Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth creates a subtle, ironic, and superbly crafted picture of the social functioning of turn-of-the-century New York. In her harsh expression of community, she succeeds in depicting a world of calculation operating under the guise of politeness. The characters become competitors in the very complex game of social positioning with an amorphous body of socially formed laws. Through her presentation of Lily Barton's constant struggles to “gain her footing – each time at a slightly lower level” in this game of skill, Wharton forces her audience to question this social order (272). Lily's fate gives way to a satirical commentary on how a social order governed by conventions, sanctions, beliefs, and customs can crush its individual members by transforming itself into a force greater than its set of participants. Wharton's grim description of this environment reveals a system of exchange. in which transactions are made solely to promote one's self-interest. Relations between men and women shape this perception; as Lily explains to Selden, women must enter into “partnerships” (14) to strategically improve their position in the social system. Lily must use her beauty and charm to seduce a partner with the monetary power that will allow her to cement her place in the upper circle. Compatibility beyond the advantages of marriage in the social system matters little, which explains Lily's attempts to seduce Percy Gryce "to do the honor of boring him for life" (29). With similar motivations, Simon Rosedale offers Lily full financial support in exchange for the social know-how needed to enter New York high society. Lily recognizes Rosedale's "little inventory eyes, which make [her] feel like herself ...... middle of paper ...... man visiting a bachelor's residence (9). The problem with evaluating Lily through the framework One of her decisions is the fact that, until the end, Lily still clings to the material comforts provided by this world. It can even be assumed that her life ended because she failed to survive in a world in which economic wealth was replaced. by spiritual wealth. Works Cited and Consulted: Restuccia, FL "The Name of the Lily: The Feminism(s) of Edith Wharton." The House of Joy: Case Studies in Contemporary Criticism, S. (ed.). Bedford Books, 1994, 404-418.Robinson, LS “Trafficking in Women: A Cultural Critique of the House of Joy: Case Studies in Contemporary Criticism.” Benstock, S. (ed.). , Bedford Books, 1994, 340-58. Wharton, E. The House of Mirth New York, Bedford Books., 1994.