The Rise of Silas Lapham

Mrs. Corey returns from her vacation with her two daughters. Nanny is a scholarly, bookish girl, while Lilly is more artistic. When they are back in Boston, they discuss Tom’s romantic summer. The sisters do not like the prospect of Irene Lapham as a possible sister-in-law. Mrs. Corey agrees with their assessment of the Laphams. They worry that, should Tom marry Irene, they will be forced to feign politeness to the uncouth, lower class Lapham family. Bromfield insists that Tom’s trips to the Lapham house do not mean anything, referencing his own courtship of his wife. Mrs. Corey disagrees. Though Bromfield insists that they do not need “to go begging for [the Laphams’] favor” (163), she plans to make a trip of her own. She visits the Laphams, where she meets Persis and Penelope. The meeting is awkward and stilted. When she returns from her visit, she is even more appalled and annoyed by the nervous Lapham women. She concludes that Penelope, rather than Irene, is actually “in love with Tom, and [Persis] knows it” (169). Regardless, she decides that the family should meet for dinner one evening as this may be the “best way of curing Tom of his fancy” (170).

Mrs. Corey begins to plan her dinner party. By inviting other members of the Boston elite, including friends and relatives, she hopes to send the message to the Lapham family that the Corey family is not ashamed of their association with the Laphams. By including only close friends and family members, however, she also hopes to limit the exposure (and thus the potential embarrassment) of the Laphams to her inner circle. When Mrs. Corey tells Tom about her plans, he realizes that she is under the impression that he is courting Irene. Tom is surprised and guarded. Filled with a “vague dissatisfaction” (175), he asks his mother not to throw the dinner party but she says that it is too late, as invitations have already been sent out.

Persis receives the invitation and wonders how to respond. She is not used to such parties, and she has no idea what to wear or how to conduct herself. She is concerned that her husband and daughters will not have anything to discuss with their hosts. Silas learns about the invitation and makes plans to purchase a dress coat (his first one) especially for the occasion. He may even need a pair of gloves, he tells his wife, and he frets anxiously over how to dress. The family purchases “a book of etiquette” (182) in the hope of avoiding mistakes. Silas and Persis agree that neither of them want to attend but they will do so for their daughters’ sake, so that Penelope and Irene can be accepted into the Boston elite, of which they know that they will never truly be a part. Penelope does not want to go to the dinner, much to the consternation of her parents. She believes that the purpose of the dinner is to celebrate the inevitable engagement between Tom and Irene. She stays at home, and, after her family leaves, she bursts into tears.

At the Corey household, the Laphams arrive for the dinner party. The house is located in one of the “aristocratic” neighborhoods of Boston. Silas struggles with his gloves, noticing that no one else is wearing any. He glugs wine, unused to drinking anything other than water with his meals, and struggles to follow the conversation. Bromfield talks about art. He discusses architecture with Mr. Seymour, the architect who has worked on Silas’s house. Bromfield believes that musicians and architects are the only true artists. Painters like himself, as well as novelists, sculptors, and tailors, cannot measure up to such high creative standards. Bromfield then shifts the topic of conversation to social issues, sardonically suggesting that the wealthy open their homes to the poor when the wealthy are away on their summer vacations. Mrs. Corey is horrified by the damage that might be done to her home and her husband withdraws his suggestion.

The group discusses a recent novel, Tears, Idle Tears. Nanny is critical of the novel, dismissing it as a trite and cliché romance. Minister Sewell agrees with her critique of “old-fashioned heroes and heroines” (197). He believes novelists should write in a more realistic manner if they want to be considered true artists. The men and the women separate into different groups. The men discuss patriotism amongst the younger generation. Bromfield decries the lack of patriotism and good citizenship among the youth of the day. Silas finally manages to enter the conversation, telling a story about his time in the Civil War. He praises the bravery of a man named Jim Millon, who saved Silas by diving in front of a bullet. Millon was survived by “poor Molly and Zerrilla” (203), his wife and daughter respectively. Jim had announced his fears before the battle, but he insisted on taking part in the fighting. To Silas, he was a real hero. By this time, however, Silas is too drunk.

Feeling empowered by his anecdote, however, he begins to lecture Bromfield about the qualities of mineral paint and other subjects. He drinks more and waffles, dominating the conversation and not allowing anyone else to say anything. On the way home, he is pleased with his behavior. Waking up the following day, however, the hungover Silas begins to worry that he acted badly. At work, he asks to speak to Tom and quietly asks whether he was drunk at the party. He also promises to talk to his typist, Zerrilla, about an “important” (208) matter.

The following day, Silas apologizes to Tom. He regrets his drunkenness at the dinner party and worries that he has “disgraced” (209) himself, his family, and his hosts. Tom is more horrified that Silas is so embarrassed, rejecting Silas’s offer to find him a job in another company. He insists that Silas has “nothing to take back” (211). After work, Tom reflects on how “grotesquely unlike” (213) his father and Silas are. He decides to visit the Lapham house and reiterate to Silas how much he respects him.