Character Manipulation in The Rise of Silas Lapham Essay -- Rise Silas

Character Manipulation in Ho sounds The Rise of Silas Lapham Of every last(predicate) the characters who undergo change in The Rise of Silas Lapham, Laphams change is the only unrivaled looked upon in a positive light by the narrator. William Dean Howells uses the turpitude of other characters to promote Laphams newfound morality and reinforce his ultimate triumph. in front Laphams financial ruin, he is the only character with fault. Yet as his human crumbles, so does the credibility and innocence of his wife, two daughters, and former partner, Mr. Rogers. At the aforesaid(prenominal) time, the very catalyst of Laphams ruin exonerates him. This allows Howells to reinforce Laphams ultimate rise in the novel, despite his financial and social failures. While Silas Laphams character shines of perfect winner in the books opening interview, we soon learn of the fault that will leave to his ruin. In a time when his company needed help, Lapham used Mr. Rogers for his capital, and so pushed him out of the company once back on his feet. Mrs. Lapham holds the strongest position towards Silas word of Mr. Rogers No you had better face the truth, Silas. It was no chance at all. You herd him out. A man that had saved you No, you had got greedy, Silas. You had made your paint your god, and you couldnt bear to permit anybody else share in its blessings.(45) She believes that his treatment of Rogers is the only fault in his character, and is fulfil when he finally makes good on it by lending notes to Rogers when asked. Despite his efforts to resolve the matter, Lapham refuses to admit his guilt. But the narrator tells us he is guilty*, and Silas admits feeling relieved after working it out Well, I dont know when its done me so much ... ...ng Laphams upward motion cannot be accidental. Lapham needed his wife to nag at him about Rogers, and needed Rogers to be a rascal to start the events which lead to his rise. Lapham needed his daughters distraction to escort h is lack of support and need for complete self-sufficiency during his hardships, as well as its incorporation of the Corey family to justify his involvement and failure with society. Howells creates a spot in which Lapham figuratively steps on the other characters in rules of order to rise. Works Cited and ConsultedCarter, Everett. Howells and the Age of Realism. Hamden, Conn. Arcton Books, 1966Howells, William Dean. The Rise of Silas Lapham. 1885. Harmondsworth Penguin, 1988 Van Wyck, Brooks. Howells His Life and World. Dutton, 1959.Wagenknecht, Edward. W.D. Howells The Friendly Eye. raw(a) York Oxford University Press, 1969