Passage 119 · 1905
"Lily Bart's Dilemma"
Main effectThrough passive production, evidential adverb, resultative syntax, and participial chaining, Wharton creates grammar of determinism—syntax that shows how Gilded Age women are manufactured by civilization then imprisoned by its ornaments, their jewels becoming manacles in a system that offers no escape.
Device index
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Tropes
Apparent contradiction.
Explicit comparison.
Implicit comparison.
No words highlightedSyntax
"the civilization which had produced her"—passive perfect with relative clause. Syntax emphasizes Lily as product, not agent.
"so evidently"—intensifying adverb. Syntax makes victimhood obvious, undeniable.
"which had produced her"—past perfect relative clause. Syntax shows civilization's prior creation of the victim it now destroys.
"that the links...seemed like manacles"—result clause following "so evidently." Syntax makes jewelry's imprisonment logical consequence of visible victimhood.
"chaining her to her fate"—present participle with prepositional object. Syntax performs the binding through continuing action.
"her fate"—possessive construction. Syntax makes destiny both personal and inescapable.
Close reading
1Close Reading
Passive Construction
"the civilization which had produced her"—passive perfect with relative clause. Syntax emphasizes Lily as product, not agent.
Adverbial Emphasis
"so evidently"—intensifying adverb. Syntax makes victimhood obvious, undeniable.
Relative Clause Specification
"which had produced her"—past perfect relative clause. Syntax shows civilization's prior creation of the victim it now destroys.
Result Clause
"that the links...seemed like manacles"—result clause following "so evidently." Syntax makes jewelry's imprisonment logical consequence of visible victimhood.
Participial Bondage
"chaining her to her fate"—present participle with prepositional object. Syntax performs the binding through continuing action.
Possessive Fate
"her fate"—possessive construction. Syntax makes destiny both personal and inescapable.
Stylistic Effect
Through passive production, evidential adverb, resultative syntax, and participial chaining, Wharton creates grammar of determinism—syntax that shows how Gilded Age women are manufactured by civilization then imprisoned by its ornaments, their jewels becoming manacles in a system that offers no escape.