Out of Nowhere

The House of Mirth
by Edith Wharton

Book 2, chap VIII-IX

The majority of this section just plan confused me.  I realize that Lily is searching for a solution, but the convenient character of Mrs. Hatch just seems to appear out of nowhere.  She is young and wealthy but is not part of any of the social circles Lily was snubbed from.  Mrs. Fisher get Lily a job as Mrs. Hatch's social secretary, but it seems to me that Lily doesn't do much.  Mrs. Hatch is new in town and doesn't have a lot of acquaintances or a set schedule for social events.  I'm not really sure why Wharton would add a whole new character towards the end of the novel, especially since she doesn't seem to be of much importance, besides providing Lily with a temporary place to stay and a steady income.  I knew that Lily needed a way to support herself until her aunt's legacy is paid if she couldn't get married, but Mrs. Hatch and the job she provides seem quite random to me.  I hope things clear up soon in order to have a clean conclusion.

At the end of the section, Selden makes a sudden appearance.  Though he only comes to help, he ends up arguing with Lily.  Lily doesn't really understand his attitude or how he plans to help her, and Selden doesn't understand why Lily won't stay with Gerty instead of putting herself in a precarious situation in the middle of Mrs. Hatch's rise into the social scene.  The reader knows that both parties are trying with much determination to hide their true feelings for each other, but neither party seems to aknowledge it.  Lily is insatiably stubborn in her attempts to resist her feelings for Selden.  "However doubtful she might feel her situation to be, she would rather persist in darkness than owe her enlightenment to Selden" (Wharton 228).  This short scene involving Selden calls to mind many modern TV or movie couples that fight constantly, but in the middle of their violent screaming, they kiss passionately, revealing their true love for each other.  Like in the Notebook.  I want so badly for Selden and Lily to be like Noah and Allie, or even like Ross and Rachel in Friends.  One particular scene from that great TV show comes to mind: Ross and Rachel are in a fight about their feelings for each other and Ross storms out of Central Perk, only to come pack and kiss Rachel passionately in the rain.

This is what I want to happen with Lily and Selden....*sappy sighhh...*