Foreshadowing of Lily's Death

From the moment at the pharmacy when Lily purchases her sleeping the pills, the reader is given a few signs suggesting that her prescription may be used to overdose and sleep eternally. The scene at the pharmacy on page 305 describes how the medicine is likely to be ultimately used. Here begins the excerpt: "The clerk had read the prescription without comment, but in the act of handing out the bottle he paused. 'You don't want to increase the dose, you know', he remarked. Lily's heart contracted. What did he mean by looking at her in this way? 'Of course not', she murmured, holding out her hand. 'That's all right; it's a queer-acting drug. A drop or two more, and off you go; the doctors don't know why." (305) In this scene it almost seems that the pharmacist is aware that Lily may abuse her prescription. It is possible that her heart rate increased because she was scared of what was going to come. She is also scared that the pharmacist may have noticed her final intentions for these drugs. The impulses and senses felt by Lily Bart and the pharmacist during this interaction foreshadow the coming of something unwanted.

Lily in the Workplace

Although Lily thinks that her special deftness of touch will make her an adept millener, her preconceptions are wrong. After two months of work, "she was still being rebuked for her inability to sew spangles on a hat-frame" (301). Not only was she an unproductive worker, she was humiliated when she discovered that "after two months of drugery she still betrayed her lack of early training. Lily's lack of ability to ever become a great millener is similar to my desire to be a great golfer. Although my grandfather taught me the basics of gold when I was an adolescent, Today my golf game is miserable. I am unsuitable to play on the actual course and am still confined to the driving range after years of practice. Like Lily, I am losing hope of ever being a competitive golfer. Although I will never quit trying to learn golf, I have shifted my priorities away from being a great golfer to keeping myseld in some sort of physical condition and not letting my body deteriorate completely.

You just can't get what you want

The true relationship between Lily Bart and Mrs. Peniston, as well as Mrs. Peniston's true character become evident as Lily asks Mrs. Peniston for help in order to repay her gambling debt. Lily, shamefully, confesses to Mrs. Peniston that she has incurred gambling debts. Mrs. Peniston considers Lily's acts "horrors" (181), and is further enraged that Lily played cards on a Sunday. Ultimately, Lily refuses to give Lily money because she does not want to "do anything to give the impression that I countenance your behaviour. If you really owe your dress-maker; I will settle with her." (182). Mrs. Peniston's refusal to pay Lily's debt is like your parents refusing to give you an allowance at college. While they won't give you money to go out during the weekend, they have no problem helping with books fees and meal plans, things that are necessary and that they feel like they will have to buy themselves despite your efforts to help out. The situation Lily faces with her parents is similar to the situation many college students face with they parents.