The Great Gatsby
Within The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, social classes and the disillusionment of the American Dream are personified in a variety of ways. Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald is able to emphasize various elements of the 1920s lifestyle through the interactions between certain characters, and the way each character is personified within the book. With a variety of characters representing different social classes, Fitzgerald is able to show the reader the differences in each class and the disillusionment of the American Dream in the 1920s. According to Kimberley Amadeo’s article, “What is the American Dream” she states that, “In the 1920s, the American Dream started morphing into something less about equal opportunity to become the best you can be, and more about the acquisition of material things” (Amadeo 1). This statement from Kimberley directly exemplifies the main aspects that Fitzgerald is trying to portray to the reader through his novel. However, the reader is able to better grasp the concept of old money, new money, and the disillusionment of the American Dream in the 1920s due to the theoretical, and physical aspects within The Great Gatsby.
The concept of old money is portrayed in a variety of ways throughout Fitzgerald’s book. He primarily does so through the character Tom, the belongings he has, and the way he carries himself. In Andrea DiVirgilio’s article, “ 10 Differences Between Old Money Vs. New Money” she states that, “Old money are individuals who tend to turn their noses and backs towards those who are not as rich” (DiVirgillio 7). She later goes on to state that old money individuals are much more “snooty” and tend to have “classier” things compared to new money individuals, this description matches Tom in almost every way.
When Tom is first being introduced, Nick, the narrator, speaks of his first impression of the Buchanan residence. He states, “ Their house was even more elaborate than I expected, a cheerful red and white Gregorian Colonial mansion…” (Fitzgerald 11). He also speaks of how Tom had, “brought down a string of polo ponies from Lake Forest” (Fitzgerald 10). These material things give the reader the image that Tom is a classier person, that leads a highly sophisticated lifestyle. Fitzgerald also symbolizes old money through Tom’s personality. Upon Nick and Tom’s first meeting, one of the first things Tom says to Nick is, “Now don’t think my opinion on these matters is final… just because I’m stronger and more of a man than you are” (Fitzgerald 11). In the quotation above, Tom is portrayed to the reader as arrogant or “snooty” which directly correlates to what DiVirgilio said within her article. Tom is also having an affair with Myrtle, a lower class citizen who is desperately trying to rise in the social classes. Although Tom is romantically involved with her, he continues to throw her back in the Valley of Ashes where she came from with no regard for anyone’s well-being but his own. Through these scenes alone, Fitzgerald has established a good foundation as to how Tom, and old money will be represented throughout the rest of the novel.
In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald is able to represent the new money lifestyle and how it differs theoretically, and physically from the old money lifestyle through Gatsby, how he attained his fortune, and the extravagance of his belongings. In the movie, The Great Gatsby, directed by Baz Luhrmann, Gatsby is portrayed as a “self-made man” who is always flamboyantly dressed and has a large mansion with extravagant parties (The Great Gatsby). He also owns a car which Tom refers to as a, “circus wagon” which displays to the viewer that Gatsby not only dresses flamboyantly, but makes flashy purchases as well (The Great Gatsby).
In the beginning, the reader is unsure as to how Gatsby has acquired his fortune. It is not until Meyer Wolfsheim is introduced when the reader can make an assumption as to how Gatsby amassed his wealth. Wolfsheim, who was “…the man who fixed the World Series back in 1919” made his living through illegal activity (Fitzgerald 78). The acquisition of this “dirty money” is commonly associated with people who are classified as new money individuals, such as Gatsby. Also, later in the novel Tom exposes Gatsby for bootlegging alcohol during the time of prohibition. Tom states, “I found out what your ‘drug stores’ were. He and this Wolfshiem bought up a lot of side-street drug stores… and sold alcohol over the counter” (Fitzgerald 141). Not only does the method of attaining his fortune further personify Gatsby as a new money individual, but his belongings and constant need for approval from others does so as well.
Although on the outside Gatsby may have seemed to achieve the American Dream, internally that wasn’t enough, as he had to seek reassurance