of this epiphany, Lily Bart still remains unfaltered from her course of marrying well. She considers propositions from several wealthy men, even contemplating a union with Simon Rosedale and George Dorset, both of whom she finds tedious and distasteful. It is not until she becomes utterly impoverished, due to a complicated series of events, that Lily realizes that she should have accepted Selden's love from day one. Once the door of desolation is thrust upon Lily, she is able to see clearly. However, she has been manipulating males for too long, and has blown her chances with the man she only now realizes she loves.Brett Ashley never sees the fruitlessness of the game that she plays. Instead, she only becomes more immersed in manipulation during a trip to Pamplona. Brett is already away with three men who she has had relationships with, and who continuously fight over her. Oblivious to the harmful nature of her actions, Brett decides to take up with a nineteen-year-old bullfighter. Brett tells Jake, "I'm a goner. I'm mad about the Romero boy. I'm in love with him, I think." (p. 187) However, Hemingway displays her careless and detached nature through an incident in Pamplona:The bull who killed Vicente Gironeswas killed by PedroRomero as the third bull of that same afternoon. His earwas cut by popular acclamation and given to Pedro Romero,who, in turn, gave it to Brett, who wrapped it in a handkerchiefbelonging to myself, and left both ear and handkerchief, alongwith a number of Muratti cigarette-stubs, shoved far back inthe drawer of the bed-table that stood beside her bed in theHotel Montoya, in Pamplona. (P. 203)This is extremely important because it is symbolic of Brett's entire outlook on men. She has an affair with Pedro Romero, however, she doesn't respect him or his art work. By leaving the bull's ear in a nightstand, her whole character comes to light. She pushes men aside in the same manner, without a second th...
