Question

the house of mirth is a 1905 novel by edith wharton. in the novel, lawrence selden is returning to work as a lawyer in new york city when he sees lily bart, a socialite he knows, in a train station. the narrator suggests that selden views lily as someone whose behavior always seems to be motivated by a sense of great purpose. which quotation from the house of mirth most effectively illustrates the claim? a there was nothing new about lily bart, yet he could never see her without a faint movement of interest: it was characteristic of her that she always roused speculation, that her simplest acts seemed the result of far - reaching intentions. b if she had appeared to be catching a train, he might have inferred that he had come on her in the act of transition between one and another of the country houses which disputed her presence after the close of the newport season; but her desultory air perplexed him. c an impulse of curiosity made him turn out of his direct line to the door and stroll past her. d he let the dispersing crowd drift him whither it would, without an immediate effort to reach her.

Explanation:

The question asks which quotation from the novel The House of Mirth best illustrates a certain claim about Lily Bart. By analyzing each option, we look for the one that shows her behavior being motivated by a sense of great - in this case, far - reaching intentions. Option A describes Lily Bart as someone whose simplest acts seem the result of far - reaching intentions, which aligns with the idea in the question.

Answer:

A. "There was nothing new about Lily Bart, yet he could never see her without a faint movement of interest: it was characteristic of her that she always roused speculation, that her simplest acts seemed the result of far - reaching intentions."