Though Lily Bart makes conscious attempts to identify herself with the society, she subconsciously seems to escape from the age of ornament. The accidents like Lily's missing church, which results in Percy Gryce finding someone else is her protest against marriage and her revolt against being a stagnant object. Further it is indispensable to observe that Lily succeeds in getting eligible men to propose to her. However she doesn't commit to any of them. Her marital prospects with Gryce gets cancelled when she indulges in a walk with Selden. Lily avoids her suitors either by running away literally or by running away mentally. In the first chapter when Lily is in Benedick she feels how delicious it is to have a place exclusively for oneself. Lily feels sorry that she is deprived of such privileges. She feels how lucky men are for no conscious effort is made on their part to get married or attain status in society. Lily actually suffers from an internal conflict . She wants to be an ordinary person . At the same time her mother's words keeps lingering in her mind . Lily allows herself to be treated as a human ornament. But she also feels " what a miserable thing it is to be a woman ."Her pride prevents her from leading a simple life. Unlike Lily there are woman like Gerty Farish who lives in her own flat and makes her own living. Lily chooses to be an ornament because that is the only way she will be able to earn a social status for herself. Lily unable escape from the clutches of the materialistic society opts to die rather than live. Lily accepts her status as an object only externally. She manages to retain her innate characteristics till her death.

e Hemmingway Theodre Roosevelt and Henry James. The writer Henry James immensely influenced Wharton .

Some common words found in the essay are:
Lily Bart's, Gerty Farish, Lily Bart, Gerty Parish, Lily Lily, LilyWhile Trenor, Gryce Selden, Lily Benedick, York Wharton, House Mirth, lily bart, society lily, elite society, materialistic society, belong elite society, woman lily, upper class, till death, lead life, lily allows, belong elite,
Approximate Word count = 1875
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)