Examples Of Greed In The Great Gatsby

Synonymous with greed, affluenza bars people from being content with their possessions. By standardizing wealth as a means of happiness, the quality and quantity of their possessions becomes a priority in life. While it is important to have enough wealth to live subsistently, being consumed in its abundance allows for the depreciation of human morality and credibility. As seen in “The Fisherman and His Wife”, The Great Gatsby, and 8 Men Out, the consequences of greed are substantially dangerous.
Alice’s lust for luxury resulted in the loss of the many comforts she initially possessed. At the outset of the tale, Alice voiced her greed when she asked, “Did you not wish for anything first?" She demanded her husband return to the sea and ask the fish for a cottage. After making the request, the fisherman returned home to find his wife inside a cottage. The fisherman stated, …show more content…
The Buchanans used their money as a means of protection from the consequences of their actions. Daisy felt no remorse when Myrtle was killed by the car she was recklessly driving. Daisy’s greed and sense of entitlement obscured her ability to understand the extent of damage she caused. Tom Buchanan was also blinded arrogance, which stemmed from his wealth, when he told George Wilson that Gatsby was responsible for Myrtle’s death. Although Tom’s actions resulted in the deaths of Gatsby and George Wilson, the Buchanans’ stayed inside their mansion, holding hands and talking things over. Unlike most of the characters, they remained unaffected by the chaos they caused. As Nick Carraway said, “They were careless people. . . They smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money . . . and let other people clean up the mess they had made. . ." (179). Ultimately the greed and ignorance of these characters is to blame for the degeneration of their

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