How Does Fitzgerald Present The Social Class In The Great Gatsby

Often thought of to be the hallmark representation of the 1920s along with Only Yesterday, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald detailed the lives of the protagonist of the novel, Jay Gatsby, among other characters through the lens of the narrator Nick Carraway in the decade succeeding World War 1. The catastrophic effects of WW1 such as the deaths and psychological damage inflicted on the American people set the stage for the time period known as ‘’The Roaring 20s’’ and additionally the attitudes and behaviors exhibited by the citizens of the US in the time period. The Great Gatsby reflects the social class, materialism, and shallowness of the 1920s.
The Great Gatsby reflects the social class of the 1920s. In the novel there are two villages on opposing sides of a bay named West Egg and East Egg. West Egg as Nick put it in Chapter One was “the less fashionable of the two" with East Egg being more sophisticated and cultured. East Egg inhabitants were old money whose wealth was passed down through generations whereas West Egg was where the newly rich lived. The newly rich’s desire to fit in with the

In Only Yesterday; Allen writes “It was no mere coincidence that during this decade hostesses-even at small parties-found that their guests couldn't be bothered to speak to them on arrival or departure; that "gatecrashing" at dances became an accepted practice;” At the beginning of the book, uninvited guests fill Gatsby’s house by the hundreds to attend his parties; however, no one takes the time to actually know the host and only appear to show up for a good time. And when Gatsby dies very few people show up to his funeral; only Nick, Gatsby’s dad, Owl Eyes, and some servants are there. Despite all the people who went to his parties almost nobody seems to truly care about Gatsby. Even Daisy, who Gatsby spent five years trying to win back, does not feel convicted enough to show