Money Equals Happiness in The Great Gatsby

A detailed Summary of Money Equals Happiness in The Great Gatsby

Money Equals Happiness (The Great Gatsby)

Throughout history many societies have had upper, middle, and lower classes. The classes formed separate communities of diverse living and never crossed social barriers. In the book, The Great Gatsby, instead of streets and communities separating each class there was a sound. On West Egg, the rich received their money not from inheritance but from what they accomplished by themselves. They worked hard for their money and received no financial support from their families. These people gained in one of two ways; either they worked for it or relied on illegal means for survival. On the other hand, or island, East Egg natives represent the class of society that receive money from their relatives. They were someone's heir and rich from birth. It was also known that no one on East Egg would marry someone poor or with new money. Fitzgerald reveals that the life of the privileged class is filled with corruption, carelessness, and materialism through his use of characterization in the novel.

Daisy, the wife of Tom Buchanan, has no goals in life; no discipline, nor any morals. She can't even think for herself because she has never had to before. She talks to Nick as if he is part of a group whic

The novel The Great Gatsby shows many different aspects of the upper class. From corruption to being uncaring many characters never change personalities and don't even try to change. Daisy stayed the same careless, materialistic woman throughout the book and Tom stayed hypocritical and angry. Eventually both run away never accepting responsibility for the damage that they caused. They thought that because they have money they would never have any problems and if they did money would get them out. Money was everything to them and Daisy loved money more than she loved her own daughter. Tom thought that because he had money he could cheat on his wife and that love meant buying his wife a necklace which to his wife was love because it cost a lot of money. Both characters never realized what money couldn't buy them. Between Daisy and Tom money can buy love. To them money equals happiness.

'Oh, yes.' She looked at me absently (21).

'I waited but she didn't say any more, and after a moment I returned feebly to the subject of her [Daisy] daughter.'

The only reason she even acknowledges that her daughter is there is when she feel she needs to show off her possessions, and her daughter is only a possession to her. If she tried to change and actually decided to be less materialistic then maybe she would change her whole outlook on life.

'Her [Daisy] voice is full of money,' he said suddenly. That was it. I'd never understood before. It was full of money-that was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it, the jingle of it, the cymbals' song of it. . . . High in a white palace the king's daughter, the golden girl. . . . (127).

Both Daisy and Tom are incapable of guilt and believe if they have a lot of money then they can get away from any situation. Tom's behavior clearly reveals his lack of guilt when he fa

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Approximate Word count = 1237
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English