y of the situation is that most women who are accepted by society and are able to maintain the role of being something worthy to look at are able to do so only because of a husband who supplies them with the necessary funds to achieve it. In other words, in a male dominated society wherein women largely need the financial support of men to be accepted, they have become commodities. Lily recognizes this predicament when she ponders her marriage to Percy Gryce, a position where she would be to him “what his Americana hitherto had been: the one possession in which he took sufficient pride to spend money on” (Wharton 65).
Yet, this very society that demand its women be superficial creatures that merit worth only by appearance is also one which immediately rejects a woman who seems intent on marrying a man with wealth—the one course open to women who wish to be accepted in society. This may be where one of Lily’s character qualities prevents her from being able to join such a society. She is no good at hiding her desire to marry a man of wealth. In fact, she even tells Selden, her true love, that she “is very expensive” and “must have a great deal of money” (Wharton 31). These kinds of admissions make Lily appear to be the one thing this superficial society cannot bear-a scheming adventuress out to snag a rich husband. Being beautiful, unmarried, and a little too honest regarding her intentions, Lily makes herself suspect in the eyes of her social set as such an adventuress. She even admits to one of her rich, married friends, “Why don’t you say it, Judy? I have the reputation for being on
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