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Examples Of Wealth In The Great Gatsby

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“They smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together…” (179). F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays the overwhelming of wealth and the sense of higher social status through many character relationships in The Great Gatsby. Jay Gatsby represents the wealthiest man in Long Island, who fell in love with the more affluent, Daisy Buchanan. Tom Buchanan, Daisy’s husband, also depicts a wealthy man, but less classy as he has an affair with the unprosperous Myrtle Wilson, George Wilson’s wife. “Money is the root of all evil.” The relationships in the novel represent the idea that money does not buy happiness in which many events are marred by disappointment.
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When deciding to marry Daisy, he promised her a wealthy lifestyle and that is the only reason she became a Buchanan. “And I hope she’ll be a fool – that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool” (17). Daisy hopes that when she has a little girl, the daughter can have the possession of being oblivious to situations just like she was. When Daisy comes across the fact that Gatsby has found her love again through wealth as well, Tom attempts to fulfill his emptiness by having an affair with the less fortunate, Myrtle Wilson who lives in the Valley of Ashes, the image of social decay in the 1920s, with her husband, George Wilson. He believes it will satisfy him morally but it does not. He tries to buy Myrtle’s love by showing him his wealth within his car and attire. “’Daisy! Daisy! Daisy!’ shouted Mrs. Wilson. ‘I’ll say it whenever I want to! Daisy! Dai…” (37). Tom loses all his frustration after Myrtle brings up his wife and smacks her across the face like a whale’s tail slaps the water. When Myrtle gets killed by Daisy in a car accident, Tom makes an effort to immorally get his wife back in his life instead of feeling lonely. Leading up to a marred event, Tom kills Gatsby in attempt to release his agitation. Daisy becomes dissatisfied with Tom and demonstrates that money can’t buy her love and happiness. It results in Tom becoming discontented and lonely and

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