Lost Self-an Analysis Of The Consumer Culture In Edith Wharton’s Custom Of The Country

There have been many disputes concerning Edith Wharton’s (1862-1937) literary achievements:some critics argue that she is but imitating her predecessor Henry James while others believe that Wharton is a pioneer in starting the thoughts of Feminism. As feminism flourishes in the second.half of the twentieth century, Wharton’s works have been given much attention. In China, the study of Wharton is still focused on her representative works like The House of Mirth, The Age of Innocence, and Summer.The Custom of the Country focuses on the multiple marriages and divorces of the female protagonist and presents a fetishistic girl under capitalism who disregards the traditional morality.The novel did not draw as much attention as novels like The House of Mirth, The Age of Innocence partly because the relentless behaviors of the female protagonists go too far beyond the conventions of the society. Some critics regard it as Wharton’s exaggerated expression of her desire for freedom and equality. But I think the novel reflects the author’s deep worry about the fetishistic attitude brought by capitalism and consumerism.Through a close reading of the novel, this thesis attempts to explore the social cause of the main characters’ consumption-oriented attitudes and discuss the dilemma in which the aristocratic are trapped. The thesis analyzes the materialization of personal relationships, people’s sense of lost identity and the shattered morality.Due to the invasion of consumerism and market economy, people begin to question their original values and feel lost about their identity. The traditional gentlemen-patterned educational system has been replaced by the priority given to material benefit and the moral principles in personal relationship are overlooked.