"The Rise of Silas Lapham"

Paper Summary:

"The Rise of Silas Lapham" by W.D. Howells is a story of a man's moral development from a time in life dictated by the pursuit of material and selfish desires, to one that is guided by the dictates of a morally sound conscience. This paper argues that, although Silas Lapham is a flawed human being, he is a true hero because, ultimately, he is able to face up to his mistakes and realize that morality lies in decisions that are guided by the interests of humanity rather than the individual.

From the Paper:

"Faced with the awkward realization that Tom and Penelope love each other, and not Tom and Irene as they had hoped, the Laphams are initially at a loss as to how they should deal with the problem. This is when Silas realizes the larger principle of happiness and welfare - a realization that is confirmed by Sewell, the minister. As a result, Lapham endorses Tom and Penelope's union so that two people could be happy instead of a marriage that would ultimately cause unhappiness for all the parties involved."

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