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."
Bart the Fink
The IRS takes control of Krusty's assets and his show, reducing his lifestyle to that of an average citizen. One evening, a depressed Krusty pilots his airplane into a mountainside, and he is later pronounced dead. While everyone assumes that Krusty is dead, Bart believes otherwise when he begins to see a Krusty look-alike all over town. With Lisa's help, he soon discovers that Krusty has gone into hiding under the disguise of Rory B. Bellows, a grizzled old longshore worker. They try to convince him to return to his former life, and he finally accepts when they explain how he is more respected than the nations' scientists and teachers. Krusty kills off his pseudonym in a "boating accident" in order to collect the life insurance, thus ending his tax woes.