When a person reads a novel or short story, they are looking for something they can relate to, a similar experience they share with the characters. Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, people have experienced terrible circumstances, some brought on by their own actions, others simply by life or fate. Since tragedy is so common among humanity, an author can create an immediate connection between the reader and the story by using tragedy. Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth and F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Babylon Revisited" both use the main characters, Lily and Charlie, to depict a theme of tragedy brought about by fate, which concerns anyone who has suffered a loss in their life. life. life.In The House of Mirth Lily Bart, the main character is a society miss at the mercy of the world in which she lives. Lily's main problem is her lack of money and this problem ultimately leads to all the tragedies in her life. Lily's lack of money doesn't seem to be a problem for many people today, as we all know several people who live their lives to the fullest without much money. But in Lily's society, you need money to find a husband. Mary Balkun explained in her book that “Lily…lives in a world of country houses, dinner parties, and theater,” all of which require money to attend (73). As Lily has no money, she turns to George Dorset, the husband of Bertha Dorset, her friend. He acted to help her make money in the stock market, however, Lily does not realize that she is expected to give up something in return; his body. Due to her lack of money, Lily is then forced into situations where she herself is in danger, such as when Mr. Dorset invites Lily...... middle of paper...... Wharton and Fitzgerald to pay tribute to the fight for a better life, even if it ends up being lost. Works Cited Balkun, Mary McAleer. The American Counterfeit: Authenticity and Identity in American Literature and Culture. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 2006. Print. Currell, Susan. American culture in the 1920s. Edinburgh University Press, 2009. Print. Fitzgerald, Francis S. “Babylon Revisited.” 2012. Ed. Nina Baym. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Flight. D. New York, New York: Norton, 2012. 675-89. Print.Simons, Judy. “Edith Wharton, The House of Mirth.” The Review of English Studies 47.187 (August 1996): 441-442. Print.Vickery, John B. The Prose Elegy: An Exploration of Modern American and British Fiction. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2009. Print. Wharton, Edith. The house of joy. Mineola, NY: Dover, 2002. Print.