Mirth Book 1 Parts V and VI

Continuing on in Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth, we see Lily is attempting to make her strategic move on Percy Gryce. Lily is really going out of her way to impress Gryce. She does things out of her nature such as giving up smoking or waking up early to prepare for Sunday Church service. In an event possibly due to fate, Lily misses the omnibus to Church and she begins to walk. She rests under a tree and Selden catches up with her. This meeting is more of like a prologue to their meeting later that day in which Selden expresses his reason for being at Bellomont. Additionally, Lily even admits she has an interest in Selden, but Selden lacks the wealth she desires of her husband, yet Lily even admits to the possibility, "'I shall look hideous in dowdy clothes; but i can trim my own hats'" (59).

Now that we know for certain that Lily likes Selden, the problem becomes who she will choose. In part V, the word mirth appears which of course I naturally decided to look up the definition. Meaning jollity accompanied by laughter, the title The House of Mirth may help us figure out what happens. Considering Gryce does not seem like he is full of much mirth, I think Lily spends most of her time with Selden and seriously considers marrying Selden.