The House of Mirth, Book Two, Sections XIII and XIV

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
(SPOILER ALERT! DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE FINAL TWO CHAPTERS!!)

Loneliness.  The emotion consumed Lily Bart.  Selden's faith in Lily had kept her self-disgust at bay because she could see herself through Selden's eyes, but his faith could not provide companionship.  Though Lily had spiraled into poverty, ". . . there was something more miserable still - it was the clutch of solitude at her heart" (Wharton 259).  Lily changed! She realized that only through loving, human relationships could she achieve true happiness.  Furthermore, Nettie Struther, a woman Lily inadvertently saved from the brink of death, allowed Miss Bart to experience the warmth of such relationships with her kindness, hospitality, tales of perseverance, and eagerness to share her newborn baby with Lily.  Sadly, this glimpse into happy, humble living could not sustain Lily; she needed Selden's love to give her strength.  Accordingly, Lily, disturbed by her solitude, anxiety, and poverty, increased her chloral dosage to gain a peaceful sleep and she did so: permanently.

Faced with the tragedy of Lily's accidental death, I thought of one perfect song that, had Selden played it for Lily the night she visited, would have inspired her to overcome her loneliness.  "Not Alone" by Red vocalizes the inner tempest of emotions that Selden could not express to Lily during their encounter.  It offers a comforting voice of unconditional love and support, the kind of voice that could have soothed Lily into a peaceful rest.  The song also explains the intense negative emotions Lily felt before she died.  Therefore, I cannot express strongly enough how sorrowful I felt reading the final pages of The House of Mirth.  Selden was running to Lily, running to tell her that she is not alone!  Instead, he found his love dead and himself utterly incapable of helping her anymore.  Selden and Lily loved each other powerfully, but their differing lifestyles, upbringings, and values kept them apart until tragedy solidified their separation.  The song that could have saved Lily's life can be found below.