Great Gatsby Consumerism Analysis

Jay Gatsby is a product of 1920’s America and consumerist philosophies. He serves as both a celebration of the American Dream and a warning against its trappings. Through his rapid rise to the top of American society, and his eventual downfall, F. Scott Fitzgerald illustrates the inherent problems with Gatsby’s ostentatious lifestyle and the constant desire for more.

Gatsby, from his outward appearance and mannerisms, to his own name, is a self-made construct of an ever-restless philosophy. Through his ambition and willpower, Gatsby created the life he had envisioned for himself as a child; on the surface, this seems like a great a thing, but, in the process, he became a slave to consumerism. In his transformation from James Gatz to Jay Gatsby,

Velben argues that, in western society, members of the “leisure class” (those who are exempt from laborious jobs and can pursue luxury) are in a constant struggle to “one-up” one another. Gatsby’s parties, his gestures, and his possessions are all a part of an effort to assert his status, and are evidence of his entrapment in this consumerist “bubble”. When Daisy finally visits his mansion, she ends up in tears, not because she was reunited with her lost love, but, rather, because Gatsby has nicer shirts than her husband: “They're such beautiful shirts," she sobbed, her voice muffled in the think folds. "It makes me sad because I've never seen such – such beautiful shirts before.” (Fitzgerald, 118-119). Gatsby’s infatuation with Daisy, like Daisy’s carefree admiration of Gatsby, is based purely on illusions and appearances, as illustrated here. Daisey, to Gatsby, is the final step in his ascension from a North Dakota farm boy to his envisioned perfect self. He sees Daisy as a product, and feels as though once he has her, he will finally be content. Of course we know this is not the case: Gatsby, as a construct of consumerism, will never be able to get off the treadmill. While Gatsby certainly is an extreme example of a consumer, almost everyone in western society can relate to this in some way: we all desire status, we figure once we get what we are looking for we can be happy, but it usually is not long before we need more