How Is Wealth Portrayed In The Great Gatsby

Will Poyant Mr. Lewis English 11H B4 21 November 2024 Wealth’s Deception in The Social Network and The Great Gatsby Throughout American history, wealth has been a central motivation for many people, making it a primary aspect of the American Dream. By gaining wealth, people hope to attain several things, including social status, power, and happiness. This pursuit of wealth is often depicted in American literature and film, including David Fincher’s The Social Network and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott. Fitzgerald. With differing storylines, both works highlight important messages regarding wealth and the possible consequences that arise through this drive for affluence. While wealth is acquired through different methods in The Social Network

Just like the Winklevosses, the Buchanans also portray a sense of entitlement, which can be seen clearly in the argument at the hotel. In The Great Gatsby, Tom says, “I suppose the latest thing is to sit back and let Mr. Nobody from Nowhere make love to your wife” (Fitzgerald 130). This is eerily similar to the Winklevosses’ sense of entitlement when they believe they are superior to Mark because of their background. Furthermore, Gatsby’s new money is close to Zuckerberg’s. Both achieved their high status through controversial and corrupted ways, Mark having somewhat stolen the idea of the twins and Gatsby having participated in the bootlegging of alcohol. This new money affects Gatsby, too. He is never fully accepted by the East Egg elite and his mysterious past provokes people like Tom to question his morality when it comes to how he got his money. How major characters in The Social Network and The Great Gatsby had a similar effect on people due to the concepts of old and new money. In both the film and the novel, wealth has a deceiving effect on the main

As the movie progresses, Eduardo becomes less and less involved in the actual company besides his economic aid. Eventually, at the request of Sean Parker, Zuckerberg decided to cut down Saverin’s share in the company exponentially, as previously stated. This pushes Saverin to sue Mark, ultimately leading to the end of a bond that was once very strong. It was not only Eduardo who Zuckerberg lost on his unethical path to wealth. As he was beginning to feel isolated from society, he sent a friend request to his ex-girlfriend Erica, to which he refreshed and refreshed, but to no avail, leaving him essentially alone in the world. Likewise, Gatsby’s ambition to become wealthy left him alienated as well. As he threw lavish parties, honest relationships became less common in his life, because most people who knew and liked Gatsby used him solely for his money and house parties. This becomes apparent at the novel's end, when his funeral is nearly empty, except for Nick, his father, and a few servants. Wealth also further impacted Gatsby as he too became aware of the disillusionment of the American