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vive la différence?
8 May 06
Wharton, Edith. The House of Mirth. New York: Scribner’s, 1905.
“Ah, there’s the difference—a girl must, a man may if he chooses.” She surveyed him critically. “Your coat’s a little shabby—but who cares? It doesn’t keep people from asking you to dine. If I were shabby, no one would have me: a woman is asked out as much for her clothes as for herself. The clothes are the background, the frame, if you like: they don’t make success, but they are a part of it. Who wants a dingy woman? We are expected to be pretty and well-dressed till we drop—and if we can’t keep it up alone, we have to go into partnership.” (12)
The character Lily Bart speaks these words to an acquaintance in the first chapter of the novel. Pointedly, although their conversation is somewhat intimate, she never refers to him as other than Mr. Selden, nor does the narrator reveal to the reader his first name. Miss Bart has taken up Mr. Selden on his impromptu offer for a cup of tea in his apartment, but we realize by the end of the chapter that this was an indiscretion. Social mores were such that for an unmarried girl (albeit, who is 29 years old) to visit a bachelor’s apartment would be considered scandalous. Mores have changed considerably on this issue, but arguably not so much on the matter of appearance that is the topic of the fragment quoted above. Evidence? Check out some of these tv news anchors ratings and reviews. Ah, well, it’s only been a hundred years or so.
Posted by pzed on May 8, 2006 at 2.48pm
Categories: fragments, scripture
Comments on "vive la différence?"
Yup. You still go out to restaurants and bars and see women all tarted up and going around in the company of men wearing the same jeans and golf shirts they wore to work that day. What if she wore her work clothes to the restaurant? He’d probably find a way to let her know she’s not so exciting to him, anymore.
Posted by jodi on May 8, 2006 at 8.13pm :: link
you’re wrong. she probably works in an office, and those are her work clothes. she gets tarted up (a) for the boss, (b) for the sales guys from other companies, and (c) because it’s simply expected.
Posted by pzed on May 10, 2006 at 8.35pm :: link
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