Character Manipulation in The Rise of Silas Lapham Essay -- Rise Silas

percentage Manipulation in Howells The encouragement of Silas Lapham Of all the characters who undergo change in The Rise of Silas Lapham, Laphams change is the unless one looked upon in a validating light by the narrator. William Dean Howells uses the corruption of other characters to promote Laphams new morality and reinforce his ultimate triumph. Before Laphams financial ravish, he is the only character with fault. Yet as his world crumbles, so does the credibility and artlessness of his wife, two daughters, and former partner, Mr. Rogers. At the same fourth dimension, the very catalyst of Laphams ruin exonerates him. This allows Howells to reinforce Laphams ultimate rise in the novel, despite his financial and mixer failures. While Silas Laphams character shines of perfect success in the books opening interview, we currently learn of the fault that will lead to his ruin. In a time when his company sine qua noned help, Lapham used Mr. Rogers for his capital, then pu shed him out of the company formerly back on his feet. Mrs. Lapham holds the strongest position towards Silas intervention of Mr. Rogers No you had better construction the truth, Silas. It was no chance at all. You crowded him out. A man that had saved you No, you had got greedy, Silas. You had made your paint your god, and you couldnt bear to let anybody else share in its blessings.(45) She believes that his treatment of Rogers is the only fault in his character, and is satisfied when he finally makes bully on it by lending money to Rogers when asked. Despite his efforts to resolve the matter, Lapham refuses to curb his guilt. But the narrator tells us he is guilty*, and Silas admits feeling sticking(p) after working it out Well, I dont know when its done me so much ... ...ng Laphams upward motion cannot be accidental. Lapham needed his wife to fireplug at him about Rogers, and needed Rogers to be a rascal to drink down the events which lead to his rise. Lapham needed his daughters distraction to ensure his lack of support and need for complete self-sufficiency during his hardships, as well as its incorporation of the Corey family to rationalise his involvement and failure with society. Howells creates a plot in which Lapham figuratively locomote on the other characters in order to rise. Works Cited and ConsultedCarter, Everett. Howells and the Age of Realism. Hamden, Conn. Arcton Books, 1966Howells, William Dean. The Rise of Silas Lapham. 1885. Harmondsworth Penguin, 1988 Van Wyck, Brooks. Howells His Life and World. Dutton, 1959.Wagenknecht, Edward. W.D. Howells The Friendly Eye. New York Oxford University Press, 1969