Diamond As Big As The Ritz Wealth Quotes

The Immorality of Wealth
Throughout the short story, “Diamond as Big as the Ritz,” F. Scott Fitzgerald creates a rich fantasy about the Washington Estate in the middle of the Montana Rockies, through the experience of the protagonist, John T. Unger. From beginning to end the story revolves around the excessive wealth that the Washingtons have and how they have used it to their advantage from the start of their wealth. The introduction of the Washington men’s immoral behavior, uncovers John’s obsession with wealth, leading to his close encounter with death.
The Washington Estate is the beacon for immoral behavior in “Diamond as Big as the Ritz,” from its rich beginnings with the first Washington, Fitz-Norman Culpepper and his slaves. The slaves

Braddock feels entitled to all and has a demeanor that is unwelcoming towards people, by

Then Braddock chooses to bribe God in an immoral way that basically offers his giant diamond chapel in exchange for the aviators to leave, showing his preference of his wealth over everything but to his dismay; “God had refused to accept the bribe” (213). Braddock is the epitome of what happens to a person when they obsess over wealth only to later suffer the consequences harshly.
At the beginning of the story, John T. Unger appears as a well off young man whose parents have authority and riches back in his hometown of Hades. Going to St. Midas’ School in Boston allowed John to meet an excessively rich classmate named Percy Washington. John was the only classmate that Percy was communicative with but even so, John kept his wealth from Percy because he knew it did not amount to Percy’s wealth. Moreover, as John’s knowledge about Percy grew, John’s curiosity shifted to fascination with Percy’s life, thus resulting in the spark of John’s obsession with wealth by commenting he says, “I’m glad. I like very rich people. The richer a fella is, the better I like him” (184). As the boys make it to the Washington Estate, John is immediately at a loss for words while looking at the modern art within the house