How Does Fitzgerald Present Money In The Great Gatsby

Have you ever wanted to be rich enough to own a monumental and ravishing mansion? Money is thrown around alot in The Great Gatsby and there are a lot of talk about money and wealth in the book. Money is the root of all evil and shapes people, money is also a “curtain” for the rich to hide behind.Hearing about money at parties and from interactions between old and newly rich characters is very common in the novel. You also hear about good and corrupt money frequently, but also how the money shaped the people of East and West egg. First off, Fitzgerald has old and new money split up into different sections and “eggs” in the book. The newly rich live in west egg and they are not as mature and are very vulgar compared to the people that come from

Tom symbolizes old and pure money and Gatsby is Tom’s foil as he represents new found wealth and corruption. Evidence of this conflict is present throughout the book with quotes such as “You're one of that bunch that hangs around with Meyer Wolfsheim...I've made a little investigation into your affairs...He and this Wolfsheim bought up a lot of side street drug-stores...and sold grain alcohol over the counter” (Fitzgerald 133-134). This text is showing a battle of good vs evil between Gatsby and Tom. Quotes like "Self-control!" Repeated Tom incredulously. "I suppose the latest thing is to sit back and let Mr. Nobody from Nowhere make love to your wife” (Fitzgerald 103). This shows the conflict between the two as their status and money divides them as you can pick out words like “Mr. Nobody” and “from Nowhere” show that Gatsby's new money isn't really a match to Tom because he has more power and background in his riches unlike Gatsby. Fitzgerald is showing us just how corrupt cities and people were during this time of economic boom and prohibition in America (Fitzgerald

His money is merely a tool just to capture the attention of his beloved Daisy. He confesses that everything he's ever done was to just to win over Daisy. "It was a strange coincidence," I said. "But it wasn't a coincidence at all." "Why not?" "Gatsby bought that house so that Daisy would be just across the bay." Then it had not been just the stars to which he had aspired on that June night. He came alive to me, delivered suddenly from the womb of his purposeless splendor. "He wants to know," continued Jordan, "if you'll invite Daisy to your house some afternoon and then let him come over." (Fitzgerald 78). Gatsby has worked up from the moment he has seen Daisy just to be good enough for her. He really embodies the American dream as he strives and sets a goal and acquired it. Tom and Daisy however are almost foils to gatsby as they would be nothing without their wealth and would crumple away in the wind if they had to live a minute in the valley of ashes. These people contrast from each other immensely and show just how stale and emotionless the People that come from old money are, Almost as if they can be compared to the buildings in the valley of ashes. Pale, bland, dirty, and dark, these represent the rich folk of west and east egg. This really gives you a deeper understanding of the characters and the fight between Gatsby and Tom that eventually leads to