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."
New Kid on the Block
Meanwhile, Bart is delighted at having Laura babysitting him and attempts to impress her. She later asks him to come to his treehouse, as she has important news. She tells him she is dating Jimbo Jones, one of the bullies from his school, which dismays Bart. When Laura invites him over to the household, Bart, in an attempt to break them up, prank calls Moe's Tavern, giving his name as "Jimbo Jones", and telling Moe where he lives. Mistakenly believing Jimbo was the one who had been pranking Moe all the time, he rushes into the Simpson house with a razor sharp knife looking for Jimbo, causing Jimbo to burst into tears and beg for his life. Laura breaks up with him for not being the tough "outlaw" she thought he was. She tells Bart that she would date him, with the pair laughing after prank-calling Moe again.