Social Barriers In The Great Gatsby

Since the beginning of human kind, people have wanted to break down the social barriers between each other. Some barriers started to fall away during the 20th century when women were given the right to vote and people were given the right to become rich based on their skill groups, not based on how their families were like. Although these social barriers started to fade away, defeating a social barrier completely was still a huge problem. The Great Gatsby by the author F. Scott Fitzgerald, offers a glance of the life in America during the 1920s. Jay Gatsby dreams about overcoming the class barriers and marrying Daisy. He finally becomes wealthy at the end, but never can reach her social class. Myrtle on the other hand is having an affair with

Gatsby has been obsessed with Daisy, and ready to do everything in order to get back her love, even if he needs to do illegal stuff to earn his wealth to reach her status. But Myrtle is completely different from Gatsby; she is so obsessed with being in a high social class that she would do anything in order to reach her goal even if she needs to cheat on her husband. Gatsby very quickly fell in love with Daisy but due to his lower class status never could marry her. "She never loved you, do you hear? She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible mistake, but in her heart she never loved anyone except me" (130). Myrtle on the other hand is having affairs with Tom in order to feel the satisfaction of being in the upper class. Myrtle loved her husband Mr. Wilson when they got married, but she got very disappointed by her husband’s lack of money and the social status that she is suffering in for eleven years. Now she is regretting the day she married with him, her sister Catharine says “She really ought to get away from him. They’ve been living over that garage for eleven years, And Tom’s the first sweetie she ever had”. Even if Myrtle and Gatsby becomes rich they can’t possibly have the taste that the “old money” people has, the fact that they are coming from the lower class means that no matter how they try,

After eleven years of an unhappy marriage Myrtle sees her affair with Tom as an escape from the awful like she is living in. The fact that she knows so little about the upper class men and the poor judgement of her character makes her an easy target for Tom to take advantage of her. Although she finally buys everything that she desired for, she never could have Tom’s heart all to herself. Tom would rather not leave Daisy because their marriage represents a larger meaning than only love it almost a symbol that show their social status. "Daisy! Daisy! Daisy!" shouted Mrs. Wilson. "I 'll say it whenever I want to! Daisy! Dai——"Making a short deft movement Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand. (2.124-6) After Tom’s treatment towards Myrtle makes us readers to understand that for him Myrtle is just another affair. Despite this awful scene their affair continuous due to the fact that Myrtle is obsessed with the plan of escaping from her marriage. The another messed up relationship is between Gatsby and Daisy. Like Myrtle, Gatsby wants to become a part of the high social class and escape from the name tag of “New Money”. Gatsby falls in love with Daisy and her wealth that she represents. He becomes obsessed with her in a level that he would cover up and take full responsibility for all of her misbehavers. Like her husband, Daisy starts using the