Analyze how Howells uses literary elements such as style, tone, and selection of detail to portray the complex experience of Penelope and Irene within their family and society.

The following excerpt is from the novel, The Rise of Silas Lapham, by William Dean Howells, published in 1885. In this passage the author offers a peek into the lives of two sisters, Penolope and Irene. Read the passage carefully. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze how Howells uses literary elements such as style, tone, and selection of detail to portray the complex experience of Penelope and Irene within their family and society.