Characterization of Mrs. Newell

Eng 201                                                                                                             Chantell Agrispin

Prof.Whitley                                                                                                       3/10/2012

                                             Characterization of Mrs. Newell

                           In the story “The Last Asset” Mrs. Newell is the unlikely character. How Mrs. Newell is characterized is a person who cares about social class and money and will do anything to get to the top. As defined in Marxist theory competition Mrs. Newell sends Garnett to find Hermione father because if he is not present she cannot be married. As quoted in the story “ They don’t like it in Europe. And in this case it would have been the end of hermy marriage. They wouldn’t think of letting their son marry the child of divorced parents”.(Wharton 224).

                                 Mrs. Newell is using Hermione to be high in social class and to finally fit in with her “friends” and actually have a reason to because she is going to be the mother in law of royalty. As quoted in the text “What is the use of producing and educating a handsome daughter if she did not, in some more positive way contribute to her parents advancement.(Wharton 218). Mrs. Newell is also portrayed as Commodification. She commidfy Hermione to get in the high social class and finally be the person she believe she had to be. “she was in want of social renovation. She had been doing and saying the same things for way too long”.(Wharton 217). Mrs. Newell only thinks about herself not how Mrs. Newell feels or even Hermione. When Mr. Newell declined her offer to appear in the wedding all he thought about what she had that was going to be disastrous. As quoted “it’s too hard, after all I’ve done! The trousseau is ordered, think how disgraceful”.(Wharton 238).