[From the archives] two little lines about the mouth

Narrative threads of anxiety, luck, and age in Edith Wharton's 1905 The House of Mirth

This weekend, I’m re-sharing one of my earliest essays, from when I first started this Substack, back in February 2023. This is not only because we have so many new subscribers around here (we’ve surpassed the 500 mark!) but also because I’m having a short but somewhat invasive surgery this weekend. I have a feeling that sitting at my desk and forming coherent thoughts might be a tough go for a few weeks.

So, until I’m up to new essays, I hope you’ll enjoy a few pieces from my archives over the next couple weeks, as well as some gobsmackingly wonderful Close Reader interviews.

Today: a close reading of a truly fantastic scene from early in Edith Wharton’s novel, The House of Mirth.

If you haven’t read the novel, you’ll gain enough context here to find it meaningful, and all major spoilers are avoided. This excerpt may even entice you to join me on a Mirth read-a-long this spring! (More on that coming very soon — make sure you’re subscribed to get the updates later this month.)

Thanks, …