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.
In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, the novel illustrates the patriarchal society of the 1920s and the oppression of women within it. The novel shows traditional gender roles being strictly enforced through the character of Daisy Buchanan and also presents contrast through Jordan Baker, a strong independent woman challenging the gender roles imposed upon her. This serves to highlight the societal restrictions and traditional expectations faced by women during this era and the emergence of a new generation of women who sought to break free from these constraints. Some critics renounce this, stating that the novel reinforces patriarchal societal norms rather than challenging them. This essay will argue that the novel presents a distinct
In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Novel The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby is persuaded by gendered norms of the 1920s that expected men to prioritize financial success over all else, and in particular, over the love for a woman. He is a commentary on the friction between societal expectations and personal happiness. Gatsby does everything right: he closes himself off from the woman he loves, Daisy, to become financially successful meanwhile, expecting to reclaim his lost love upon achieving the aforementioned material success. Through the character of Jay Gatsby, the novel illustrates societal pressures for men in this period and how a narrow interpretation of success could ultimately undermine the attainment of a successful life defined more broadly.
Flappers, wealth, and prohibition that's with the 1920's were about. The novel The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, was placed in this time period. Fitzgerald uses the novel to place a message showing the differences between higher and lower classes. The characters in this book have different values and goals based on their class, that attribute to the theme of this book. Jordan Baker in this time would be considered a flapper.
The novel, The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald, conveys that Fitzgerald was a misogynist by illustrating the gender roles women endured. The measures of these women show that at this time women needed a man to supplement their needs. For example, Daisy gets mad at Tom and screams, “‘That’s what I get for marrying a brute of a man, a great big hulking physical specimen of A——’” (Fitzgerald 15). As the story progresses, we learn that Daisy only married Tom for his money and not for love.
The Roaring Twenties, known as the decade of the 1920s in the Western World, consists of dramatic changes in social values. The cultural differences between the 1920s and the Victorian era changes people's behavior, where they become more free-will, youthful and carefree, despite of being more conservative before. People are more open-minded and found satisfaction through the “open pursuit of sex, money, and booze” (Berman 53) as they suggest their wealth and status in the society. New York City had become one of the cities where materialistic wealth has become the key of happiness and the standard to judge people's success, further leading Americans to pursue each other in a negative, acquisitive way. Through the different scenes and characters of the famous novel The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald explores how the society twisted the original idea of
The impact of socioeconomic status can be examined through a myriad of lenses. F. Scott Fitzgerald aims to show the relationship between socioeconomic status and power. Throughout The Great Gatsby, Tom’s character shows that socioeconomic status is equivalent to power within the novel. Tom puts great pride and emphasis on his socioeconomic status and wealth.
Even when your life seems to be put together, it can fall apart instantly. In the novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, he takes us through the 1920s when people's social status was separated into the East Egg (new money) and West Egg (old money). People of the time ended up doing anything when it came to keeping their wealth. Gatsby came from nothing, but when he had everything, he could not hold on to it due to greed. Money changes people.
A person being elevated from the sea rejoices until they find themselves in the crushing pressure of space; as money helps people ascend from one world of problems, it crushes them in the pressure of an entirely new world of expectations. The Great Gatsby tells the story of Tom, Daisy, and Gatsby in 1920s New York and the love triangle between the three, as told by Nick Carraway, shaped by the limitations and expectations of each of their respective economic statuses. The roles of each character within their gender identity, sexuality, and socioeconomic status influence their autonomy. Social expectations and norms based on economic status control most, if not all, of the lives of the characters. It is the reason Gatsby was unable to marry
Tom and Gatsby share an obsession with their social status, which can be concluded through the text. For example, Tom Buchanan states, “She is not leaving me, certainly not for a common swindler.” He indulges regularly in boasting about his family's wealth and status, using this as an opportunity to demean others. Jay Gatsby hosts extravagant parties, attended by people of the high class. He does this in hopes of “fitting in” with the higher social classes.
Many times, it is hard for people to accept the fact that they are classified purely based on where they live and/or where they are educated. In both, The Great Gatsby by Scott Fitzgerald and Class Divide by Marc Levin, the characters are separated into neighborhoods or schools, which ultimately display the wealth they obtain. The Great Gatsby is a novel that consists of many characters who either live in the West Egg, East Egg, or Valley of Ashes. The West Egg represents the idea of new money, the East Egg signifies old money, and the Valley of Ashes represents impoverishment. Moreover, Class Divide is a documentary that interviews several people, mostly youths, who either attend public schools or private schools, such as Avenues.
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.
In Rita Dove's words, "The American Dream is a phrase we'll wrestle with all our lives. " She isn't wrong, and this idea has been crystal clear for ages. For instance, in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Great Gatsby, set in the Roaring Twenties, shortly after World War 1, highlights Nick Carraway’s life after moving to a new estate. The novel shows the battles of social class and the fight to obtain wealth/riches.
When analyzing The Great Gatsby from a sociological perspective, one theme that is pertinent to this film is social class. The concept of social class is evident in The Great Gatsby, from how the characters are introduced to us. Essentially, businesspeople that have had their own types of success were portrayed in different parts of the film. The American Dream for example is exemplified in the movie throughout the roaring 1920s. Jay Gatsby for example has portrayed something of a phenomenon when it comes to his lavish parties, and fortune.
The impact of truth and morality by one’s social class How does one’s social class affect one’s honesty and morality? In the book, Fitzgerald makes commentary on various themes, such as the American dream and the passing of time and so on. Of the various themes being illustrate, none is more developed as the impact of social class on one’s moral identity. The book offers vivid peak into the everyday society in time period of the Jazz age. The idea of one’s morality due to one’s identity is being illustrated and explored in the book, as the author, Scott Fitzgerald suggests that honesty and morality are interconnected with one’s authority and social status.
