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How Does Gatsby Show Corruption

1506 Words7 Pages

Fitzgerald uses Gatsby to display corruption through his procurement of riches. He tells his neighbor, Nick Carraway, that he indulges in the ‘drug business’. During Prohibition, persons involved in this business implied that the individual was a bootlegger. Bootlegging was a profoundly beneficial business and bootleggers were generally associated with criminals who practiced cruel deeds. Gatsby often felt that he must be apart of a society based on wealth and power not confidence. Thus, involving in criminal activities. He becomes used to this kind of lifestyle and does not find anything amiss about these activities because they form a part of his fantasy. From youth, Gatsby ruins himself because he is upset with his social position – wishing …show more content…

He uses money to upgrade himself to be in Daisy’s social class. He buys a mansion, fancy car, hosts parties not only to attract her but to make himself happy. The mansion, the car and other assets are aimed at making him happy and earning respect from others. He does favours: invites Nick to Coney Island, cut his lawn when he had a secret invitation to meet Daisy at Nick’s house among others. From this, we see that Gatsby has no regards for money and will go through all means to achieve his happiness or love for Daisy. The parties are to lure Daisy there and with Daisy he can earn his happiness. His wealth impresses Daisy and is overjoyed by his accumulation of wealth as well as material things. This was seen especially when Gatsby shows her his silk clothing. He believes that setting up the ‘perfect’ life will assist her in realizing her affection for him is existent. In any case, believing that money could bring back love was absurd. Somehow, Gatsby uses money as a ‘god’ that will miraculously create a life for him and Daisy. Fitzgerald offers a basic observation of wealthy Americans yet demonstrates the depiction of these Americans and materialism and absence of ethical quality. As it relates to the American Dream, it was a thought which provided trust that an individual ought to seek after being glad, affluent and cherished which cause persons to go in search for

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Gatsby wanted to make the best out of it to show Daisy that he can fit into their society. Materialism is showed in this story because people are really after the objects. In this passage, Daisy is so focused what Gatsby has instead of loving him herself. So by Gatsby being rich, he managed to get Daisy but not her heart since she does not know how to live with money. Getting rich can give anyone the world but, if there are no special connections, then it is all superficial and it means

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1374 Words | 6 Pages

Gatsby is in love with the symbol of Daisy. If obtains the privilege to obtain her, it would mean that he is truly old money. This completes the idea that he has turned himself into old money. It is so important to obtain her because that is the girl he’s gone after for years. This is all he knows.

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1077 Words | 5 Pages

It has long been said that money can’t buy happiness, but still people continue to use it’s acquisition to try to make themselves happy. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, the title character struggles with this realization. The book is set in New York during the ‘Roaring 20’s’, a time famous for its parties and lavishness. The book examines the attitudes toward money within the upper particularly through the lense of the new-money title character, Jay Gatsby. Gatsby dedicated his life to the acquisition of money with the goal of eventually acquiring the love of his life, Daisy Buchanan.

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1556 Words | 7 Pages

Gatsby had bought that house so he could get close to Daisy, who was one of the few people that brought true happiness to someone for a little. While Gatsby could have just bought a cheaper house to get closer to Daisy because despite his wealth she never came to one of his parties. The money was thought to be the source of his happiness because of the amazing house he owned when instead the love of daisy was the reason he saw even a glimpse of

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721 Words | 3 Pages

He decided to use the prohibition to his own personal advantage. Now, Gatsby “brought up a lot of side-street drug stores here in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter,” (Fitzgerald 133). Gatsby’s involvement in the sale of alcohol shows how desperate he is to get money. He’s now getting more money through illegal means and other people’s expense. He tried to keep his source of income secret, he was now corrupted by money.

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778 Words | 4 Pages

Along with his fame and popularity, he uses the traits that people associate him with as a way to woo Daisy. Gatsby uses his money to prove that he is worthy of Daisy’s love because he is just as rich or possibly richer than her husband,

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539 Words | 3 Pages

Although Gatsby does not seem to be a selfish man on the surface, his intentions and success may. He builds a ginormous mansion and throws extravagant parties all to get Daisy and her love back. Gatsby does all this for his good since all it consists of is having Daisy all to himself. The corruption and obsession of wealth is displayed through the characters Daisy, Tom and Gatsby as they live their lives in

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1320 Words | 6 Pages

The American Dream is what many set their goals in life to be based upon, money, family, peace, and love. Every character in The Great Gatsby is selfish, but the four main characters that present themselves as the most selfish are, Daisy, Tom, Jordan, and Gatsby. In the Great Gatsby, the American Dream is present, but is overshadowed because of all the selfish people only wanting to become a higher class or show that they are of a higher class than everyone else around them. The Character that has the least amount significance to the story, but the most selfish is Jordan Baker. Jordan is described as an attractive, slender woman, small breasted and has a grey sun-strained eyes.

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1940 Words | 8 Pages

Gatsby thinks of himself as a dream chaser, a person who is working hard through his life to get his beautiful memory back to him. Money is just a tool to bring his beloved girl back. People believed that his money all came from his rich family as Gatsby wants them to, which means that he was born rich. However, Gatsby actually earned the money on his own by taking high risks selling illegal alcohol. Since he knew that Daisy married a rich man, he decided never to live without money.

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1261 Words | 6 Pages

The Great Gatsby presents its characters as having living the American Dream. However, it is only a belief; the behaviors they have and decisions they take only leave them with a false perception of life and lifestyle. The Great Gatsby relates to the corruption of the American Dream for those materialistic people who were after money. Fitzgerald reveals the idea of corruption in the American Dream through conditions such as wealth and materialism, power and social status, and relationships involving family and affairs. He uses examples of this corruption to show the reader that people are willing to lie, betray others, and commit crime to be able to live a ‘better and fuller’ life.

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484 Words | 2 Pages

Gatsby himself realizes Daisy’s obsession with money: “‘She never loved you, do you hear?’ he cried. ‘She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me’” (Fitzgerald 130). The quote reveals

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417 Words | 2 Pages

Gatsby himself weaves his life around attaining fortunes to impress Daisy. He believes money- not love, devotion, or passion-

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699 Words | 3 Pages

Gatsby spent their years apart motivated to win over Daisy by gaining wealth. In his eyes, gaining wealth became equivalent to getting Daisy. He stated, “her voice is full of money” (Fitzgerald, 2004, p.120). His life revolved around money and Daisy, who had symbolically chosen Tom’s pearls and wealth over Gatsby’s letter of love. He threw parties in order to attract her with his wealth.

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1909 Words | 8 Pages

An important theme in The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is the corruption of morals because of wealth. It doesn’t matter if one comes from old or new money, wealth will corrupt the morality of even the humblest. The first example of wealth corrupting morals is in the indifference to infidelity between the married Tom Buchanan and Myrtle Wilson. The next example of wealth corrupting morals is seen in Jordan Baker’s actions to keep her luxurious lifestyle. Third, Jim Gatsby’s pursuit of wealth lead to the corruption of his morals.

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808 Words | 4 Pages

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is a novel that depicts the American Dream; however, the American Dream cannot be established without running over a few people in the process. Gatsby the protagonist of the novel is known to deceive others and himself; however, his lies are not meant to hurt anyone. Gatsby is lost in his desire to be rich and have Daisy’s love, and in his desire forgets about how his actions may harm others. In addition, Gatsby only wanted to be more than his parents who were “shiftless and unsuccessful farm people” (98). Gatsby’s deception goes as far as fabricating who he is, his financial standing in the past; including how he makes his money, lying to Daisy, and allowing others to tell rumors about himself.

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