How Did F Scott Fitzgerald Use Greed In The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby uses money and materialistic values to expose American greed during the 1920’s. Its ideals suggest that an individual's perseverance and effort are the deciding factors in the accumulation of wealth, love, and total happiness. Obtaining wealth and power are the center principles of The American Dream, and Fitzgerald guide readers to understand the flaws inherent within it. The reader observes how using underhanded tactics leads to ruin. Fitzgerald reveals how American qualities like greed and dishonesty are morally wrong. In regards to wealth and success, Fitzgerald makes clear the progressive debasement of the American Dream by using Gatsby himself as a symbol of the undermined dream throughout

The green light that he appears to be reaching for is the light on Daisy’s dock. In Gatsby’s early life, he had a romantic relationship with Daisy. He equates Daisy with the green light and symbolizes her throughout the novel. In order to impress Daisy, Gatsby dedicates his whole life to becoming rich. Daisy is obsessed with Gatsby’s wealth. Daisy became attracted to Gatsby when she found out how much wealth he has. We realize Daisy’s true colors when Gatsby first shows her his huge mansion and all the sumptuous furnishings therein. In the scene, which Gatsby shows her his high-priced shirts; she responds by saying, "They’re such beautiful shirts it makes me sad because I have never seen such beautiful shirts"(98). Idea statement demonstrates how the view of love changed from romantic to materialistic. Love in The Great Gatsby is superficially based on financial

Scott Fitzgerald makes dishonesty a major topic in his novel The Great Gatsby. Upon Gatsby enters the war; he falls in love with Daisy. Gatsby then convinces Daisy that he can afford any of her expensive wishes. Gatsby tells his neighbor, and friend Nick, that he had inherited his money from his family. On the night Gatsby reunites with Daisy, he and Nick are admiring his house. When speaking with Nick, Gatsby mentions, “It took me just three years to earn the money that bought it” (90). The reader can understand that Gatsby lies about his wealth. When Nick questions how Gatsby came to be rich, Gatsby quickly blames the war for his family fortune loss. Gatsby continually lies to cover up what he believes will bring him happiness. Gatsby is dishonest and purchases expensive items to acquire his total happiness, which is Daisy. F. Scott Fitzgerald points it would be more typical for Americans to lie to achieve their