 Poet Dorothy Parker—herself orphaned at age nine—"strongly identified" with Sharp, and effectively treated her as a role model.Meade, in her biography of Parker, says Sharp became Parker's alter ego, and that it was from her that Parker learnt "the rules of the game".To Eva M. Dadlez, Sharp is a character to be admired, particularly for her intelligence — which is more acute than any of the other characters (aside from Dobbin, who sees through her) — her overcoming a difficult childhood, and ultimately "her talent to survive disasters".