The Bonfire of the Vanities Lesson Plan

What is the significance of Wolfe's reference to The Masque of the Red Death? How does it relate to the broader themes of societal apathy, class-based affliction, and delusion in New York City as portrayed in the novel?

The reference to The Masque of the Red Death carries multiple layers of meaning. Buffing primarily employs this comparison to highlight society's apathy toward the AIDS epidemic despite the material opulence of the 1980s. However, Wolfe suggests that there is another, perhaps more significant, plague at play – a class-based affliction fueled by poverty and racism. This affliction looms like a shadow over the "offshore boutique" of Manhattan,...