In the final analysis, The House of Mirth is a tragic tale about how an innocent girl can be driven to desperation by a cold and hypocritical society. Lily has better taste than anyone in her set; she is nobler and truer to herself than any of her friends.

Nevertheless, with neither money nor a husband, she is helpless, powerless to resist the whims of a society focused on its own pursuit of pleasure. Much of the appeal to readers of The House of Mirth lies in its revelations about how the rich live; it does the same cultural work as Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. But unlike Robin Leech's show, Wharton's novel is bitterly critical, portraying Wharton's own class (or at least the newest members of it) in a very negative light.

1. Ultimately, what do you feel prevents Lily from marrying?

2. In her autobiographical...