Why Is Social Class Important In The Great Gatsby

Words: 485

Pages: 2

Open Document

Social class and the American Dream blind many characters in The Great Gatsby, who try to get more then they already have. Relationships of money and social class have blind them not follow their true dream to be with the persons they loved. Money and social class allowed relationships to form. The concept of the American Dream is that every person is equal. The social class in The Great Gatsby is very important because true love gets blocked because of the money that one has or doesn't have.
Jay Gatsby and Daisy, had a past relationship that was ended because of the war but ultimately Gatsby not having money. Jay Gatsby and Daisy cannot be together, so Gatsby finds a way to make money and finds Daisy. The American Dream demonstrates that Gatsby has done anything to be a person that has money to be with his true love. Jay Gatsby was once poor and later grew wealthy. "She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of …show more content…
Nick is a character that is well off, by not being a part of the wealthy social class, every other character is shaped by money. " I lived at West Egg, the- well, the least fashionable of the two....(Fitzegerald 14.)" Nick lives on Long Islands least fashionable side or "New Money" the two parts are so close together but worlds apart. It is very uncommon that a millionaire lives in a small house but Nick doesn't need name brand items or to follow the trends so he lives in the smallest house.

The social status of each character in the novel has been shaped because of money. The characters live and play in The Great Gatsby. F. Scott Fitzegerald places the rich in a single group away from the poor. He prottrayes the wealth in two categories "new money" and "old money." New money is less qualified in the world as the old money are a more put together people. The American Dream and Social class has shaped all the actions that were placed in the

Aspects Of Setting In The Great Gatsby

English Literature Essay * Consider how the aspect of setting is presented in The Great Gatsby. You should consider language, form and structure In the Great Gatsby, Each of the four important geographical locations in the novel—West Egg, East Egg, the Valley of Ashes, and New York City—corresponds to a particular theme or type of character encountered in the story. West Egg is like Jay Gatsby: full of extravagance, symbolizing the emergence of the new rich alongside the established aristocracy…

Words 539 - Pages 3

Ap Study, Government Essay

or by appointment The Great Gatsby Unit The Roaring Twenties brought a time of great carelessness and recklessness to the forefront of American history. While reading The Great Gatsby we will explore the reckless and careless behavior as we examine the “American Dream” during the coming quarter. Were the 20’s the rise or demise of the Dream? Essential Questions: Were the characters successful in pursuing the American Dream? How does the social class they were in influence their…

Words 713 - Pages 3

What Is Myrtle's View Of The Upper Class In The Great Gatsby

Gatsby Final Essay Sometimes, authors translate their own personal opinions and life experiences into their writing. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald uses the characters of Myrtle, Tom, and Gatsby and the settings of East and West Egg to show the discrepancies between social classes he himself saw present in the 1920s. The history of F. Scott Fitzgerald and his family greatly impact the view in which he has in his novel about the upper class. "...The author and his wife…

Words 925 - Pages 4

Research Paper On The Great Gatsby

Lusine Sourenian Period 5 April 25, 2013 The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby is a 1920’s novel about the upper class and how the rich lived. One of the main characters, Daisy Buchanan, is a wealthy woman that illustrates how people would think in the Jazz Age. This story takes place in West Egg and East Egg. The West Egg consists of the new riches, people who earned their money. The East Egg consists of old riches, money that is passed on in generations. Nick is Daisy’s cousin and is considered…

Words 899 - Pages 4

Literary Devices In The Great Gatsby

A common question from high school students is “why should we spend our time reading old books and plays from a ‘stupid list’ when there are ‘more important’ things to learn.” The answer to this question usually ends in a statement along the lines of “the books on the list show why literature is important”.While this might be true, it does not really answer the question. Literature is important for many reasons, including its ability to impart real world experience without the reader actually experiencing…

Words 1414 - Pages 6

The Great Gatsby Research Paper

During the Roaring twenties, social class was an important aspect of society. All different classes were for the most part separated by where people lived. In other words, by no means would anyone from a lower class be caught in an uptown setting. There are a variety of characters in the novel that come from different economic backgrounds. In the novel, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald successfully uses location to differentiate social status amongst his characters while the weather and seasons…

Words 1222 - Pages 5

How Does Daisy Buchanan Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

“Gatsby, one moment of magical encounter, would blot out those five years of unwavering devotion,” (Fitzgerald 109). Magicians are known for the tricks that they play on the eyes. What often seems like magic, turns out to be just a careful flick of the wrist. In the book The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the idea of magic is compared to several characters in the novel. The magician motif is used among other implements to prove that appearance is not always reality. Jay Gatsby is described…

Words 1467 - Pages 6

Death in wh Essay

characters tell are fundamental to the plot of A Streetcar Named Desire and The Great Gatsby. Compare the significance of deceit in the two texts. Williams and Fitzgerald both accentuate the effect to which self-delusions are used by wealthy individuals to create a superficial adequate world. Many forms of deception are used by all characters throughout both texts, elaborate pretences are created then linked to social issues present in the early 20th century. It is quickly presented that lies are…

Words 2178 - Pages 9

F. Scott Fitzgerald and Gatsby Essay

beginning of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, the reader did not originally expect his death. With a perfect, “rare” smile, and tremendous wealth, what could go wrong? Before Jay Gatsby expires, he was en route to achieving his version of the American dream. The reader discovers that Gatsby did not have it easy, for outside forces prevented him from ever attaining his dream. All of the “foul dust [that] floated in the wake of his dreams” defeated Gatsby before he could get there (2). Like many…

Words 1495 - Pages 6

The Great Gatsby Obstacles

religious freedom, economic opportunity, and land ownership. This notion has drastically changed. The way each generation and socioeconomic class interprets this dream differs significantly. For instance, in the Roaring Twenties depicted in The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby epitomizes…

Words 2419 - Pages 10