Examples Of Materialism In The Great Gatsby

Hailey Huguet
Mrs. McGuire
GT AP English Language
6 April 2023
The Poison of Materialism F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby to critique the materialism and lack of morality that plagued the 1920s. Fitzgerald writes a tale of the fabulously wealthy in two New York City suburbs called East Egg and West Egg. East Egg is where the traditionally wealthy people whose families came from money live. West Egg is where the newly wealthy live. Both suburbs symbolize the two competing wealthy groups – those who came from money and those who were self-made. One striking similarity between the people in both suburbs is that they generally find their worth, happiness, and purpose in their money. In The Brothers Karamazov, Fyodor Dostoyevsky writes

However, she dreams about having money and status and is constantly unhappy. She has an affair with Tom, Daisy’s husband and Gatsby’s friend, even though he treats her poorly because he is wealthy. She is so desperate to keep her ticket into the wealthy’s lavish lifestyle that she remains Tom’s mistress after he hits her at a party and breaks her nose (34). Throughout the novel, Myrtle lacks appreciation for what she has and longs for more. Her husband, George Wilson, genuinely loved Myrtle and even became physically sick upon finding out about her affair (124). Myrtle, however, dismisses his love because she wants money instead. Later she fights were her husband, runs into the street, and, proving Dostoyevsky’s point, dies when Daisy hits her with Gatsby’s car. Ironically, her lover’s wealthy wife caused her death, which reflects how her constant need for a higher status led to her inability to be happy and satisfied. Myrtle could have had a simple, happy life, but instead, she chose to chase an unattainable level of material wealth and

Yes, most of his fixation on accumulating wealth is a way to attract Daisy, but his actions prove to be self-destructive. He dedicates his life to becoming fabulously wealthy, even participating in illegal activities to do so (133-134). Gatsby became convinced that he can achieve anything, with his money, even changing the past (110). His arrogance and reliance on his money lead him to falsely believe that Daisy will leave her husband for him. He built an empire of prosperity but was still not satisfied; he loved Daisy and had an affair with her, but it was still not enough. Likely, even if Gatsby had married Daisy, he still would not have been satisfied. Perhaps he still would have chased more and more wealth or been jealous of any man who dared to speak to Daisy. He proves Dostoyevsky’s assertion that money will not satisfy a person and that nothing can satisfy the greedy. They will always want more. When Daisy killed Myrtle with Gatsby’s car, Gatsby accepted the blame to protect Daisy. Myrtle’s husband, George Wilson, shot Gatsby and then himself. Although it was not directly Gatsby’s fault that Wilson shot him, his lifestyle of recklessness led to this. If he had not been so arrogant about Daisy, he would not have been in the car. If he had not fixated on his money, he would have likely been somewhere else, safe. Dostoyevsky predicted that the lives of the greedy and wealthy end in suicide, and by