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 which is secluded from the lives of the East Eggers and in some aspect he is " 'All right," said Daisy. 'What"ll we plan?" She turned to me helplessly. 'What do people plan?"," (153). Daisy lacks competence. Daisy has nothing to do or care about each day. She has no idea of how to plan something because she hasn"t had to do anything that requires thinking since the day that she thought money would solve her problems. She can go through life without having to think about anything that would probably require an elementary education. In the scene where Daisy runs over Myrtle, she doesn"t care what has happened, she just cares about herself. "For Daisy was young and her artificial world was redolent of orchids and pleasant, cheerful snobbery and orchestras which set the rhythm of the year, summing up the sadness and suggestiveness of life in new tunes," (158).