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Examples Of Materialism In The Great Gatsby

1001 Words5 Pages

In society today it is common for a person to want something that is considered popular or trendy. It may be an object, a piece of clothing, or even a person. In the 1920s, this concept displayed itself in what is now known as the American Dream. In other words, people lusted after the accumulation of wealth and social status to lead them to the path of success and happiness. F Scott Fitzgerald built this idea up immensely in The Great Gatsby using his character’s to represent different versions of the materialistic American Dream. He depicts Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan as once lovers who have not seen each other in a few years, yet end up reconnecting. The entire time Gatsby was away from Daisy he did not stop thinking about her, unfortunately …show more content…

To him Daisy is this wonderful socially acceptable woman that loves him. As he carries on this pursuit of her he begins to realize that she is not what he created her to be. Once Daisy starts having an affair with Gatsby, he pushes her to admit that she never loved Tom and only loves him. To his surprise, she cannot admit that and instead confesses, "[she] did love [Tom] once but [she] loves [Gatsby] too.’... ‘You loved me too’ he repeated… The words seemed to bite physically into Gatsby.” (Fitzgerald 132) Gatsby went through hell just to be acceptable for Daisy, and she is not even able to say she only loves him. As for Daisy, divorcing her generationally wealthy, physically accomplished, and college educated husband for a guy like Gatsby is not socially acceptable. Gatsby wants Daisy all to himself because she “...represents to Gatsby the romantic fulfillment of all desire— the American Dream,” and to have her to himself would achieve his life dreams. What Gastby does not realize is that Daisy has her dream too. Daisy wants to marry a wealthy and well known man who is accepted by society and she did. Gastby coming back into her life trying to make her into something she’s not is only pushing her further

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