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Wealth In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

1831 Words8 Pages

The world crafted by F. Scott Fitzgerald within The Great Gatsby revolves around the idea of wealth and the two different ways that it is achieved. These concepts, old money and new money, first appear to perfectly contrast the other: old money refers to wealth inherited through family ties while new money refers to wealth that is earned through hard work and perseverance, both elements of the American Dream, which at its foundations includes equality of “Life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness” (US, 1776), demanding selfless actions and equal treatment of others. However, both concepts of wealth are actually a singular, negative force that drives the wealthy to a life of greed. Fitzgerald deliberately distinguishes old money and new money, …show more content…

Throughout the novel, Nick is strangely infatuated with Gatsby. According to Nick, Gatsby “[has a smile with] a quality of eternal reassurance.” (Fitzgerald, 53) Nick, by making such a comment, shows his attachment to Gatsby. However, he is not attached to Gatsby himself, but to the American Dream that Gatsby represents. To Nick, Gatsby’s rags-to-riches story embodies the opportunity that Nick aims for when he moves to the East. As Nick begins to realize that Gatsby is a fraud, however, Nick still struggles to separate himself from Gatsby. Even after admitting that he “disapproved of [Gatsby] from the beginning to end” (Fitzgerald, 164), Nick tells him “You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together.” (Fitzgerald, 164) The juxtaposition of such opposite ideas illuminates the cyclic nature of wealth. While Nick disapproves of Gatsby’s method of attaining wealth, he is unable to lose hope in the American Dream that he represents, holding out hope that he may be able to achieve wealth fairly. This mindset causes the acquisition of wealth to become cyclical, with new waves of wealth-seekers, such as Nick, unable to resist the lure of new money, entering the cycle as Gatsby did. Those already inside the cycle, such as Tom, spiral even deeper into selfishness. At the end, Nick returns to the west …show more content…

The twelve men of Fish, who represent the twelve disciples of Jesus, rather than worshipping God, now worship the “Transcontinental Express from Chicago” (Fitzgerald, 3), a symbol of Washington’s wealth. Thus, Washington’s wealth causes the twelve men of Fish to become corrupt and worship wealth rather than God, pushing away religion in the place where it belongs most. In the end, by choosing to worship wealth rather than God, Washington pushes away God; this causes God to abandon him and reject his bribe, eventually leading to his own death and forcing his children to Hades, or

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