What Does Meyer Wolfsheim Symbolize In The Great Gatsby

Everyone has their secrets: It's a fact of life, yet Gatsby has more than most. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald follows Gatsby’s life, his past and present. The reader learns first about his great wealth, his extravagant lifestyle, before learning about the truth to it all. The first look into that world the reader gets is from A man named Meyer Wolfsheim. Although he is a seemingly unimportant character, he was put in the story to illustrate the darker side of Gatsby’s newfound wealth.
Throughout the novel Nick often finds himself standing in awe of Gatsby’s great fortune; his extravagant parties leave him astonished. He watches as couples dance in “eternal graceless circles”, while others run away to corners of the house together

Meyer Wolfsheim is used to illustrate its point. He is a caricature of a greedy businessman. Wolfsheim becomes his official introduction into the back-alley deals that Gatsby had to make to become the phenomenon he was. Gatsby invites Nick to meet his friend, symbolically inviting him into this hidden world. When Wolfsheim is introduced, while he is meeting Nick he “regards” him, instead of simply meeting him. The odd word choice illustrates how Wolfshiem looks down upon Nick, he doesn't see him as someone on the same playing field as him, and although he is “look[ing] up at him” physically, he is looking down upon him in a societal sense. By regarding him he was watching him, figuring out where on the social ladder he stood. This ladder controlled his whole life, his cufflinks are made from human molars, furthering the idea that he uses other people to climb that ladder. After he realized he was out of Nick’s league, him being of no use to him if not, he did not even speak to him, continuing his conversation with Gatsby instead. He goes so far as to “drop[ping]” his hand, as if disgusted by him. Wolfsheim wants to continue his social climb, when whomever he is with is of no use to him he doesn't see the

Wolfsheim shows him how the ‘American dream’ is for the corrupt. All of Gatsby’s original businesses dealt in illegal affairs, whether it be the “drug”, or “oil” business he felt that he needed to get to the top in any way possible, and Wolfsheim inspired this goal. He led by example, he was a gambler who “fixed the World’s Series back in 1919”. The key to all of His success was illegal and illicit dealings, and when Gatsby saw that he used those same tactics. The concept of the American dream does not exist in its kindest form in the novel. Where the original states that if you work hard, you will get the riches you deserve, here he learns that ‘working hard’ does not mean working a menial job earning hourly wages, but building an empire. To him what it was based on did not matter. The American dream benefits these gangsters such as Wolfsheim, and once Gatsby learned that he was able to reach all of his