How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Book.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"What's become of Dillworth?" he asked.
"Oh, his mother was frightened – she was afraid I should have all the family jewels reset. And she wanted me to promise that I wouldn't do over the drawing-room."
"The very thing you are marrying for!"
"Exactly. So she packed him off to India." (1.1.77-9)
Women are always generally control, while men are usually passive in House of Mirth.
Quote #2
She had the art of giving self-confidence to the embarrassed, but she was not equally sure of being able to embarrass the self-confident. (1.2.8)
For this reason, Lily is better able to manipulate men than women.
Quote #3
Miss Bart stared in affected reproval. "I thought you were so fond of Bertha."
"Oh, I am – it's much safer to be fond of dangerous people. (1.4.42-3)
This, too, is one of Lily's mistakes in House of Mirth – not tactically choosing her friends. For a woman who is supposedly cut out for this stuff, Lily never seems to play her societal cards right.