Wealth In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

Have you ever considered what implications your own culture, upbringing, and source of wealth have had on your social ranking within society? It’s a rather complex and philosophical question that only few have truly taken the time to consider. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald undertakes this inquiry and demonstrates his answer to this ambiguous question through a series of catastrophic events as depicted through numerous characters - most notably, Jay Gatsby. Mr. Gatsby is long regarded within the novel as a suspect character when it comes to his source of wealth. Unlike Tom Buchanan, Gatsby wasn't born into a wealthy family, and instead had to “earn” his fortune. But it’s apparent from the onset of the novel that the way Gatsby has come into such fortune comes with unmistakable red flags, which draws the attention of others. He continously contradicts himself and provides different sources for his wealth when asked on multiple occasions. This simple fact plays a magnificent role in the tone of the novel; because of Gatsby’s sketchy sources of wealth, he finds it

The audience is frequently introduced to Tom Buchanan during the film, a character that plays the part in numerous different roles, none greater than being Gatsby’s biggest threat and rival. Tom has everything that Gatsby has, with one major exception; his wealth was inherited from family at birth. Society accepts this, mainly out of its jealousy and eagerness to have similar success. Thus Tom enjoys numerous friends, a wife (whom Gatsby particularly desires as his own), and even a mistress as a result. In a scene portrayed where Tom and Gatsby are fighting over Daisy, Gatsby’s questionable source of wealth comes up, which Tom takes advantage of to win back his