Theme Of Morality In The Great Gatsby

The year is 1922. “The stock market boomed, the rich spent money on fabulous parties and expensive acquisitions...and profits were made, both legally and illegally” (Fitzgerald 's Opulent Synthesis). In the 1920’s, and even today, there is often a direct link between an individual’s morality and their social class. Those in the upper classes are seen as immoral because of the dishonest ways in which they have made their money, and as a result often play into the stereotype by acting on their desires without thinking of the moral repercussions. In sharp contrast, those in the lower classes have been brought up to know the value of hard work, and as a result hold their moral values to a higher standard than those in the upper classes. This moral

After watching Myrtle get hit by a car, Wilson spirals into a depression fueled by madness, and although he eventually killed Gatsby out of revenge, George Wilson remains on of the more moral characters in Fitzgerald’s work. Wilson lived his life as a man of God, holding onto his values above all else, and when those morals failed him, he lost all sense of who he was. Those who hold a high standard of morals, such as George Wilson, often have more to lose, and as a result don’t handle tragedy well. Moral individuals in the lower classes have less to fall back on, and therefore more to lose. This can often lead to them not handling tragedy well, because they feel as though their morals have failed them. Wilson truly loved Myrtle, so after her death Wilson goes on a rampage. He thought of himself as a man of God, but after looking at where that got him, he decides that his morality should take a backseat to his vengeance. After feeling as though his religion has failed him. Wilson decides to make Myrtle’s killer pay, believing that by seeking vengeance, he will somehow be able to cope with his tragedy better. Wilson’s social class gave him reason to look to religion for answers and moral values, and as a result of this he was more susceptible to falling hard when tragedy eventually struck. This, however, is a sharp contrast to the ways in which the immoral in the upper class deal with death and