Book Review
Jun. 19th, 2005 05:14 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariThe Rise of Silas Lapham
by William Dean Howells
Another book I read as a result of my recent interest in the lesser-known authors and novels of the ninetheenth century, Silas Lapham was pretty good. Part tragedy, part comedy of manners, it gave me a good look at the late nineteenth century clash between old money and new money. The comedy part comes in with the irony that Silas Lapham views his honest earning of a fortune through commercial enterprise as a sign of his social worthiness, while the old money upper class society views that same thing as a sign of his social unworthiness. And neither side ever becomes aware of this difference in perspective as the root of the gap between them. The tragedy is Lapham's loss of his fortune through honest errors and an unwillingness to engage in shady dealings. And yet, Silas and his family come through their financial ruin with their characters not only intact, but also strengthened and edified. It is to Howells' credit as a writer that this aspect of the novel is not treated with mushy sentimentality.
by William Dean Howells
Another book I read as a result of my recent interest in the lesser-known authors and novels of the ninetheenth century, Silas Lapham was pretty good. Part tragedy, part comedy of manners, it gave me a good look at the late nineteenth century clash between old money and new money. The comedy part comes in with the irony that Silas Lapham views his honest earning of a fortune through commercial enterprise as a sign of his social worthiness, while the old money upper class society views that same thing as a sign of his social unworthiness. And neither side ever becomes aware of this difference in perspective as the root of the gap between them. The tragedy is Lapham's loss of his fortune through honest errors and an unwillingness to engage in shady dealings. And yet, Silas and his family come through their financial ruin with their characters not only intact, but also strengthened and edified. It is to Howells' credit as a writer that this aspect of the novel is not treated with mushy sentimentality.
