Wealth Are Shown In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby Research Assignment: How Aspects of 1920s Wealth Are Shown in the Novel When one hears a reference to the 1920s or the “Roaring Twenties”, one may picture a time of great prosperity and contentment throughout the decade and all throughout the nation. This image, however, is not the complete truth since this vision of great wealth, grand parties, going to speakeasies, and purchasing in excess was not attainable for most Americans. This imagery of wealth may be associated with the novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, but nevertheless, Fitzgerald also represents the wealth inequalities present during the decade. Along with representing the wealth inequalities of the decade, The Great Gatsby shows more unseen aspects

Using other sources from reputable websites and library databases, this essay will denote how The Great Gatsby portrays many aspects of wealth in 1920s America. The first unique aspect of wealth in the 1920s is the inequality of wealth during the decade. According to History.com, the top one percent of all families received 23.9 percent of all pretax income while 60 percent of families made the minimum livable wage, which was less than $2000 a year. These statistics describe a large gap between the rich and working classes, which is explicitly shown in the novel through the comparison of West Egg, East Egg, and the valley of ashes. When the valley of ashes, a working-class area in New York and the main one in the novel, is introduced, it is described as “a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens; [...] of men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air” (Fitzgerald 23). This paints a dim, unhappy image of workers who must do great amounts of labor yet still live in a gloomy, unappealing neighborhood covered in ashes,

“Why the Roaring Twenties Left Many Americans Poorer - History.” History, 26 Mar. 2021, https://www.history.com/news/roaring-twenties-labor-great-depression.

This source explains the wealth inequality of the 1920s and how the decade was not full of prosperity for everyone. During this time, the top one percent received 23.9 percent of all income while 60 percent of families made less than $2,000 a year. According to the source, the speakeasy culture often represented by media about the 1920s was not accessible to most Americans and many people still experienced disadvantages in gaining wealth due to their race or other demographics.

Many aspects of wealth distribution that can correlate to themes discussed in the novel The Great Gatsby are discussed in this article, proving its usefulness in this essay. This information in the article can connect to the difference between the Valley of Ashes and the Eggs in the novel. This can also provide a wider, real-life scope for the novel’s portrayal of the 1920s. Due to these reasons, this source was used to support how aspects of 1920s wealth are shown in the novel overall.

“The Roaring Twenties: Definition and Facts - History.” History, 12 Aug. 2022,