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 supporting Harry Potter characters
In "Chamber of Secrets", it is established that the character is the ghost of a Muggle-born witch who died while a student at Hogwarts, fifty years before the events in the book. Myrtle was hiding in the first floor girls' lavatory to elude Olive Hornby, a classmate of hers who perpetually tormented her about her glasses, when the Chamber of Secrets was opened and the basilisk emerged and killed her. Tom Riddle used her death to create his second Horcrux: his diary. After death, Myrtle haunted Olive everywhere she went, until Olive complained to the Ministry of Magic, which ordered Myrtle to return to Hogwarts. Ever since then, Myrtle has sulkily haunted the same lavatory where she died. Despite living up to her name, she is flirtatious with Harry, especially during his bath, and also makes lascivious comments regarding Cedric's bath suggesting voyeuristic tendencies.