Wealth And Social Status In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

¨The Great Gatsby¨ The Great Gatsby" is a novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald and was first published in 1925. It is a classic work of American literature that explores the decadence and excess of the Roaring Twenties. Two of the main characters discussed in the book, Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby, contrast one another. The purpose of making Gatsby and Tom contrast is to show the negative effects of wealth and social status on an individual character in relationships. Tom is different from Gatsby because Tom is a man of inherited wealth and privilege but is very violent and cruel. Gatsby on the other hand is a self-made man who acquired his wealth through sometimes questionable means. Furthermore, Tom exposes Gatsby for what kind of business he runs ¨I found out what your drug stores were,"( ch 7) This shows readers that Tom is arrogant and implies that Gatsby is inferior to him because Gatsby developed his wealth through some

Tom is aggressive, strong, and supercilious because if Tom finds something wrong about you he will do an investigation about you and attempt to expose you or harm you. In addition, throughout the novel, Tom shows his violence towards Myrtle, a woman that Tom cheats on his wife with. As is consistent with Tom's disturbing disposition and temperamental character, he is filled with self-righteous rage when Myrtle danes to speak Daisy's name.¨ making a short-hand deft Movement, Tom broke [Myrtles] nose with his open hand" (89). Tom tells her to stop, and when she doesn't, he strikes her. Tom's reaction to this is decisive and unreasonable; per his usual erratic behavior, he physically strikes out at those problems which will not abate on their own and is fearful of any disobedience in the world surrounding him. Despite his infidelity and seeming indifference to Daisy's wishes and needs, he still defends her because of the lingering