Examples Of Middle Class In The Great Gatsby

In society, the wealthy seem to live in a different world as the majority of people do not interact with them. Although there is little interaction between the middle and upper class, the middle class often deal with results or by products of the wealthy’s lifestyle and actions. Over the course of history, the middle class has come to accept this and expect this of the rich. The narrator of The Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway, recalls events from his life revolving around his interactions with the upper class in the 1920s. He describes their actions, and he characterizes them as greedy and self-centered. Their actions tend to affect others and leave others with the consequences while they experience the benefits. Throughout the novel, F. Scott

Towards the end of chapter 4, Jordan reveals the protagonist’s, Gatsby’s, motive for getting to know Nick Carraway as “he began asking people casually if they knew her… It was that night he sent for me at his dance, and you should have heard the elaborate way he worked up to it” (Fitzgerald 62). Fitzgerald’s use of intricate diction in the word elaborate and the phrase sent for me demonstrate Gatsby’s deceitful personality and the way he targets people to manipulate for his personal gain. The connection between the negative connotation of the phrase sent for me and Gatsby’s personality help express an arrogant and selfish tone relating to other people’s expectations of Gatsby’s selfish use of others. Fitzgerald also describes Gatsby’s opinion of others as rude because women “spoiled him he became contemptuous of them… because they were ignorant” (Fitzgerald 76). Fitzgerald utilizes the negative connotation and denotation of the words spoiled and contemptuous to reveal Gatsby's arrogance. The word spoiled implies Gatsby gains something from them while the denotation of contemptuous exemplifies that he is using them. Fitzgerald’s use of these words together further develops the arrogantly selfish tone. Fitzgerald’s development of an arrogant and selfish tone relates to society’s expectation that the wealthy

After Tom realizes Gatsby loves Daisy, he confronts Jordan and Nick about hiding it and thinking “‘[he is] pretty dumb, don’t you?’ he suggested. ‘Perhaps I am, but I have a — almost a second sight, sometimes, that tells me what to do” (Fitzgerald 93). Fitzgerald applies a long interrogative sentence by using a question followed by a statement. Tom continuing to speak prevents Nick or Jordan from answering. Fitzgerald’s extension of the long sentence makes Tom seem aggressively controlling and creates an arrogant and selfish tone. Nick has no reply while Jordan makes a joke, which further shows that others outside the upper class expect the wealthy to act like this. Tom acts this way towards everyone including Myrtle who he is having an affair with. He gives her money to make her quiet even though he thinks the dog “‘[is] a bitch,’ said Tom decisively. ‘Here’s your money. Go and buy ten more dogs with it’” (Fitzgerald 24). The short declarative sentence demonstrates that Tom expresses little interest in his relationship. A long sentence would make this seem considerate while the use of a short sentence reveals Tom’s true intentions of getting what he wants without giving it in return. Myrtle replies in a forgiving way as she accepts it, and moves on which shows that she expects this. In addition the