Edith Warton

Jennifer Tischler

02/17/2011
Wharton Journal

English 48B

 

"And it startled him to think that she had, in the background of her life, a phase of exsistence so different from anything with which he had connected her"(Norton, 837).

The conflict she felt between the accepted role of a society matron and that of a professional writer caused her much anxiety, no doubt contributed to the depression for which she was treated in the 1890s.(

(npg.si.edu)

Alice Waythorn was a woman so doted on by her extremely wealthy husband, that he decided to put her past behind her...until he came in contact with her two extremely different past marriages. It made him think...

I find it so completely ridiculous that this woman can switch over from a matrimony consisted of elastic ties--almost instantly to one with maids, nurses, and butlers...and act as if she has been there all her life. Dissociative identity disorder, anyone? I felt so bad for Mr. Waythorn the whole time. The second he found out that she had in fact seen her ex husband, when she told Mr. Waythorn she hadn't-- I was waiting for him to send her packing within the next line or so. The only thing worse than living with a manipulator is a liar....or both. I feel that a large reason He had put up with Alice was because he felt the compassion that Alice's first and second husband felt for Lily. Although Lily's role is minimal, I feel her part is entirely more significant that a lot of the other characters. Although not sure if she is aware of her mother's...problem, she is the one that unfortunately has to be around her, and move around with her. Essentially, I would find that while the men got sick of Alice eventually, in the back of their minds, they felt that they could not leave Lily. I almost feel that past her first husband, Alice used Lily as a sympathy card to climb the social ladder. I also feel that part of Waythorns stress of running into her past signifies his fear that, if he leaves her, he won't be able to escape her either.