Why Is Money Important In The Great Gatsby

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Many people spend money and buy things they do not want, to gain the attention of people they like. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby, money is one of the main aspects for many of the characters. They are all motivated by the life money can give them but it tends to cause a lot of difficulties. A lot of competition arises from the desire of wanting to be better than everyone else and to always get what they want. In the 1920’s it was a great time to have money due to the new technology and supplies available. This was when wealth was at an all-time high and people always had money to spend. They always showed off how wealthy and successful they were by throwing parties, gambling and buying items they do not need. During the …show more content…

He is someone with slight anger issues and can easily start a conflict with people. Although Tom is a man with a lot of money, he tends to use it for different purposes. An example is using it to attract the attention of women. This affects with Tom’s honesty greatly because it shows that he has no remorse for how he is hurting his wife, Daisy. He specifically says, “And what 's more, I love Daisy too. Once in a while I go off on a spree and make a fool of myself, but I always come back, and in my heart, I love her all the time" (251). He admits that he does do stupid things with people, but says that he will always go back to Daisy because he loves her. He does not seem to take into consideration the emotions Daisy feels when he sees other women. Tom’s behaviour and negativity towards people are also highly affected by his money. He believes that he can do whatever he pleases to do, so whenever someone disagrees with him or makes him upset he tends to lose his control of what he does. For instance, when Tom finds out Gatsby and Daisy are having an affair, he gets very irritated. This example proves that it is okay for him to see other women, but when his wife does the same, it all of a sudden isn’t okay. Not only does he have a negative attitude toward Daisy, but Gatsby as