Gracelyn Godfrey Mrs.Brothwell English III 8 May 2024 Hypocrisy at its Finest In "The Great Gatsby," by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the characters' persistent hypocrisy emphasizes the loss of morality and shallowness of 1920s American society, creating a contrast between the luxurious facade of wealth and the lack of dishonesty that defines the lives of the novel's main characters. The extravagant parties, wealth, and dishonesty standout amongst the lavish lives that the characters refuse to rid of for the sole purpose of appearances and materialism. Fitzgerald uses characterization of outlandish characters to show the difference between this pretentious life that each of them inspire to have and the reality of the American dream containing emptiness in each character as well as moral compromise. …show more content…
Daisy Buchanan strongly embodies hypocrisy as she paints herself to be a “beautiful little fool.” Daisy may want this to be her reality as a sophisticated rich woman, but Fitzgerald reveals a different reality. Daisy’s materialism seems to outweigh her love for her husband, even when she finds out her relationship with Tom Buchannan is loveless. Daisy’s love for Gatsby couldn’t even win over her desire for constant gratification, although she wanted to be the one for Gatsby. She just didn’t care enough. “Neither of them can stand the person they’re married to. What I say is, why go on living with them if they can’t stand them? If I was them, I’d get a divorce and get married to each other right away” (Fitzgerald 33). Daisy's decision to remain with Tom despite expressing her love for Gatsby reveals her hypocrisy. She wants the excitement and passion of an affair with Gatsby, yet is unwilling to give up the security and social standing that Tom’s wealth gives