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Role Of Consumerism In The Great Gatsby

991 Words4 Pages

The Consumerist Lifestyle

Jay Gatsby wouldn’t be viewed as the aspiration he is, without his successful consumer identity. Every individual has consumer tendencies and desires, but Gatsby needed to feel superior and belonged in order to move forward in life. His wanting for a lavish lifestyle came with the consequences of getting into the never ending cycle of consumerism. Gatsby longed for the consumerist lifestyle and a hidden approval from the higher class. He has created a problem by connecting money as his only way of happiness, which is constantly proven to never be enough. Scott Fitzgerald, the author of The Great Gatsby, has shown that Gatsby’s outlook of himself reflects on the items he owns, his requirement of wealth in order …show more content…

In order for him to get the girl of his dreams, he sees money being the only answer.“They had spent a year in France for no particular reason, and then drifted here and there unrestfully wherever people played polo and were rich together. (17) Nick talks about Daisy and Tom and the lifestyle of the rich. Scott Fitzgerald takes a sport that was originally made for royals and linked it to the Buchanans. He shows the clear connection between money and Daisy. By throwing his clothing at Daisy he’s showing her all the materialistic things she could have, and she responds in an extremely materialistic way; “never seen such beautiful shirts” (92) . When wanting to run away, Gatsby is confused. He got all these riches for her, yet she doesn’t want them. Being the dreamer he is, Jay ignores this and continues to try and recover the past. Even Daisy understands that in order to survive through society her daughter needs to become aware of how everything revolves around money. “I hope she’ll be a fool—that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool” (7). She views this as the only way her daughter will have a stable, rich lifestyle. He couldn’t quit on his dream when it was at his fingertips, yet he never realized that it was already behind him. Eventually, he receives a glimmer of hope when the phone rings, hoping it is Daisy. For a quick second, Gatsby’s dream had become fulfilled, until reality hits. He will always want more and never feel fully satisfied. In the end, the green light becomes nothing but a bulb and Jay Gatsby is soon destroyed by his materialistic dreams of having

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In the Great Gatsby, the character Jay Gatsby shows off his abundant wealth through parties that he throws periodically, these are a result of excess consumerism. Through the character of Jay Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald shows how an excess consumerist approach to life can drive a person to rely on their material wealth to bring them happiness, this is done by showing off their affluence in often extreme ways to increase their name and status. The parties that Gatsby throws aren't meant to simply be a fun evening with friends, but have a deeper symbolic meaning. Due to his excess consumerist mindset, Gatsby’s parties are a statement of his wealth. They are a way in which he can show the life he has made for himself and get attention for it.

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