The Role Of Myrtle In The Great Gatsby

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The main belief of the American Dream is the hope for all Americans of a richer, happier and better life, however like in “The Great Gatsby”, this can be corrupted by the desire for wealth. This theme of corruption is exemplified through the characters Myrtle and Nick. When referring to her relationship with her husband, Myrtle claims that “the only crazy [she] was was when I married him. I knew right away I made a mistake. He borrowed somebody's best suit to get married in” (Fitzgerald 35). By regretting her Marriage because of his lack of money, Myrtle proves her priority of becoming wealthy rather than living a happy life. Had Myrtle been more interested in living out the American Dream of happiness and stayed married to George, rather than having an affair with Tom. In addition to Myrtle, Nick's character addresses the cause of corruption by wealth. …show more content…
Besides the desire for wealth, the existence of wealth also causes corruption, such as with Nick, who was always told by his father that "’Whenever [he] feels like criticizing anyone, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had’”(Fitzgerald