“A monstrously perfect result of the system”: Narcissism and Proto–Social Media in Edith Wharton’s <i>The Custom of the Country</i>

Abstract This article, taking inspiration from contemporary American novelists, Jonathan Franzen and Clare Messud, argues Edith Wharton’s 1913 novel The Custom of the Country presages our hyperconnected, modern world of social media. Through parodying the ladies’ books of etiquette, Wharton satirizes the novel of manners. It further argues, in a re-imagining of the Narcissus myth, that Undine Spragg, via the gossip columns of the day, and social media influencers are, albeit vainly, trying to connect with other human beings. The article argues for a fresh look at Wharton’s oeuvre and makes an appeal for her continued inclusion in American literature surveys. Finally, the article offers insights into teaching Wharton in the contemporary college classroom.