I kept thinking about Casanova’s theories of place and movement as I was reading Wharton’s House of Mirth. As someone from the mid-west, the theory of epicenters of knowledge and creativity resonated with me, always feeling far away. A large part of choosing Wellesley had to do with being close to such wealths of knowledge and society.

I found similar themes in The House of Mirth. Much depends on Lily’s ability to be in the right place at the right time. She must be invited to all of the right parties; furthermore, she must not be seen in town during the traveling season. It seems as though place is a large factor in one’s ability to maintain status. To this end, trains because relevant. While Wharton also uses ships, carriages and automobiles, it is trains that carry Lily to and from these estates as she attempts to maintain her status. Additionally, the trains signify her slipping in social structure.

The novel begins with Lily being seen in the train station. She is brilliant compared to others common folk. On a train we first see her play the society game in manipulative small talk as a way to separate herself from her worries. When she picks up Trenor at the train station she accepts his offer to play the stock market and thus her debt begins.

I believe that trains and travel help to illustrate how Lily’s status is in flux, changing as she moves to and from party and house. As she never has a stable home of her own, her status is also always shifting.