Similarities Between The Great Gatsby

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In the novel The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald places the rich into two conflicting categories, new money and old money. People of old money inherited their wealth, such as Tom and Daisy Buchanan, therefore they do not work rather they just flaunt their money and spend time amusing themselves doing anything they desire and feel money can solve any problem. People of new money are self made men who recently acquired their wealth and are merely a product of the 1920’s boom in economics, your classic “rags to riches” story, such as Gatsby. Both the novel and movie create a conflict between the two groups where one feels there better than the other and are constantly bumping heads throughout the story. The novels figurative geography demonstrates the …show more content…
They have not been around enough to make connections with the other wealthy people of the time and become respected people in society. New money, such as Gatsby, live in West egg and Fitzgerald portrays them as being very flashy, irresponsible, and ostentatious people. Gatsby symbolizes both the corrupted American Dream coming from nothing making something of yourself and new money. He drives a Rolls-Royce, lives in a huge mansion by himself, and throws these non-stop elaborate parties. Because Gatsby was not born into money he had to work for it all himself. He acquired his wealth through the means of crime and a chain of bootlegging businesses. “I understand you're looking for a business connection” (p70, Meyer Wolfsheim). Meyer Wolfsheim is one of Gatsby's sleazy partners in his bootlegging business. He saw an opportunity and fixed the 1919 World Series. The drive and motivation behind all of Gatsby's recent success is Daisy but all the corruption and materialism get in the way of Gatsby’s real purpose of becoming successful. Because of this his dream of marrying his love Daisy never comes true. This is evident at one of Gatsby’s parties where he and Daisy are finally together but he is interrupted by one of his servants for the reason that he had a meeting with one of his partners. This symbolizes the corruption getting to Gatsby and in the way of his love Daisy. New money is less responsible despite having better qualities. People like Gatsby, who are loving and actually care for the well being of others are, rare to