Gus Trenor

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

Chapters 7 & 8

"She was too genuinely ignorant of the manipulations of the stock-market to understand his technical explanations, or even perhaps to perceive that certain points in them were slurred; the haziness enveloping the transaction served as a veil for her embarrassment, and through the general blur her hopes dilated like lamps in a fog" (Wharton, page 68)

As a new minor character, Gus Trenor has taken a storm in Lily's plans. I almost thought there was a chance that Lily would decide to give up her ridiculous hopes of marrying Percy Gryce and be with Selden. To my dismay, Trenor convinces Lily that he can attain money for her without any cost to her. I think he is using Lily for some other means that by this point are unclear. With a plan put in place by Trenor, Lily agrees although she even admits to herself that she is unsure of what it all really means to her. From the quote above, Wharton remarks on Lily's actions and like myself, agrees that Lily really has not idea what she is getting herself into but has clouded her mind and actions with the idea that she is going to get money without no harm. Even in the society of today, nothing is ever free. Furthermore, Gus and Lily see each other again at a wedding and he asks her to stay with him and his wife for some weeks so he can help her attain more money. Lily graciously declines and moves on to be alone at the party. I am glad she declined as I am still unsure of Trenor as a character as he seems to be up to no good. He then again interrupts her conversation with Selden at the party so she could get Rosedale on Lily's and his good side to help with the stock-market escapade. As the book continues, I am sure I will get a better picture of Trenor's true purpose in Lily's money search. Hopefully, Lily will be able to figure it out before it is too late as a man like Trenor does not seem apt to be gracious in his actions, time, or money.