more money. Somehow, the money deficiency was always the fault of Lily's father who was never around. Lily's mother was known as a "wonderful manager", one who could "produce on limited means," and live "much richer than one's bank book denoted." Mrs. Bart taught Lily to plead with her father if she didn't get want she wanted. Lily never knew the value of a dollar, and instead of instilling good morals and values into her daughter, Mrs. Bart instead taught Lily the value of being rich, or at least appearing to be so. The value is that no matter what the price is, one must be well dressed and have servants to assist you accordingly. "Lily was naturally proud of her mother's aptitude in this line; !
             she had been brought up in the faith that whatever it cost, one must have a good cook and be what Mrs. Bart called 'decently dressed'" (Wharton, 30). This is a good example of how Mrs. Bart would teach Lily that looking and dressing as if you were wealthy and important, and you had to do it at any price. This illustrates that Lily has been trained and grown accustomed to a life of fancy dresses and personal maids. It doesn't matter who you really are, just as long as you appear to be someone who is wealthy. Lily does become ashamed of her mother's obsession with money. However, although that may be true, in a way, Lily has become her mother because she too has an obsession with money and allows it to control the choices she makes in her life. The need to marry a rich man in order to be in the upper class society takes over her life. Early on, Lily adopted the idea that money is the most important factor in life, and the struggle between money and love she later faces in!
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