Wealth Corrupts In The Great Gatsby

Written originally in 1925 by F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby follows narrator Nick Carroway retelling the story of his fantastical neighbor, Jay Gatsby, in his efforts to rekindle his relationship with past fling, Daisy Buchanan. The novel delves into the pretense of the Roaring Twenties' destructive influence of wealth and the elusive nature of the American Dream all through the rise and fall of Gatsby. It explores the superficial distinctions between old money and new money, as well as the impact of wealth on identity, relationships, and morality. By contrasting the settings of East and West Egg and the characters of Jay Gatsby and Daisy, Fitzgerald illustrates how the pursuit of wealth corrupts and distorts the American Dream, and

The main character Jay Gatsby, formerly known as James Gatz, was the epitome of a persona. He reinvented himself and reached towards “a promise that the rock of the world [would be] found securely on a fairy’s wing.” (99) This metaphor explores how he continually kept aiming for the fantasy that was his success, comparing the rock of the world to the reality that would soon rest securely on a fragile dream, mythical and as bizarre as a fairy’s wing. Despite the outward appearance of affluence and security in his wealth, the reality he was creating for himself was delicate and could fall apart at any given moment. Gatsby built himself up under the pretense of the American dream and honed his new identity as a wealthy

Both characters are obsessed with the idea and affluence of the other. Gatsby describes Daisy as “her voice [being] full of money,” a metaphor that symbolizes her wealth and his admiration for her lifestyle. The quote embodies the richness of Daisy’s social status and how Gatsby can only yearn for it, focusing on her class rather than her love. Her voice acts as a reminder to him of the luxurious lifestyle she enjoys and dreams of being a part of, demonstrating how they only really love each other on the surface through their money. Daisy only starts to take notice of Gatsby again and reinvigorate her love for him after witnessing his mansion and even crying over expensive clothes (92), revealing how she loves his money more than him. Gatsby, similarly, desired and loved what he could not have: a married woman with a higher class than you, more money, and more power. Their whole relationship was built on the fact that they loved each other's wealth more than they actually loved the other