Appearance
Excerpt
Excerpt from Summer, by Edith Wharton
She sped up the street to the library, of which she had the key about
her neck. From the passage at the back she dragged forth a bicycle, and
guided it to the edge of the street. She looked about to see if any of
the girls were approaching; but they had drifted away together toward
the Town Hall, and she sprang into the saddle and turned toward the
Creston road. There was an almost continual descent to Creston, and with
her feet against the pedals she floated through the still evening
air like one of the hawks she had often watched slanting downward on
motionless wings. Twenty minutes from the time when she had left Miss
Hatchard's door she was turning up the wood-road on which Harney had
overtaken her on the day of her flight; and a few minutes afterward she
had jumped from her bicycle at the gate of the deserted house.
In the gold-powdered sunset it looked more than ever like some frail
shell dried and washed by many seasons; but at the back, whither Charity
advanced, drawing her bicycle after her, there were signs of recent
habitation. A rough door made of boards hung in the kitchen doorway,
and pushing it open she entered a room furnished in primitive camping
fashion. In the window was a table, also made of boards, with an
earthenware jar holding a big bunch of wild asters, two canvas chairs
stood near by, and in one corner was a mattress with a Mexican blanket
over it.
The room was empty, and leaning her bicycle against the house Charity
clambered up the slope and sat down on a rock under an old apple-tree.
The air was perfectly still, and from where she sat she would be able to
hear the tinkle of a bicycle-bell a long way down the road....
Explanation
Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Summer by Edith Wharton
Context of the Novel
Summer (1917) is a novella by Edith Wharton, often considered a companion piece to her more famous Ethan Frome (1911). Both works explore themes of repressed desire, social constraint, and the consequences of defying convention in rural New England. Summer follows Charity Royall, a young woman raised in the stifling, judgmental town of North Dormer, where she feels trapped by her adoptive guardian, the stern and hypocritical Lawyer Royall. The novel traces her awakening sexuality and emotional turmoil when she becomes involved with Lucius Harney, a sophisticated architect visiting from the city.
This excerpt occurs midway through the novel, after Charity has already begun a clandestine affair with Harney. She is increasingly restless, torn between her longing for freedom and the oppressive expectations of her small-town life. The passage captures a moment of transgression and anticipation—Charity sneaks away to a secluded, abandoned house where she and Harney have been meeting in secret.
Themes in the Excerpt
Freedom vs. Confinement
- The passage opens with Charity escaping—first from Miss Hatchard’s (a symbol of the town’s gossip and surveillance), then from the watchful eyes of the other girls. Her bicycle ride is described in terms of flight, comparing her to a hawk "slanting downward on motionless wings." This imagery suggests both liberation and predatory instinct—she is hunting for something forbidden.
- The descent to Creston (a literal downhill ride) mirrors her moral and emotional descent into passion, away from the rigid morality of North Dormer.
- The abandoned house serves as a liminal space—neither fully domestic nor wild, it is a hidden refuge where Charity can briefly escape societal rules.
Nature as a Mirror of Desire
- Wharton frequently uses natural imagery to reflect Charity’s inner state. The "gold-powdered sunset" suggests warmth, beauty, and fleeting time—hinting at the transient nature of her affair.
- The stillness of the air and the old apple tree (a traditional symbol of temptation and knowledge) reinforce the erotic and forbidden nature of her meeting with Harney.
- The wild asters in the jar (a flower often associated with love and patience) contrast with the rough, makeshift furniture, suggesting a mix of romantic idealism and raw, unrefined passion.
Isolation and Longing
- Charity is alone in this moment, but her solitude is active and purposeful. She is not passive; she drags her bicycle, climbs the slope, and positions herself to listen—she is in control, yet also vulnerable.
- The tinkle of a bicycle bell she awaits is a sound of both hope and dread—it signals Harney’s arrival, but also the inevitable consequences of their secret liaison.
Class and Social Transgression
- The primitive camping fashion of the room highlights the temporary, illicit nature of their meetings. Unlike Harney, who comes from wealth and sophistication, Charity’s world is one of scarcity and makeshift comforts.
- The Mexican blanket (an exotic, foreign object in this rural setting) subtly reinforces the forbidden, "otherworldly" quality of their relationship.
Literary Devices & Stylistic Choices
Imagery & Sensory Detail
- Visual: The "gold-powdered sunset" and the frail, dried shell of the house create a dreamlike, decaying beauty—suggesting both romance and impermanence.
- Tactile: The rough door, canvas chairs, and earthenware jar ground the scene in physical reality, contrasting with Charity’s emotional intensity.
- Auditory: The stillness is broken only by the anticipated bicycle bell, heightening tension.
Simile & Metaphor
- "Like one of the hawks she had often watched slanting downward on motionless wings" → Charity is both predator and prey, acting with purpose but also at the mercy of her desires.
- The house as a "frail shell" → Suggests vulnerability, something hollowed out by time, much like Charity’s own precarious position in society.
Symbolism
- The Bicycle → Represents modernity, independence, and escape (a rare freedom for women in the early 20th century).
- The Abandoned House → A hidden, transgressive space where societal rules don’t apply.
- The Apple Tree → Evokes Edenic temptation, reinforcing the moral stakes of Charity’s actions.
Pacing & Structure
- The passage moves swiftly at first (Charity’s ride is a blur of motion) but slows down as she reaches the house, mirroring her shift from action to waiting.
- The final sentence ("she would be able to hear the tinkle of a bicycle-bell a long way down the road...") is suspended in anticipation, leaving the reader in the same state of nervous expectation as Charity.
Significance of the Passage
Charity’s Agency & Rebellion
- Unlike many female characters of the time (including Wharton’s own Lily Bart in The House of Mirth), Charity takes action. She steals away, rides alone, and claims a space for herself—even if it’s temporary.
- However, her freedom is illusory. The house is abandoned and decaying, just as her affair with Harney is doomed by class differences and societal expectations.
Foreshadowing
- The fragility of the house (a "shell dried and washed by many seasons") hints at the impermanence of her happiness.
- The stillness before Harney’s arrival suggests a calm before a storm—their relationship will soon be exposed, leading to shame and consequences.
Wharton’s Critique of Rural Morality
- The passage contrasts the oppressive, gossip-ridden town (represented by Miss Hatchard and the girls) with the liberating, if dangerous, wilderness of the abandoned house.
- Charity’s physical escape mirrors her emotional rebellion, but Wharton suggests that true freedom is impossible in a society that polices women’s sexuality so harshly.
The Cost of Desire
- The beauty of the moment (the sunset, the wildflowers) is tinged with melancholy. Wharton often explores how passion leads to downfall, and this scene is a quiet prelude to disaster.
Conclusion: A Moment of Fleeting Freedom
This excerpt is a lyrical, tense pause in Charity’s story—a moment where she tastes freedom but is already haunted by its fragility. Wharton’s rich sensory details and symbolic depth immerse the reader in Charity’s desire, fear, and defiance. The passage is both romantic and tragic, capturing the beauty of rebellion and the inevitability of its consequences.
Ultimately, this scene is not just about a secret meeting—it’s about a young woman’s desperate attempt to claim agency in a world that denies her any. The stillness, the waiting, the decaying house all underscore the temporary nature of her escape, making the reader ache for her even as we fear for her fate.