The Great Gatsby is a novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. He wrote it during the time of the roaring twenties. During this period, women were considered to be changing; they started smoking and drinking. They seemed to care less about their “obligations” such as raising children, cleaning the house, and supporting their husbands. The novel shows this through Nick Carraway and his family and connections. The book represents themes of greed, wealth, and power. Fitzgerald uses these to expose how people used their wealth to fit into American society. He proves it by comparing New Money versus Old Money. In other words, he contrasts the people of West Egg with the people of East Egg. One way Fitzgerald represents power is through Gatsby and the Buchanans. They each benefited from their wealth in completely opposite ways. Jay Gatsby used his wealth to impress the woman he loved, Daisy Buchanan. He became a self-made wealthy man in order to fit into what people sought acceptable in American society and culture. Once able, he showed his riches off to Daisy. It is revealed that Daisy is a …show more content…
She turns down life with Gatsby simply because he was not able to provide her with the safety net of money. After leaving her house Nick thinks, as he is talking to Gatsby, that “She wanted her life shaped now, immediately…of love, of money, of unquestionable practicality—that was close at hand” (Fitzgerald 144). Daisy does not continue being with Gatsby, though she loved him. She wanted someone that could give her a lavish and supportive lifestyle. Tom became that support for her and was able to provide her with the type of life she wanted, so she and Tom got married. Though she loved a man, she decided that because he came from poor and had no money himself, she could not stay with him. This further proves the need she felt to fit into wealth standards in