The Great Gatsby
So far, all the characters in The Great Gatsby have seemed to be interested in wealth and power. For almost all of the characters, attaining wealth and power is a driving force for them to carry on with their life. In addition, most characters in the book value social status and try to do everything they can to climb up the social ladder. For example, Myrtle is unfaithful to her husband to be with Tom so that she can be considered of higher status.
Characters who do have wealth associate themselves higher up the social ladder. For example, Jordan tells Nick that she doesn't care about being a careful driver because she expects that "they'll keep out of my way..it takes two to make an accident" (Fitzgerald 58). Because of her social status, Jordan thinks that she is superior and more powerful than other people and thinks that people should respect this and look out for her.
Although achieving wealth and power was a common ideal upheld by people in the 1920s, I think Fitzgerald's main purpose in writing this book is to tell us that having wealth doesn't equate to happiness. He portrays his purpose through the character, Jay Gatsby. Despite Gatsby's great family wealth, luxurious parties, popularity and ornate mansion, he is still missing a part of him that prevents him from being happy. We learn that Gatsby is in love with Daisy and his lavish parties were a way for him to try to attract Daisy to him. When Nick realizes this, he says that Gatsby "came alive to me, delivered suddenly from the womb of his purposeless splendor". Even though Gatsby's house is symbol for comfort, Gatsby is not comforted by his wealth and he longs to have Daisy so that he can achieve happiness. He think that in order to attract Daisy, he needs to show off his wealth because other people equate happiness with wealth even though he doesn't.
Characters who do have wealth associate themselves higher up the social ladder. For example, Jordan tells Nick that she doesn't care about being a careful driver because she expects that "they'll keep out of my way..it takes two to make an accident" (Fitzgerald 58). Because of her social status, Jordan thinks that she is superior and more powerful than other people and thinks that people should respect this and look out for her.
Although achieving wealth and power was a common ideal upheld by people in the 1920s, I think Fitzgerald's main purpose in writing this book is to tell us that having wealth doesn't equate to happiness. He portrays his purpose through the character, Jay Gatsby. Despite Gatsby's great family wealth, luxurious parties, popularity and ornate mansion, he is still missing a part of him that prevents him from being happy. We learn that Gatsby is in love with Daisy and his lavish parties were a way for him to try to attract Daisy to him. When Nick realizes this, he says that Gatsby "came alive to me, delivered suddenly from the womb of his purposeless splendor". Even though Gatsby's house is symbol for comfort, Gatsby is not comforted by his wealth and he longs to have Daisy so that he can achieve happiness. He think that in order to attract Daisy, he needs to show off his wealth because other people equate happiness with wealth even though he doesn't.
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