The Rise of Silas Lapham · Chapter
XIII explained
Mrs.
What happens
Mrs. Corey, having abandoned the idea of inviting the Laphams to dinner, now embraces it with the resolve of those who have sacrificed to virtue. She plans a dinner party, carefully selecting guests from her family and close acquaintances, including the Bellinghams, the Sewells, and others, to balance the social obligation. Meanwhile, the Laphams receive the invitation; Mrs. Lapham is initially troubled by Mrs. Corey's earlier condescension but is persuaded by her husband and Irene to accept. Penelope, however, declares she will not attend, though her father dismisses her objection. The chapter explores the social maneuvering and anxieties surrounding the impending dinner.
Themes in this chapter
Social Class and Mobility
The chapter highlights the social chasm between the established Coreys and the nouveau riche Laphams, as Mrs. Corey orchestrates a dinner to manage social debt while maintaining class distinctions.
Appearance vs. Reality
Mrs. Corey's polite invitation contrasts with her earlier condescension, and the Laphams grapple with interpreting her true intentions, revealing the gap between social performance and genuine feeling.
Marriage and Family Dynamics
The Lapham family debates the dinner invitation, with Silas asserting authority, Persis conflicted, and Penelope resisting, showcasing differing perspectives within the family unit.
Characters to notice
- Mrs. Corey
Plans the dinner for the Laphams, carefully selecting guests to manage social obligations and appearances.
- Silas Lapham
Insists on accepting the dinner invitation, dismissing his wife's and Penelope's reservations, and shows pride in the social opportunity.
- Mrs. Lapham
Struggles with feelings of social inferiority after Mrs. Corey's visit but is swayed by her husband and Irene to accept the invitation.
- Penelope Lapham
Initially shares her mother's discomfort with Mrs. Corey's behavior and declares she will not attend the dinner.
- Irene Lapham
Eagerly defends Mrs. Corey's intentions and encourages her mother to accept the invitation.
- Tom Corey
Expresses concern about the dinner but is reassured by his mother; his attitude toward the Laphams is a source of family discussion.
Key passages
“Having distinctly given up the project of asking the Laphams to dinner, Mrs. Corey was able to carry it out with the courage of sinners who have sacrificed to virtue by frankly acknowledging its superiority to their intended transgression.”
After deciding not to invite the Laphams, Mrs. Corey now feels free to do so, as if her earlier renunciation gave her moral license to proceed.
Highlights the social hypocrisy and self-justification in Mrs. Corey's decision.
“He finds himself hemmed in and left out at every turn by ramifications that forbid him all hope of safe personality in his comments on people; he is never less secure than when he hears some given Bostonian denouncing or ridiculing another.”
An outsider in Boston society is constantly trapped by the dense web of family connections, making any criticism risky because the target might be a relative of the speaker.
Illustrates the insular and interconnected nature of Boston's upper class.
“I guess nobody's been trying to make you feel bad, Persis. What would she go right home and invite you to dinner for, if she'd acted the way you say?”
Lapham argues that Mrs. Corey's invitation disproves any ill intent, suggesting that her earlier behavior was not meant to offend.
Shows Lapham's pragmatic and prideful dismissal of his wife's social anxieties.
