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Influence Of Money In The Great Gatsby

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The author portrayed money as one of the main motives for the characters in this story. Gatsby is obsessed with gaining money and signifying that he is old money. He is influenced by the motive of wanting to be good enough for Daisy by being high-power and having old money authority. The influence of wealth and money is so immense that it could affect lives in the book, 3 people died just cause of the influence of money, and lots of the lives of the characters are affected. Gatsby wants to perceive the image that he is from old money, so he is not looked down upon by others. Gatsby was so invested in having the title of old money that he lied and deceived others about where his money was inherited from. “It took me just three years to earn the money that bought it.” “I thought you inherited your money.” “I did, old sport,” he said automatically” (70). This proves my claim by showing the lengths Gatsby would go to deceive the other old money people. The difference between old money and new money is the importance and stature that the title creates. Gatsby’s willingness to sacrifice it all just for that old money title shows its …show more content…

Myrtle was willing to have an affair with Tom because he had money, he was able to give Myrtle the life she had dreamed about living and experiencing “walking through her husband as if he were a ghost, shook hands with Tom, looking him flush in the eye. Then she wet her lips and without turning around spoke to her husband in a soft, coarse voice: 'Did you see that? Did you see that, my dear?'"(22). In the presence of Tom and his wealth Myrtle acted as if her husband meant nothing to her all because Tom had money. Myrtle's death was caused by her running out of the street yelling at Gatsby's car presuming it was Toms and Tom was driving it. She wanted to be saved from her husband's beating but drunk on the thought of a life she desired had caused her

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Gatsby and Tom inherited their money in very different ways. For example Tom is a rich man from old money and a very rich family, while Gatsby’s money is self made through bootlegging and illegal activities. Tom’s wealth is what helps him maintain his power and social class, “one of the most powerful ends that ever played football at New Haven”. This shows Tom’s level of power and popularity. (p.7)

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“I don’t mean that he had traded on his phantom millions, but he had deliberately given Daisy a sense of security; he let her believe that he was a person from much of the same stratum as her.” (159) Gatsby so badly wants to have his dream life with Daisy that he lies about his wealth so that she will stay with him. Soon we see that Gatsby is a bootlegger and does some not so good things to get his wealth. He want to live his American Dream so badly, that he will commit crimes to get

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The effect money has on characters of The Great Gatsby Fitzgerald’s magnum opus, The Great Gatsby was set in the early 1920’s. The era consisted of speak easies, extravagant parties, and being extremely careless with money. All of these were clearly depicted in the novel, as well as the effect that money had on most of the characters. Fitzgerald demonstrates that not only were the wealthy characters controlled by money but characters who were poor could be just as easily controlled by money. Jay Gatsby, the main character is known for his extravagant parties, although no one has ever seen him nor knows much about him, he continues throwing the parties.

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He always seems very aware of the poverty he experienced earlier in life, and attempts to wipe all of that out by gaining wealth. Gatsby, over the course of 3 years, earns enough money to become part of the “new money” class. He then throws extravagant parties and buys expensive possessions to give him the appearance of belonging to the “old money” class. He does not quite make the transition, however, and their remains a barrier between Gatsby and Daisy, who is very comfortable with her “old money” status. It is clear from Gatsby's experiences, that money cannot guarantee that a person will change their social

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She was so distraught that she couldn't focus on the road and Gatsby let her drive because he cared for her and she asked him to. Because of this when Myrtle ran into the road Daisy hit her then out of fear sped off, incriminating both of them. Wilson saw the yellow kill myrtle and was enraged. He went to seek retribution and went to Tom to ask who killed his wife and had an affair with

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Specifically Gatsby thinks that money and resources are the key to obtaining Daisy’s love, “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy- they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made” (Fitzgerald, pg 179) , in this case Daisy and Tom don’t care about others, they are selfish, and their attitude is offensive and shows the negative things that money can introduce you. “Many times our dissatisfaction with our financial situation comes from the perception that we’re not stacking up to the people around us” (Delagran, pg

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