Compare the death of Myrtle to the death of Gatsby in The Great Gatsby.

In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, both Mrytle Wilson and Jay Gatsby are victims of Tom Buchanan, the true villain of the novel who represents the careless recklessness of the Jazz Age. While Tom humors her with gifts, personal items, and a dog, Myrtle is deluded into believing he cares for her.  But, when she mentions Daisy's name, he brutally slaps her.   Tragically, she dies, too, in a brutal manner, a sacrificial victim to his excesses, 

...kneeling in the street...her mouth wide open and ripped at the corners as though she had choked a little in giving up the tremendous vitality she has stored so long.

Rather than have his wife charged with this murder, Buchanan conspires with Daisy to let Gatsby take the responsibility.  As the Buchanans in the house plan their strategy, much like Myrtle who is romantically deluded, Jay convinces himself that Daisy loves him and needs his protection as he watches solicitously outside the kitchen window as the Buchanan's conspire. However, Mr. Wilson, who has also been deceived by Tom Buchanan's machinations, makes Gatsby the sacrificial victim to the excesses of Tom Buchanan and Daisy as he believes that Gatsby is responsible for Myrtle's death. And, Jay Gatsby, too, dies brutally, sacrificed to illusion, face down in his pool, arms outstretched as though thrown from a cross.