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Money And Power In The Great Gatsby Analysis

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How does the desire to pursue money and power negatively impact the characters' moral sense of right or wrong? Many people allow their social class and wealth to determine their belonging in life. In The Great Gatsby people with "old money" are more respected and superior than those with "new money". The characters' actions are driven by their desire for wealth and power. The carelessness that money creates allows those in power to bypass and disobey the laws because they believe their money will bail them out of trouble. Many wealthy people use their money as a reason to not take responsibility for their actions. Wealth causes the characters in The Great Gatsby to be out of touch with reality and the world beyond wealth. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's …show more content…

Corruption is shown in those who commit adultery. In the novel, true love is corrupted by money. Tom doesn't get upset when he hints Daisy is cheating on him with Gatsby because he knows Daisy is someone he owns and controls with his wealth. In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald implies, "She's not leaving me!" Tom's words suddenly leaned down over Gatsby. "Certainly not for a common swindler who'd have to steal the ring he put on her finger" (Fitzgerald 133). Tom knows Daisy will choose comfort and security of money over real love. Daisy views Gatsby as her past without tom. Gatsby's wealth was always a dream while Tom's wealth was always reality. Daisy being with Tom will secure her a spot in the famous and respected "old money" society whereas her being with Gatsby she will be surround by people like him with "new money" who wants to be accepted by those with "old money". Just like Daisy, Myrtle chooses money over love. She cheats on her husband George with Tom. Myrtle was a woman from the lower class who desired to be a part of the higher class. Tom spoiled Myrtle and gave her the lifestyle she always wanted. She belittles her husband and talk bad about him because he is not at the top of the social ladder where Tom is. She married George thinking he would be wealthy and powerful and his money would place her on the top of the social ladder allowing her to be …show more content…

Wealth identified how you lived to the people surrounding you in society. It was wealth that built you and destroyed you. Wealth overshadowed true love and beauty in The Great Gatsby. Those who had old money looked down upon those with new money, while those who were not rich was ignored by society. Wealth and the desire to be accepted by the society distracted the characters from making moral decisions. Money controlled the characters' decisions in the novel. The main characters committed countless careless acts because of the privileges and protection wealth provided. Gatsby's and Myrtle's death reveals how money leads someone to their downfall rather than

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