Can Money Buy Happiness In The Great Gatsby

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“Previous studies have found a correlation between money and happiness, but the Case Western Study used the data on individuals over time to demonstrate that income can cause a reduction in negative emotions” (www.cnbc.com). There is no doubt that money can buy nice things and allow you to have new and exciting experiences, but many people also find happiness simply by being surrounded by the people they love. A person’s income shapes their life and how they live, yet does it control how happy they are? In some cases, money can provide happiness, yet there are also people who find happiness just by enjoying the company of others; therefore, it truly depends on each individual person of whether or not money buys happiness. This well argued question …show more content…

The day that Gatsby is shot, Daisy made a conscious decision to choose Tom’s wealth over her love and respect for Gatsby because Tom and Daisy left town suddenly without saying a word. The author, Fitzgerald, describes Daisy’s choice as “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy - they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever is was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made” (180-181). It may seem awful, what Daisy did to Gatsby, but she made this choice because she felt that Tom’s wealth would bring her more happiness than saying goodbye and showing care for her true …show more content…

Gatsby shaped his life around his love for Daisy and he only used his money to get closer to her, not to provide his own happiness. Yet Daisy on the other hand, relied on money more than anything and her happiness came from the comfy and expensive lifestyle it gave her. Even in the world today, it can be seen that this decision, between money and relationships, differs with each and every person. No matter if you're like Gatsby or Daisy, and you find contentment in different ways, it is always important to choose the path that makes you the