In F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby, the characters are consumed by their pursuit of material wealth and social status. This parallel to Wordsworth's message in "The World is Too Much with Us" is evident throughout the novel, as Fitzgerald critiques the superficiality of the Jazz Age and the detrimental effects it has on society's perception of time and the value of nature.
One of the key examples of Fitzgerald's portrayal of the obsession with material possessions can be seen through the character of Jay Gatsby. Gatsby's entire existence revolves around the accumulation of wealth and the pursuit of his unattainable love interest, Daisy Buchanan. He throws extravagant parties at his mansion, hoping that one day Daisy will attend one and they will be reunited. However, Gatsby's relentless pursuit of material possessions and social status ultimately leads to his downfall. Despite all of his wealth and success, he never finds true happiness or fulfillment. This exemplifies the exact message that Wordsworth conveys in his poem – that society's obsession with material gains is a waste of time and energy.
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Fitzgerald vividly portrays the excessive parties and glamorous lifestyles of the characters, which are often accompanied by scenes of destruction and disregard for the environment. This can be seen in the infamous valley of ashes, where the industrial waste dumps leave a bleak and desolate landscape. The characters in the novel are so consumed with their own desires and pursuits that they turn a blind eye to the destruction of the natural world around them. This indifference towards nature reflects Wordsworth's critique of society's neglect of the environment, further emphasizing the parallel message between the poem and the