Role Of Materialism In The Great Gatsby

Melinda Dae

Mr. Nesser

AP English Language – Block II

16 May 2023

The American Dream: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Wealth The American Dream is an ideal that embodies the patriotic ideals of America - freedom, equality, and opportunity. The American Dream was particularly prevalent in the 1920s, a decade referred to as the Roaring 20s for the infamous wealth and materialism that engulfed the American population. F. Scott Fitzgerald embraced the ideas of the American Dream, as well as the rampant consumerism of the 1920s, in his novel, The Great Gatsby. A dreamer himself, Fitzgerald was born into a low social class but became a leading writer of fictional novels after decades of struggle. One of his most prevalent works of literature was

On the surface, Daisy seems like an innocent young girl. Her youthful, reckless behavior can compare to that of a child, as she rarely thinks before acting. She is impulsive, daring, and witty, characteristics that mirror many ideals of the brazen American individual. However, underneath all of her whimsical personality traits, she has an unexpectedly intense hunger for wealth. Daisy proves repeatedly that the one thing she desires more than anything else is to be rich and socially elite. When she sees Gatsby’s luxurious shirts, for example, she starts sobbing and claims it is because she has “never seen such […] beautiful shirts before” (Fitzgerald 58). However, she is discussing more than clothing. Daisy is not emotional over the beauty of the shirts, but rather over the perceived beauty of Gatsby’s life. Daisy realizes that Gatsby is rich, richer than she has ever imagined, and feels sorrow for the life she could have had. Regardless of the current wealth and power she has as Tom’s wife, she still craves more affluence. Her behavior represents an endless desire for power as she attempts to climb the monetary and social hierarchy. Furthermore, her reaction to the shirts reveals how she truly thinks of those around her. She clearly sees Gatsby as an object, an opportunity, that she can use for her personal gain. Although she repeatedly claims to be madly in love with him, her actions suggest that she is more in love with what he represents – power. In addition to Daisy, Tom’s mistress Myrtle displays similar desires for wealth. Myrtle openly admits to marrying her husband, Mr. Wilson, solely for his money. However, Myrtle immediately loses all respect for him after their wedding, when she realizes he had borrowed a tuxedo. She values wealth over character, and degrades her own husband, exploiting