The House of Mirth
Edith Wharton
"She had shown her artistic intelligence in selecting a type so like her own that she could embody the person represented without ceasing to be herself" (Wharton, 109).
The performance that the Welly Brys showcased serves as a symbol of Lily, which, once realized by Selden, convinces him of his love for Lily. Every aspect of the performance, a live reproduction of famous pieces of art, from who presented it to who else was in it, revealed some aspect of Lily's character as a whole.
The first part of the symbol (I would say more of an allegory but whatever) is that of the Welly Brys who financed and orchestrated the production as a means to strengthen ties with their newly acquired wealthy friends who came with Mrs. Welly Bry's newly acquired status. Mrs. Bry's social ambitions are reminiscent of Mrs. Bart's social ambitions which vastly influenced Lily to seek a way into the wealthy society. More significantly, the motives for putting on the performance (proving worth to those who likely can't see it) parallel Lily's desires to stand out as an individual.
When described, all others who were part of the performance appeared to fill a role already had in mind. Carry Fisher was cast as a Goya painting because of a few characteristics that brought up the already familiar images of Goya (a famous painter, as Google assures me). However, the observations of Lily's portrayal of a Reynolds note an atypical portrayal that represents Lily's atypical qualities. Lily seemed not to fill a role others already had in mind; she seemed to create a new role. The expectations people had for Reynolds' work were completely thrown out as Lily showed them something more beautiful. The significance of this scene is two-fold. Lily's shattering of expectations in the performance symbolizes how she will not fill a slot in life already imagined by someone. Also, she has achieved a middle-ground on which she can meet Selden. After the performance, Selden realizes that Lily can be associated with the wealthy class and still be herself. It's because of this symbolism that Selden realizes his love for Lily and pursues it.
Here are some links to the artists used as allusions if anyone should want to seek further symbolism even though there are probably at most two people who are going to read this.
http://www.franciscodegoya.net/
http://www.abcgallery.com/V/vandyck/vandyck.html
http://www.thecultureconcept.com/circle/women-of-influence-painter-angelica-kauffmann
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