Around the world and throughout history the importance and social status of a person depends on that person’s wealth. Money holds a huge part within human society. Those who are rich are able to do practically anything – even get away with murder if needed. This allure of richness can fascinate and sway the mind. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby uses the antics of upper class to represent emptiness and shallowness of the wealthy. Living in the prestige East Egg, Tom and Daisy Buchanan have anything they could ever desire due to their immense wealth, although money is all that they have. Unlike West Egg where Gatsby resides, East Egg is home to those who are from a sophisticated and refined family of wealth. It is shown that Tom Buchanan …show more content…
Unlike the Buchanan’s his wealth isn’t revered. This does not deter Gatsby because he feels a sense of importance when so many people would attend and have fun at his lavish parties. Gatsby does not care that many of the people who attend his parties are not even invited. Hundreds of people who enjoyed his parties and that was all they did. These rich people who attend party after party did not care once Gatsby died. Nick Carraway observed this at Gatsby’s funeral when only a few people attended and said, “The minister glanced several times at his watch so I took his aside and asked him to wait for half an hour. But it wasn’t any use. Nobody came” (Fitzgerald 182). Those people who attended Gatsby’s parties went for their own selfish reasons. Daisy who was Gatsby’s love did not even attend. Daisy, Tom, and their child moved without regret. Daisy chose Tom over Gatsby due to his old wealth and stayed with Tom even after he framed Gatsby for the death of Myrtle. Nick is able to describe the emptiness of the wealthy when describing Tom and Daisy by saying this, “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy – they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back in to their money or their vast carelessness” (Fitzgerald 188). The Buchanan’s hid behind their money are nothing but their money. If their money was taken away from them they would not have a persona. Their antics represent how shallow and hollow the rich