rowson, S. (2011). Charlotte Temple. W. W. Norton & Company. New York
Wharton, E. 1985). The House of Mirth. Penguin Group. Hudson street, New York. 

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