"Babylon Revisited" written by F. Scott Fitzgerald and "Roman Fever" by Edith Wharton introduce characters which are haunted by past influences in their lives. These characters make choices that affect the way they handle situations in general. Both sets of characters are influenced by the deceit of untruthfulness and/or alcoholism, sexual
             impurity, and a general disregard of human dignity.
             Deceit which matures into alcoholism and the pathological lying syndrome often complicates lives, as is the case in the main characters of both the aforementioned stories. In both stories, the characters are erroneous in judgement by being deceitful and taking advantage of others. Charlie in "Babylon Revisited" lets his love of money and alcohol cause him great distress. He eventually loses all of his money, physical well-being, and most importantly, his own child.
             Although alcohol is not mentioned in "Roman Fever," deceit grabs the two main characters just like the liquor does an alcoholic. Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley deceive each other in their past so-called friendship to the point that each lied to cover up any
             happiness that each might enjoy. The lies haunt them repeatedly until the truth is revealed many years later. "The flame of her wrath had already sunk, and she wondered why she had ever thought there would be any satisfaction in inflicting so purposeless a
             wound on her friend. But she had to justify herself" (Wharton 1194). Both women knew they were wrong and used the truth to lash out and harm each other.
             Sexual impurity is the thread that causes the downfall of Charlie's and Helen's marriage as well as Mrs. Slade's and Mrs. Ansley's friendship. In "Babylon Revisited," Charlie's and Helen's marriage is not perfect in the least way. Helen is cheating on Charlie indicating that they are havin
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