Differences Between The Three Classes In The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald shows a clear division between the classes. This division is shown in the way he portrays his characters and illustrates his scenes. Through these actions Fitzgerald configures three classes: East Egg, West Egg, and the Valley of Ashes. East Egg, where Tom and Daisy reside, is old money, upper class. West Egg, where Nick and Gatsby dwell, is the new money and contains mostly middle class people. Later, we are introduced to “the valley of ashes,” which houses the lower working class, Myrtle and George. Even with the feelings Fitzgerald pressures the reader to have towards certain characters, it is hard to say one is more real than the other. None of the classes are real because they will all stop at nothing to reach the American Dream, their only difference is what they will sacrifice to reach it. The people of East Egg are devoid of all emotions unless they benefit social status or wealth. Fitzgerald’s biggest portrayal of this is Tom and Daisy’s affair. The disgraceful act is brought to the reader’s attention

Some just happen to become wealthy while others strive to do so. The latter was what Gatsby did. Gatsby met Daisy a couple years before and instantly fell in love with her. However, he didn’t know a nice girl like Daisy could negatively affect him. He was relocated to a different place so she moved on. “She vanished into her rich house, into her rich, full life, leaving Gatsby—nothing. He felt married to her, that was all.”(156). Gatsby began to yearn for Daisy and her attention. Thus Gatsby began striving towards wealth and a high social status. Some people say Gatsby stayed true to himself while doing this and it was the crowd's fault for pulling him in. However, no one made Gatsby like Daisy. This shows Gatsby, like many other characters in the book, is not authentic. He is moldable to those who have a hold on him, like