The Roaring 20s was a era of prosperity and wealth and a perfect setting for the lavish story of The Great Gatsby. 1920s New York is described in Baz Luhrmann’s production of the film, as a time where, “Stocks reached record peaks, and Wall Street boomed a steady golden roar. The parties were bigger, the shows were broader, the buildings were higher, the morals were looser, and the ban on alcohol had backfired, making the liquor cheaper.” The initial description of the money and fortune of New York makes life look like a party. However, F. Scott Fitzgerald proves that the glamour and wealth of the 1920s is just a facade that obstructs the reality of the lives of Daisy, Tom, and Gatsby. Daisy’s opulent lifestyle is clearly portrayed throughout …show more content…
The only thing that anyone knew for sure about Gatsby, was that he was rich. He threw the most extravagant parties that all of New York attended. His house is a castle and Nick describes it when he first sees the Gatsby mansion. “The one to my right was a colossal affair by any standard- it was a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool, and more than forty acres of lawn and garden. It was Gatsby’s mansion,” (5). Fitzgerald provides this elaborate picture of where Gatsby lives. The repetition of the word “and” in this sentence emphasizes his staggering amount of wealth. Unfortunately, his riches can do nothing to solve his problems of a lost love. All he wants is to be loved by Daisy, but we learn that love can not be bought when Gatsby’s funeral is described. “The minister glanced several times at his watch, so I took him aside and asked him to wait for half an hour. But it wasn’t any use. Nobody came,” (174). In the end, even with all of his money and parties, Gatsby had nothing that really mattered. No amount of money could buy him friends or people that truly cared about him, it could only hide him from