Gambling In The House Of Mirth

1009 Words3 Pages

The motif of gambling on bridge is used in the House of Mirth to develop the theme that there is a natural desire for personal autonomy and that rejection from society often accompanies this quest for independence. For Lily, gambling during bridge gives her the illusion of freedom. Realizing that the money she wins from bridge is hers to spend, she is driven to “risk higher stakes at each fresh venture” (26). Once Lily gets a taste of independence, she can not stay away from it. Playing bridge provides her with an outlet where she is free of societal pressures; no man tells her how to play her cards and the money she wins is tied to no one but herself. In all other aspects of her life, Lily is forced to behave a certain way in order to fulfill …show more content…

All the scenes, all the dresses, all the girls looked identical. They simply put on a temporarily excited face and do what they should do in order to turn a man’s head. Sorry ladies, even your eggshell dress covered in twenty four karat jewels is no longer catching eyes. I was in a vulgar slump. I was so bored with these women that I was about to pack up and leave when that Lily Bart finally took the stage. She was more stunning than any subject I had ever encountered. Everything about her was a challenge to paint. My hand had a fierce tremor as I tried to mix the colors to reflect her beauty. I came across the colors to display her outer beauty, but even the finest art could not do her inner beauty justice. I spent hours on that painting, perfecting the details long after she had fused back into the social landscape. Yet, I never got it quite right. I am convinced that even Van Gogh could not create a painting that would convey her perfect yet scandalous beauty. The rest of the woman call me “the distinguished portrait painter” (137), but that Lily Bart shows me that I am no better than an appearance painting dozens of still life apples. It just so happens that my apple is a rich woman. I hope Lily teaches these poor woman a lesson, as she certainly taught me one. These high class women, and even the men are all trapped on a merry-go-round. I too was trapped like an eagle circling its prey, but this is my chance to finally catch the mouse. I plan to sail to Italy in order to find women like Lily; women with inner beauty. I refuse to return until I have become a real painter, one that does not hesitate at the sight of a exquisite sense. One that paints with love, rather than a formula. Thank you, Lily Bart, for freeing me from this repetitive world. I hope you can free yourself as

Show More
Related

  • Cultural Significance Of Gambling In TH Breen's Horses And Gentlemen

    956 Words  | 2 Pages

    The question to then ask here, is whether this trait of gambling was just a simple hobby that meant nothing about themselves, or that it did infact represent a deeper understanding of who they were. Beginning with the idea of independence, Breen explains that the people within society sought no form of constraint by a higher political leader, but at times worked together to make sure their colony was stable Moreover, by understanding their preferences, it is safe to say that they w...

    Read More

  • Gambling: Changing Lives

    1682 Words  | 4 Pages

    Gambling... Who does not like to gamble? People play lotteries, bet on sport games or try their luck on slot machines with a thought to win some amount of money. In fact, this excitement for gambling can be seen even from early ages; for example, ancient Egyptians used to play dice in 2000 BC or the first casinos opened their doors to customers during the Greeco-Roman period ( Whittaker and Cushman 1 ). Nowadays casino industry is a large business in the United States that brings high revenues and offers various entertainment that attracts people from different areas. So just recently residents and visitors of Worcester, Wicomico and surrounding counties got a great opportunity to try themselves in a new Ocean Downs casino that came into operation couple months ago. Ocean Downs casino is an excellent benefit to the community that helps to improve the economic and social status of the county and also serves as a great entertainment for the adult population.

    Read More

  • Visual Essay Analyzing and Interpreting of Ralph Lauren Romance a Love Story, A Fragance Ad

    683 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the September 2013 issue of Vogue magazine Ralph Lauren Romance A love Story featuring women’s fragrance by Ralph Lauren displays in a series of photographs the stages of falling in love. Analyzing the contents of the photographs the images are presented in a form of puzzles which at first seem jumbled and at the end it materializes as a whole construction of a life that they have built together. In observing the photographs, it depicts the typical conventional manner in which boy meets girl and from there the pictorial images shifts into a series of symbolizing sequences of events involving hero and heroine. The images portrayed in the photograph conjures reminiscences subtleties of conflict in which the man seeks to capture, conquer and secure the admiration of the woman he loves while the woman at last submits to his advances. Love and romance are displayed throughout each frame with marriage at last forming the seal that will bind them together.

    Read More

  • The House Of Mirth And The Yellow Wallpaper Analysis

    1775 Words  | 4 Pages

    The life of a lady in the 19th century is painted in a romantic light. Pictured in her parlor, the lady sips tea from delicate china while writing letters with a white feathered quill. Her maid stands silently off in the background, waiting for orders to serve her mistress. What is not typically pictured, is the sadness or boredom echoed on the lady’s face. Perhaps the letter is to a dear friend, not seen in ages, pleading with the friend to visit, in hopes that the friend will fill the void in the lady’s life made from years spent in a loveless marriage. Possibly the lady isn’t writing a

    Read More

  • The Song of the Lark

    813 Words  | 2 Pages

    When first approaching this work, one feels immediately attracted to its sense of wonder and awe. The bright colors used in the sun draws a viewer in, but the astonishment, fascination, and emotion depicted in the expression on the young woman keeps them intrigued in the painting. It reaches out to those who have worked hard in their life and who look forward to a better future. Even a small event such as a song of a lark gives them hope that there will be a better tomorrow, a thought that can be seen though the countenance by this girl. Although just a collection of oils on a canvas, she is someone who reaches out to people and inspires them to appreciate the small things that, even if only for a short moment, can make the road ahead seem brighter.

    Read More

  • Louisa's Happiness In 'A New England Nun'

    1345 Words  | 3 Pages

    What a shame it is that one is so artistically talented yet so unable to express such creativity and what a disgrace that one is so timid and obsessive with their life…or so some seem to believe about Louisa Ellis. The short story, “A New England Nun”, is one in which the protagonist, Louisa, gives rise to many wandering minds about the truth of Louisa’s happiness. Very seldom do readers seem to express like opinions of Louisa and her happiness. Some argue that she is obsessive and afraid of the world and everything in it while others argue that she is simply just an artist who is unaware of how express her artistic abilities. Although both opinions can easily be argued, I think she is far from being either of the two. Louisa has simply found

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Cassatt's The Child And Mother Nursing Her Child

    1035 Words  | 3 Pages

    Aristotle once claimed that, “The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.” Artists, such as Louise-Elizabeth Vigée Le Brun and Mary Cassatt, captured not only the way things physically appeared on the outside, but also the emotions that were transpiring on the inside. A part no always visible to the viewer. While both artists, Le Brun and Cassatt, worked within the perimeters of their artistic cultures --the 18th century in which female artists were excluded and the 19th century, in which women were artistically limited-- they were able to capture the loving relationship between mother and child, but in works such as Marie Antoinette and Her Children and Mother Nursing her Child 1898,

    Read More

  • Money In The House Of Mirth

    316 Words  | 1 Pages

    The theme of money and how life revolves around it is presented in The House of Mirth. The main character Lily Bart has a life that completely revolves around the idea of money. This idea controls Lily Bart's love life, personal freedom, and financial status. Growing up her mother engraves into her brain that the only way of living was extravagantly. Mr. Bart was not able to keep up with her demand and the worry of financial crisis causes his death. Even then Mrs. Bart and Lily's life continue to be centered around getting Lily a wealthy husband. After Mrs. Bart's death Lily is faced with her burden alone. She trades her social services for food and lodging among the socialites. It was her job or role to keep husbands entertained. Lily then

    Read More

  • Formal Analysis of Woman and Bicycle by Willem de Kooning

    808 Words  | 2 Pages

    The contrasts between depth and surface, figure and landscape, promiscuity and modesty, beauty and vulgarity all present themselves in de Kooning’s Woman and Bicycle. Although the figure is a seemingly normal woman out for an afternoon with her bike, she becomes so much more through the artist’s use of color, contrast, and composition. The exotic nature of woman presents itself in her direct stare and slick buxom breasts in spite of a nearly indiscernible figure. It is understood that, on the whole, de Kooning did not paint with a purpose in mind, but rather as an opportunity to create an experience, however, that does not go to say that there isn’t some meaning that can come of this work. Even Willem de Kooning once said that art is not everything that is in it, but what you can take out of it (Hess p.144).

    Read More

  • Morality And Ethics: Ethical Issues Of Gambling

    1246 Words  | 3 Pages

    Gambling is described as the betting of money or property on the result of an event or game that is mainly random with the desire to win more money or gain additional property. The industry or sector created by the activity of legal gambling is referred to as gaming. Since inception, gambling and gaming has continued to develop to an extent that it worth more than $335 billion across the globe. Most of the revenues obtained in this industry are generated by casinos and lotteries. In the past few years, gambling and gaming have attracted significant concern and controversy, especially with regards to the morality of the practice and whether its financial benefits outweigh the damage. While proponents of gambling

    Read More

  • Symbols And Motifs In Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre

    990 Words  | 2 Pages

    Jane’s drawings caused her to see deeper into other people, but more importantly, she looked deeper within herself, causing her to grow as a person. There are two occasions where the happens. When Blanche Ingram visits, Jane draws two portraits. “‘...draw in chalk your own picture...write under it, ‘Portrait of a Governess, disconnected, poor, and plain.’ Afterwards...delineate carefully the loveliest face you can imagine...call it ‘Blanche, an accomplished lady of rank.’’” (161) By doing this, she further defines the line between women like her and women like Blanche Ingram. What was particularly strange about this, however, was the fact that even though Jane had never seen Blanche in the flesh, her portrait was an exact likeness of Miss Ingram. Later on, whilst at Gateshead taking care of the ill Mrs. Reed, she subconsciously draws another portrait--of Rochester, without him being present. Her ability to capture the likenesses of herself and others around her through a drawing, symbolizes her underlying craftiness. Even when the subjects of her portraits aren't physically there, her vivid imagination allows her to picture them as if they were. She does not just look at the faces she draws, she looks through them. All the while, she fails to recognize her own transparency. These portraits represent her lack of confidence in

    Read More

  • Poker Face

    905 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the beginning, Lily is initially hesitant to play Bridge with the group of socialites to which she belongs. She recalls Ned Silverton fighting a gambling addiction when he was younger, “Lily had seen his charming eyes change from surprise to amusement, and from amusement to anxiety; as he passed under the spell of the terrible god of chance” (26). Lily knows that gambling amongst the wealthy is not something she can afford to do, and she does not want to end up like Ned Silverton’s sisters having no sugar for her tea. After all, how could she go without the finer things that she has grown accustomed? Wharton writes, “but she knew that the gambling passion was upon her, and in her present surroundings there was small hope of resisting it” (27). Lily is completely aware of the repercussions of the addiction. However, her addictive behaviors allow her to give in to temptation and she begins to gamble her money, y...

    Read More

  • Analysis of the Inspirational Film, Mona Lisa Smile

    2055 Words  | 5 Pages

    The movie, “Mona Lisa Smile” is an inspirational film that explores life through feminism, marriage, and education lead by a modernist teacher at the end of a traditional era. It begins by introducing the lead character, Katherine Watson (Julia Roberts), a liberal-minded novice professor from California, who lands a job in the art history department at a snobbish, all-girl college, called Wellesley, in the fall of 1953. Despite warnings from her boyfriend Paul that a Boston Brahmin environment was out of her element, Katherine was thrilled at the prospect of educating some of the brightest young women in the country however, her image of Wellesley quickly fizzles after her first day of class, in which, was more like a baptism by fire. Her smug students flaunted their exhaustive knowledge of the text and humiliated her in front of a supervisor. However, Katherine, determined not to buckle under pressure, departs from the syllabus in order to regain the upper hand. She quickly challenged the girls’ idea of what constituted art and exposed them to modern artist not endorsed by the school board. She dared them to think for themselves, and explore outside of their traditional views. This form of art was unacceptable by the students at first however, overtime Katherine penetrated her student’s distain and earned their esteem.

    Read More

  • In An Artist's Studio By Christina Rossetti Summary

    1170 Words  | 3 Pages

    Christina Rossetti's poem, “In An Artist’s Studio”, explores how men foster a need for control by creating unrealistic expectations for women through their fantasies. Through the use of repetition, contrast of imagery, and symbolism, Rossetti guides us through the gallery inside of an artist’s mind, portraying the fantasies that give him a sense of control over the women he creates.

    Read More

  • Byatt's Elementals Byatt Elementals Essays

    1515 Words  | 4 Pages

    There is ample evidence in this volume that aesthetic expression and desire play an important role in the makeup of characters' lives. Think of Patricia Nimmo in Crocodile Tears, and her distraction of shopping; "a classical column of falling white silk jersey pleats ... a pretty pair of golden slippers, and a honeycomb cotton robe, in aquamarine. These things gave her pleasure." (p18) Equally, the long, descriptive passages Byatt is given to using are a decadent revelling in capturing the essence of a thing; they are works of art in their own right.

    Read More

More about Gambling In The House Of Mirth

Open Document