Irene

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Recommended: Early american literary themes

Themes are a huge part in any novel. In The Rise of Silas Lapham by William Dean Howells he uses many themes in the novel which he expresses through the actions of the characters. In the novel, a business story dominates a secondary love triangle. Silas Lapham earns a fortune in the paint business through opportunism, greed, and driving ambition. He wants his daughter to marry into the high class Corey family to gain the high social status the backwoods Laphams have never attained. Silas' conduct in managing his business and Irene's love affair are based on the same materialistic set of values which draw the two stories together. In the Novel, The Rise of Silas Lapham, the author William Dean Howells uses themes to develop the characters with both Silas and Irene.
Through the character of Silas, Howells illustrates the themes of affluence, ambition, rise/fall as Silas undergoes challenges with social standings throughout the novel. One would think that as a result of Silas’ huge fortune attained through his work in the paint business, that he would rank high in the social standings. However, in giving the reader a clearer sense of the Lapham’s wealth, Howells states, “They went upon journeys, and lavished upon cars and hotels; they gave with both hands to their church and to all the charities it brought them acquainted with; but they did not know how to spend on society” (pg. 25). Howell’s parallel structure in repeating “they” followed with a distinct action- evidenced through the words went, lavished, and gave— emphasizes and builds momentum to the contrast seen in the phrase “they did not know” in referring to their inability to connect with society. Due to Silas’ extreme wealth in addition to his exceedingly strong desire to ...

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...g to their pride than the idea that Lapham should not have been able to do everything for his daughter that the Coreys might have expected.” (pg.307-8). Nevertheless, because Irene’s moral renewal, she recovers from her downfall to rise again. Therefore, through the themes of hope, marriage, and rise/fall, Howell is able to display Irene’s journey as she experiences hope and rise and falling.
The author, William Dean Howell, writes the themes in The Rise of Silas Lapham to develop the characters with both Silas and Irene. So overall the author uses themes throughout the book to express the characters. Both the characters Irene and Silas are parallel with each other and both express themes in the novel through their actions. The big idea is that both Silas and Irene were developed as their own characters but also came together at the end and helped each other.

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