Instant Access To 100,000+ Essays!

Symbolism Our society is greatly based on symbolic figures. Every symbol has underlying meaning and thus plays an important function in society. In Edith Wharton’s The House of Mirth, one of the symbols that recurs is that of the cigarette. The cigarettes are used to symbolize a form of flirtation and sexual desire. It is through the deciphering of this symbolism that much more is revealed than expected. Wherever symbols are used, its underlying meaning must be unraveled and its significance must be understood. The symbolism behind the cigarette is initially revealed when Selden first invites Lily to his home. It is during this scene that “Selden had turned to reach for a cigarette box” and offered a cigarette to Lily (31). As Lily reaches for a cigarette, Selden notes “how evenly the black lashes were set in her smooth white lids, and how the purplish shade between them melted into the pure pallour of the cheek” (31). During the exchange of the cigarette, Selden is face to face with Lily, and admires her beauty to its fullest extent. This image illustrates the closeness and intimacy that is connected with smoking. It is now that Lily’s “expression changes to active conjecture [as] she turns to Selden with