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Social Class In The Great Gatsby

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Social class is a division in society based on social and economic status. This division exceeds race, sex and ethnicity with each class having its own standards. Many people think that it is difficult to switch social classes. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gatsby demonstrated that it is possible to attain a higher social class by learning how to act around others, making connections with people and earning lots of money.
Elevating one’s social status is easier when one is educated on the proper way to interact with the chosen social class. Nick tells the story of how James Gatz’s personality became Jay Gatsby by introducing the background character Dan Cody. Dan Cody and Gatsby spent some time together in Gatsby’s younger years, and he hoped to inherit some of Cody’s fortune; however, that did not happen. “He was left with his singularly appropriate education; the vague contour of Jay Gatsby had filled out to the substantiality of a man.” (Fitzgerald 100-101) Fitzgerald explains that only thing that Gatsby obtained from his time with Dan Cody was how to socialize with the upper class. This guided him on his way to make connections with those of a higher class because he knew how to fit in with them. …show more content…

Gatsby would not have gained his reputation or his money had it not been for Wolfsheim. Wolfsheim introduced him to the bootlegging business as well as gave him connections to other people in the industry. “I got him to join up in the American Legion and he used to stand high there. Right off he did some work for a client of mine up to Albany.” (Fitzgerald 171) In this quote, Wolfsheim is telling Nick how he got Gatsby into the business, as well as how he gave him connections. Through these connections, Gatsby was able to do work with a multitude of

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Social classes represent the hidden structure of America, as well as in several other countries in the world. If one is unsatisfied with the social class they are born into, however, is it possible for them to change it? The answer is yes, they can, as per evidence from real life situations and from The Great Gatsby. Some might say that it is impossible to change the social class one is born into. In their opinion, if that person is born poor, consequently they will certainly die poor.

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Characters in The Great Gatsby put the thought of money and success before their own health and living standards or personal relationships. When Gatsby takes Nick downtown to go meet up with some associates for lunch, he introduces Nick to Meyer Wolfshiem. Wolfshiem is clearly a mobster of some sort and goes on to discuss an old building across the street from where they were dining after Nick questions its significance,“‘The old Metropole,’ brooded Mr. Wolfshiem gloomily. ‘Filled with faces dead and gone. Filled with friends gone now forever.

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Can social class be changed.? The novel, The Great Gatsby, coquets this question. When this inquiry is argued, two main stances tend to arise. In one instance, changing social class is said to be an attainable goal; however, in opposition to that argument, the correct stance to take on this states that social class, at least as it pertains to this novel, is an immutable part of all peoples lives. The opposing platform believes social class can be changed based on the assumption that anyone could do anything if they work hard enough.

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Despite the stories that went around about Gatsby, Nick looked past them to learn who he truly was. “He smiled understandingly… it was one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced… the whole external world for an instant, and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself… I'd got a strong impression that he was picking his words with care” (Fitzgerald, 49).

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He's a Midwesterner from San Francisco. You have to realize that he left his past behind and became almost a new person. So, he knows what he has left behind and how he has changed as a person. Wolfsheim's connection to Gatsby is a sign of the corruption of the American Dream.

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Fitzgerald portrays Gatsby’s absence of values through Nick, who is Fitzgerald’s voice throughout the novel. He characterizes Gatsby as being a bootlegger and a businessman who was involved in the illegal drug and oil business, both of which were forms of easy money intended to impress Daisy. Furthermore, Gatsby is later revealed to be associated with Wolfsheim, a Jewish businessman notoriously known for “fixing the world series” in 1919 (Fitzgerald 78). Gatsby’s close ties with Wolfsheim demonstrate a lack of values that were lost in his pursuit to become hastily rich. His determination to become wealthy for Daisy shows his willingness to compromise his values by illegally making money and befriending gamblers like Wolfsheim.

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Gatsby became involved in illegal activity to obtain some money to impress Daisy. His web of lies is discovered by Tom. “I found out what your ‘drug stores’ were.’ He turned to us and spoke rapidly. " He and this Wolfsheim bought up a lot of side-street drug stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter.”

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Gatsby was no inherently a corrupt man, but through his dealings with dishonest people he slowly, but assuredly became more like them. After Gatsby’s sudden death, Nick approaches Wolfsheim, Gatsby’s “closest friend,” for an account on how Gatsby came into his wealth. To Nick’s inquiry of “Did you start him in business?” Wolfsheim

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In the case of Gatsby, he tries to ascend social class but does so illegally and ends up failing in the end. His friendship with Meyer Wolfsheim proves that he is corrupt and got his riches in an unethical way. When Nick questioned Gatsby about Wolfsheim, he responded, “‘He’s the man who fixed the World’s Series back in 1919’” (Fitzgerald 73). Gatsby also tells Nick that Wolfsheim is a gambler, and the fact that Gatsby has business connections with him puts a shadow of doubt over Gatsby and his means to being successful.

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He mediated by doing business with Wolfsheim, to facilitate his wealth, while still romancing with Daisy. Due to Gatsby’s ability to be a part of both worlds, he occupies the social center of the book (Beuka, 11). Gatsby did not completely enjoy his association with the lower class, prior to his riches, and he aspired to be considered equal to the Buchanans. His aspirations led to his portrayal of a different person externally, than he was internally. In the same way, Gatsby was constantly adapting to this new environment to fit in.

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This shows that, despite all his riches, Gatsby was lonely and lacked true companionship. Gatsby's relationship with Meyer Wolfsheim also highlights the shallow connections in his life. Wolfsheim, who played a big role in Gatsby's rise to wealth, did not even attend his funeral. This absence showed that their relationship was more about business than

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Wolfsheim has made an impact in both Gatsby’s life and success. He says he “‘raised [Gatsby] up out of nothing, right out of the gutter’” (171). This quote shows that

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In The Great Gatsby, social status is a significant element in the book as it separates the haves from the have nots. However more importantly, social status portrays the personalities of people belonging to different classes. In the end, you are stuck in the class you are born into, and attempting to change classes only leads to tragedy and heartbreak.     In The Great Gatsby, there are three main social classes portrayed. These are old money, new money, and no money.

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He and this Wolfsheim bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter. That’s one of his little stunts. I picked him for a bootlegger the first time I saw him, and I wasn’t far wrong.” (7.127) Gatsby earned his fortune through the illegal sale and distribution of liquor. Rumors of Gatsby’s being a bootlegger circulated with partygoers in chapter four while indications that Gatsby may be involved in criminal activity are suggested in chapter five.

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The setting in The Great Gatsby is used mainly to paint a picture of the class differences in the roaring twenties. The people from all the social classes suddenly became aware of the class differences. It was evident that the social classes were clearly divided by location, amount of material possessions and the way one person acts. Throughout the story multiple examples of social classes were being inserted in The Great Gatsby, and how each social class was not found of the other. The American Dream is not all what is made up to be throughout this novel compared to portraying the different views of the objection of American Dream from then compared to now.

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