The House of Mirth
The central theme of "The House of Mirth" is essentially "the struggle between who we are and what society tells us we should be". Thus, it is considered by many to be as relevant today as it was in 1905. If its sole subject had been the excesses and lives of the rich and famous, by themselves, it is doubtful it would have remained popular for as long as it has. "The House of Mirth" continues to attract readers over a century after its first publication, possibly due to its timeless theme. That the life and death of Lily Bart matters to modern readers suggests that Wharton succeeded in her purpose: to critique "a society so relentlessly materialistic and self-serving that it casually destroys what is most beautiful and blameless within it."
List of Home and Away characters (2001)
Lily and Gypsy return several months later to visit Irene following her cancer diagnosis and help look after her. Gypsy's new boyfriend Mark Gilmour (Shane Emmett) arrives and it is clear that he and Lily do not get on very well. Mark later suggests sending Lily to boarding school, but Gypsy disagrees with the idea. Gypsy and Mark's relationship ends after Lily learns Gypsy had sex with Liam Murphy (Axel Whitehead) and tells Mark. Irene tells Gypsy to leave and she and Lily return to Queensland.