In the novel The Rise of Silas Lapham, by William Dean Howells, the character Silas Lapham is a very rich man. He gains his wealth by finding a new source of paint in his own backyard. He then becomes very rich thanks to his new discovery and gets more money than he can handle. Along with money Silas gains a sense of personal pride, which comes from being rich. Because of his pride, Silas becomes selfish and conceited, as if he rules the world. He spends his money ruthlessly on things just because he likes them or because he thinks it would impress others. There comes a time when Silas is no longer on top of the world, his life begins to deteriorate and he becomes trapped in the web of bad luck. As his motivations change from selfish to caring, Silas manages to find hope when all seems lost. Silas is never satisfied. Although he has everything he could need or want, he still wants more. His greed is shown when his wife, Mrs. Lapham, reminds him, "No, you'd better face the truth, Silas. It wasn't a coincidence at all. You left him out. A man who had saved you! No, you had become greedy , Silas. You had made your painting your god, and you could not bear to let anyone else share its blessings”' (47). Silas is not satisfied with his power in business, so he forces his partner, Mr. Rogers , to take over and leave the business. This allows Silas to have the entire profit from the paint, as well as all the credit for the successful business Mr. Rogers doesn't have a job, or a way to provide for his family. Instead he just thinks about how he will benefit from losing Rogers. Lapham also expresses his selfishness to Tom Corey when he gets on Lapham's bus... the middle of the paper... affects him, but how does it also affect the people who buy it. Even though selling the land would make him rich, he puts caring for others before his own desires. Silas begins to be content with the desires he has and does not feel a constant need for anything else. When Silas' motivations behind his actions begin to change from greedy to generous, is when he is able to discover true happiness. As Silas' desire for his material wealth becomes stronger than his desire for happiness, Silas loses sight of himself. He becomes selfish and willful, which is so far from his true self. The loss of the material things that blinded him is necessary to understand what the true source of his happiness is, namely his family. Once he manages to rediscover that happiness, Silas manages to rediscover himself. He is able to lose his ego and regain the kindness he once lost.