Who Lily Bart is
Lily belongs to a world where money, manners and appearance shape a woman's standing. Her mother teaches her to treat beauty as capital, while her rich aunt, Mrs. Peniston, provides a home and small allowance. Lily understands society's rules, yet her intelligence and moral feeling make her more than a willing player.
What Lily Bart wants
Lily wants the comfort of wealth without surrendering her freedom or her sense of herself. She pursues the wealthy Percy Gryce, studying his interests and presenting herself as someone he might marry.
Lily Bart and the others in the story
Selden offers Lily a glimpse of a quieter life, less dependent on the approval of fashionable friends. She values his good opinion but cannot imagine living on his modest earnings.
Gus Trenor offers financial help, which Lily accepts without looking closely at what he expects in return. These relationships expose her uneasy position, since the support she needs can also limit her freedom.
Questions
Why does Lily Bart need to marry money?
Lily has no fortune, and her upbringing prepares her to seek security through a wealthy husband.
Does Lily Bart love Lawrence Selden?
Lily is drawn to Selden and half loves him, but her desire for wealth complicates her feelings.
Is Lily Bart selfish?
Lily longs for luxury, but she is also capable of kindness and troubled by the bargains her society expects.
