Free trial is available to new customers only. Developing a richer interpretation of symbols, motifs, and themes. Money and materialism in the plotKey quotes about money/materialismAnalyzing characters via money/materialismCommon assignments and analysis of money/materialism in Gatsby. On the surface, The Great Gatsby is a story of the thwarted love between a man and a woman. (1.14). (Even if she's not actually engaged, the fact she chooses to tell Nick that suggests she does see engagement as her end goal in life.). What the old aristocracy possesses in taste, however, it seems to lack in heart, as the East Eggers prove themselves careless, inconsiderate bullies who are so used to moneys ability to ease their minds that they never worry about hurting others. In The Great Gatsby, Scott Fitzgerald documents these changes through an in-depth exploration of cultural changes such as the rise in consumerism, materialism, greed for wealth, and the culture of loosening morals in the 1920s American society. Excited to dive in? (7.106). This began during WWI as more women began to work to make up for the men fighting abroad, and as more professions opened up to them in the men's absence. Artists from that time include W.E.B. These gardeners cleaned the leftovers of the products that had been consumed during Gatsbys parties that were dominated by haphazard expenses. In fact, Nick says. Such symbols reflect social challenges such as corruption that arose from the emergence of materialist and capitalist cultures. In the opening pages, Nick establishes himself as someone who has had many advantages in lifea wealthy family and an Ivy League education to name just two. Zeitz, Joshua. And furthermore, Daisy's willingness to stay with Tom despite his affairs underscores another aspect of women's roles during the 1920s: that divorce was still very uncommon and controversial. Politically, the women's rights movement next took up the cause of the Equal Rights Amendment, which would guarantee equal legal rights for women. Fitzgeralds characters that each selfishly overcome different hardships with corrupt solutions represent the immoral mindset of success-hungry people in the 1920s proving that the culture of Fitzgeralds time was accurately mirrored in his novel. Only the most affluent couple pulls through the events that conclude the book. Fitzgerald wroteThe Great Gatsby while in Paris, surroundedby this group. Contact us In 1921 to 1924, the American GDP grew from $ 69bilion to about 93 billion (Woods 213). Our new student and parent forum, at ExpertHub.PrepScholar.com, allow you to interact with your peers and the PrepScholar staff. What Makes the great Gatsby by F.S Fitzgerald Great? Journal of Education 1.2(2012): 73-78. However, while Nick is wealthy, he is nowhere near as wealthy as the Buchanans or Gatsbyhe expresses surprise both that Tom is able to afford bringing ponies from Lake Forest ("It was hard to realize that a man in my own generation was wealthy enough to do that" (1.16), and that Gatsby was able to buy his own mansion ("But young men didn'tat least in my provincial inexperience I believed they didn'tdrift coolly out of nowhere and buy a palace on Long Island Sound" (3.88)), despite the fact they are all about 30 years old. Nevertheless, it was still very much frowned on, and being a housewife and having fewer rights than man was still the norm in the 1920s. Fitzgerald conveys a message warning against the perils of materialism during the course of the novel. And since Gatsby doesn't give up his dream, even into death, we can see how fervently he desires money and status. A mentionable character representing the American Dream was Jordan Baker and her representation of womens independence. In Myrtle's eyes, money is an escape from life with her husband in the valley of ashes, something that brings status, and something that buys class. Print. . (2022, August 12). After all, if even wealth on the scale of Gatsby's can't buy you entry into America's highest social class, what can? Because he creates characters that personify the American Dream, juxtaposes western and eastern American cultures, incorporates examples of law breaking under Prohibition, and depicts the corruption of the wealthy, Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby as a reflection of Americas culture in the early twentieth century by highlighting the cultures successes and failures. "It makes me sad because I've never seen suchsuch beautiful shirts before." Suffrage had been a huge goal of the womens movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, so this victory caused women to continue to push boundaries and fight for more rights during the 1920s. IvyPanda. The Great Gatsby is a very accurate portrayal of the cultural and social changes during the 1920's. 1929, the 19th Amendment has been passed, era of the flapper was strong, Jazz was popularized, prohibition started, greed was more apparent, and morals were lost. "They had spent a year in France, for no particular reason, and then drifted here and there unrestfully wherever people played polo and were rich together." Jordan temporarily flouts expectations by ""[running] around the country," (1.134) playing golf, and not being in a hurry to marrya freedom that she is allowed because of her money, not in spite of it. Meyer Wolfsheim and Gatsbys fortune symbolize the rise of organized crime and bootlegging. Narrator Nick Carraway is . Jordan is incurably dishonest. This period of women's liberation saw young women with short hair and increased freedoms. This is encapsulated in a phone call Nick describes, to a man who used to come to Gatsby's parties: "one gentleman to whom I telephoned implied that he had got what he deserved. The Great Gatsby. Since speakeasies were already side-stepping the law, they also became places where people of different races and genders could mix and mingle in a way they hadnt previously while enjoying new music like jazz. Why is Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby a Satire? (one code per order). Did you know you can highlight text to take a note? See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. The clash between old money and new money manifests itself in the novels symbolic geography: East Egg represents the established aristocracy, West Egg the self-made rich. Few characters in literature or indeed life embody an era quite so tenaciously as Jay Gatsby does the Jazz Age. 146-152. Written by F. Scott Fitzgerald and first published in 1925, the setting of The Great Gatsby is an island, which is dominated by prosperous, wealthy, and poor communities of East Egg and West Egg. Ironically, Gatsbys good qualities (loyalty and love) lead to his death, as he takes the blame for killing Myrtle rather than letting Daisy be punished, and the Buchanans bad qualities (fickleness and selfishness) allow them to remove themselves from the tragedy not only physically but psychologically. You'll be billed after your free trial ends. . to reacquaint himself with Daisy through massive parties instead prove to be areas where those yearning for liquor could obtain their desired alcohol with little to no regard toward their host; this is exemplified in the fact that Owl Eyes is the only character other than Nick to attend both Gatsbys lavish parties and his funeral. In the era of writing The Great Gatsby, cultural conventions, which were perceived as out of date died to usher new ones from1920 to 1930s. ), happiness, or family. Upon noting the degradation of morality among youths in the 1920s, Samkanashvil claims that the American youths were incredibly concerned with nobility (75). The epigraph of the novel immediately marks money and materialism as a key theme of the bookthe listener is implored to "wear the gold hat" as a way to impress his lover. While Gatsby, Myrtle, and George all end up dead, Tom and Daisy get to skip town and avoid any consequences, despite their direct involvement. Daisy representing money also suggests money is as alluring and desirableor even more sothan Daisy herself. . At the time when the novel takes place, the U.S. was in the middle of a tremendous economic boom and a soaring stock market that seemed to be on a permanent upward swing. She has it exceptionally clear in her mind that her success is not honestly acquired, and that it can depart from her any time. Like 1920s Americans in general, fruitlessly seeking a bygone era in which their dreams had value, Gatsby longs to re-create a vanished pasthis time in Louisville with Daisybut is incapable of doing so. Socially progressive activists in both the Democratic and Republican parties united to pressure the government to ban alcohol, which was blamed for all kinds of other social ills like gambling and drug abuse. For instance, rumors exist that Gatsby is involved in the importation and ferrying of illegal liquor amid the existing ban. Upon renouncing his parents, Gatsby is considered a child of a supernatural being (Fitzgerald and Bruccoli 98), with the only thing that he believes in being money. This implied that people had substituted responsibilities that were done by hand such as maintenance with technology such as vacuum cleaners and washing gadgets. Check out our articles onGatsbys title, its opening pages and epigraph, and itsfirst chapter. However, drawing from her work, these prohibitions seemed to have little implications (Zeitz 23). Nick's comments about money, especially in the first chapter, are mostly critical and cynical. Colonizers arrived in the US with similar dreams of a healthier life for all people. If George Wilson had had the means, he likely would have already left New York with Myrtle in tow, saving both of their lives. Print. Nick, meanwhile, dates Jordan Baker throughout the book, and though their relationship has its moments of warmth and kindness, both parties generally seem lukewarm and emotionally distant. She even breaks down in tears after Gatsby shows off his ridiculously expensive set of colored shirts, crying that she's "never seen such beautiful shirts" before (5.118). Myrtle's character reveals how precarious social climbing is, how materialism is not actually a path to happiness/virtue. So Gatsby ultimately provides a pretty harsh, pessimistic view of women's roles in 1920s America. Central Idea Essay: What Does the Green Light Mean? The Great Gatsby was published in 1925. It contains thousands of paper examples on a wide variety of topics, all donated by helpful students. She is conversant with her possession of the charm that she uses maximally to maintain security for her lifestyles. Summary. What Does The Great Gatsbys Ending Mean? Why does Tom insist on switching cars with Gatsby when they go to the city? This claim implies that they thought that money could make them more authoritative than other people. Entire Document, Comparison: Great Gatsby and the American Dream, The Great Gatsby and the 'American Dream', The Great Gatsby: The Fall of the American Dream, Contradictions in the culture of the period, Flappers and self-made men as new people of the period, Prohibition of alcohol and Gatsby as a bootlegger, The price for reaching the American Dream, How the novel mirrors the corrupt mindset of the Roaring Twenties. Cancel culture Truth about the censorship of Roald Dahl The assumption that there is an urgent debate here, is politically useful to both sides. The Great Gatsby Themes Wealth Despite society's changing nature, the world still hasn't accepted Jordan as an independent person. No one comes due to close personal friendship with Jay. They are highly materialistic in nature. 1. Gatsby and his associates such as Wolfsheim engage in illegal dealings (Silver Para. Nick and Gatsby live in this community. The ideals of love and marriage are profoundly strained in The Great Gatsby, a book that centers on two loveless marriages: the union between Tom and Daisy Buchanan and between George and Myrtle Wilson. Read more about how the American Dream is treated in The Great Gatsby and whether the novel is ultimately optimistic or pessimistic about the dream. "It's full of". Only after amassing a large fortune does he feel able to make his move. The availability of mass-produced items among majority Americans led to the erosion of the existing mechanisms of differentiating people based on their social economic classes. Vol. "She's got an indiscreet voice," I remarked. If you understand this combination of progress and traditionalism for women's roles, you'll find it on display in The GreatGatsby: Women's suffrage parade in New York City. for a customized plan. Daisy's decision illustrates how few choices many women had during that timespecifically, that marrying and having children was seen as the main role any woman, but especially a wealthy woman, should fulfill. When his dream crumbles, all that is left for Gatsby to do is die; all Nick can do is move back to Minnesota, where American values have not decayed. So all three women push the boundaries of their expected societal rolesDaisy's affair with Gatsby, Jordan's independent lifestyle, and Myrtle's affair with Tombut ultimately either fall in line (Daisy, Jordan) or are killed for reaching too far (Myrtle). His desire entails acquiring all that is available at disposal. Fitzgerald illustrates the era of Prohibition by displaying Gatsbys flagrant misuse of the law, which only results in his own demise and failure as he perishes the same way he entered the city of New York with himself being his only true friend. You can thus compare three very different women's experiences to explore how moneyor a lack thereofseems to change the possibilities in a woman's life in early 1920s America. creating and saving your own notes as you read. However, despite her airs, she matters very little to the "old money" crowd, as cruelly evidenced first when Tom breaks her nose with a "short deft movement" (2.126), and later, when Daisy chooses to run her over rather than get into a car accident. Here, in the aftermath of the novel's carnage, Nick observes that while Myrtle, George, and Gatsby have all died, Tom and Daisy are not punished at all for their recklessness, they can simply retreat "back into their money or their vast carelessness and let other people clean up the mess." If you analyze a character through this theme, make sure to explain: #2: How money/materialism drives their choices in the novel. In short, money both drives the plot and explains many of the characters' motivations and limitations. The reckless jubilance that led to decadent parties and wild jazz musicepitomized in The Great Gatsby by the opulent parties that Gatsby throws every Saturday nightresulted ultimately in the corruption of the American dream, as the unrestrained desire for money and pleasure surpassed more noble goals. SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. Use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Why does Gatsby arrange for Nick to have lunch with Jordan Baker? Clearly, having old money sets you far apart from everyone else in the world of the novel. The amendment came close to eventually being ratifiedin the 1970s, but was defeated by conservatives. And on Mondays eight servants including an extra gardener toiled all day with mops and scrubbing-brushes and hammers and garden-shears, repairing the ravages of the night before." Jews also served in the American military during World War I in very high numbers. We touched on this a bit with the quotes, but all of the characters can be analyzed from the point of view of their wealth and/or how materialistic they are. Imagine spending weeks in this hole in the ground. F. Scott Fitzgerald 's The Great Gatsby, written in 1925, depicts a portion of Nick Carraway's life characterized by the time he is influenced by the mysterious Jay Gatsby and his extensive pursuit of his former flame and Nick's cousin, Daisy Buchanan. Glittering with lyrical prose, F Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel tells the story of 1920s high society in Long Island, the golden age of excess before the Depression. Both Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby have military backgrounds. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? Samkanashvili, Maya. hbspt.cta.load(360031, '4efd5fbd-40d7-4b12-8674-6c4f312edd05', {}); Have any questions about this article or other topics? She is passionate about improving student access to higher education. This term described women who would wear much less restricting clothing and go out drinking and dancing, which at the time was a huge violation of typical social norms. Suppose you wanted to analyze the importance of cars in The Great Gatsby. Scott Fitzgerald uses symbols sufficiently to give the novel a more vivid description of the American culture. In addition to the perception of the American Dream, the opposing cultures of the Midwest and Eastern regions of the United States are depicted by Fitzgerald and embody the characters morals. At the same time, the novel itself critiques the notion of the American Dream. Our introduction to Tom and Daisy immediately describes them as rich, bored, and privileged. First of all, he makes it clear that he has "an unaffected scorn" for the ultra-rich, and eyes both new money and old money critically. For instance, East Egg depicts places where Buchanans live. August 12, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/american-culture-in-the-novel-the-great-gatsby/. The journey to reaching a fulfilling life and the American Dream came with struggles, and many people resorted to crime and dishonest behavior as a way to circumvent their actual problems. The second nickname refers to this period's changing social norms and daring artistic movements. At the same time, many of the social restrictions of the early 20th century were being rejected, and progressive movements of all kinds were flourishing. Indeed, Tom Buchanan believes that he needs additional power and influence despite being already powerful and blessed with a beautiful daughter and wife. Youths challenged the existing social norms since they got jazzed (drunk) with illegal liquor while at the same time engaging in sexual immorality. Although she is a famous player of golf, she can do anything on the loose to have her right always. student. As such, the Great Gatsby era is the period in 20th century U.S. history nicknamed both the "Roaring 20s" and the "Jazz Age." The first nickname points to America's post-WWI economic prosperity and the country's greater influence abroad. Why does Myrtle run out in front of Gatsbys car? Historical Context Essay: The Great Gatsby and the Jazz Age, Literary Context Essay: Modernism & Realism in The Great Gatsby. The various social climbers and ambitious speculators who attend Gatsbys parties evidence the greedy scramble for wealth. to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. True to the spirit of the times . ACT Writing: 15 Tips to Raise Your Essay Score, How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League, Is the ACT easier than the SAT? Of course, this did little to actually stem the desire for alcoholic beverages, so a vast underground criminal empire was born to supply this demand. By exploring themes of wealth, class, love and idealism, The Great Gatsbyraises powerful questions about American ideas and society. The Great Gatsby is regarded as a brilliant piece of social commentary, offering a vivid peek into American life in the 1920s. Gatsby's early romance with Daisy is heightened by the initial idealism that he was about to go fight in a noble and glorious endeavor. Cultural Impact of The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, written in 1925, depicts a portion of Nick Carraway's life characterized by the time he is influenced by the mysterious Jay Gatsby and his extensive pursuit of his former flame and Nick's cousin, Daisy Buchanan. Anne Marie Hacht. The Decline of the American Dream in the 1920s. Tracing historical development in the US, Scherer and Ross inform that only 16 percent of homes in America had electricity by 1912 (82). jazz music is a fixture of Gatsbys parties, and almost every song that Fitzgerald describes is a real life piece of music. Hence, consumer spending increased tremendously since more people gained access to the well-paying job opportunities. Ask questions; get answers. IvyPanda, 12 Aug. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/american-culture-in-the-novel-the-great-gatsby/. Caroline Brown . This situation created opportunities to satisfy the undying appetite for consumption, opulence, and immorality. 12 August. This term paper on American Culture in the Novel The Great Gatsby was written and submitted by your fellow Subscribe now. We'll learn your background and interests, brainstorm essay topics, and walk you through the essay drafting process, step-by-step. Her laughter, her gestures, her assertions became more violently affected moment by moment and as she expanded the room grew smaller around her until she seemed to be revolving on a noisy, creaking pivot through the smoky air" (2.56). August 12, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/american-culture-in-the-novel-the-great-gatsby/. ensure the integrity of our platform while keeping your private information safe. Woods, Clyde. In contrast, the old aristocracy possesses grace, taste, subtlety, and elegance, epitomized by the Buchanans tasteful home and the flowing white dresses of Daisy and Jordan Baker. He accurately describes and critiques this materialistic society in order to leave a lasting impact on the public to recognize the inevitable failure of their economy and success waiting. Women were granted the right to participate in voting. Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby in the Roaring Twenties, an era largely influenced by gaudiness, independence, and corruptness, which is immediately reflected in the central characters. Check out our top-rated graduate blogs here: PrepScholar 2013-2018. It was full of moneythat was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it, the jingle of it, the cymbals' song of it. Get the latest articles and test prep tips! As such, theGreat Gatsby era is theperiod in 20th century U.S. history nicknamed both the Roaring 20s and the "Jazz Age." Daisy herself is explicitly connected with money here, which allows the reader to see Gatsby's desire for her as desire for wealth, money, and status more generally. (2022, August 12). . In this sense, better economic fortunes in America, together with the rising mass production in the 1920s normalized the culture of consumption so that products that were consumed by the wealthy members of the society became now affordable to persons in the lower social economic classes. Unsuccessful upon publication, the book is now considered a classic of American fiction and has often been . Print. You need wealth, the more the better, to win over the object of your desire. As an example, let's look briefly at Myrtle. Get professional help from PrepScholar. Cars are clearly used to display wealth and status - even Tom, normally secure in his superiority, wants to brag to George Wilson aboutthesuper-fancy Rolls Royce heborrows from Gatsby. She was incurably dishonest. Wondering what the world was like when Jay Gatsby struck it rich in bootlegging? Ask below and we'll reply! Your dedicated PrepScholar Admissions counselor will craft your perfect college essay, from the ground up. Set in the year 1922, the novel occurs during the thriving period of prosperity in America where materialism set the tone of society as reflected by the main characters economic successes. Suddenly with a strained sound, Daisy bent her head into the shirts and began to cry stormily. Gatsby, like a peacock showing off its many-colored tail, flaunts his wealth to Daisy by showing off his many-colored shirts. Almost 1 in 4 people now had a car! Fitzgerald captured this period of rapid post-war growth and the frenzy surrounding the era with insightful examples of the eleterious effects of superficial behavior. 2). In the era of writing The Great Gatsby (1920s), America had experienced an immense economic growth. In The Great Gatsby, money is a huge motivator in the characters' relationships, motivations, and outcomes. Nick compares the green bulk of America rising from the ocean to the green light at the end of Daisys dock. A new version of the dream emerged. All these developments illustrated increased consumer spending as noted by Scott Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby. Gatsby, on the other hand, whose recent wealth derives from criminal activity, has a sincere and loyal heart, remaining outside Daisys window until four in the morning in Chapter 7 simply to make sure that Tom does not hurt her. But, in 1917, the U.S. was pulled into the fighting, fearing an alliance between Germany and Mexico. Furthermore, the rest of that quote explicitly describes Daisy as "High in a white palace, the King's daughter, the golden girl" (7.106). In this novel, actual mountain climbing is safer than social climbing. Therefore, it is not surprising that the consumerist culture, which Scott Fitzgerald criticizes, had emerged. After all, her voice is "full of moneythat was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it, the jingle of it, the cymbals' song of it. #3: How their final outcome is shaped by their wealth status and what that says about their place in the world. Read more about those symbols for a fuller understanding of how money affects The Great Gatsby. This happened because of advances in mass production due to the assembly line, and because of rising incomes due to the economic boom. For some time now I have been thinking about the validity or vulnerability of a certain set of assumptions conventionally accepted among literary historians and critics and circulated as "knowledge." This knowledge holds that traditional, canonical American literature is free of, Additionally, places and objects in The Great Gatsby have meaning only because characters instill them with meaning: the eyes of Doctor T. J. Eckleburg best exemplify this idea. ." Literature and Its Times: Profiles of 300 Notable Literary Works and the Historical Events that Influenced Them. Societally, divorce became more common. . The Great Crash and the Onset of the Great Depression. Quarterly Journal of Economics 10.5 (1990): 597-625. For the first three years, the U.S. remained neutral, instead profiteering from the war by selling supplies toboth sides of the conflict. Gatsbys dream is ruined by the unworthiness of its object, just as the American dream in the 1920s is ruined by the unworthiness of its objectmoney and pleasure. This marked a shift both in how black culture was understood and appreciated by the rest of the country and in how womens rights were progressing, as well discuss in the next sections. By entering your email address you agree to receive emails from SparkNotes and verify that you are over the age of 13. IvyPanda. Economically, there was an increase in working women. She thinks that she deserves to be with Tom whose money, influence, and power provide answers to her (Mytle) problems of poverty. Myrtle is obsessed with shows of wealth, from her outfits, to insisting on a specific cab, to her apartment's decoration, complete with scenes of Versailles on the overly-large furniture: "The living room was crowded to the doors with a set of tapestried furniture entirely too large for it so that to move about was to stumble continually over scenes of ladies swinging in the gardens of Versailles" (2.51). When Nick Carraway, narrator of The Great Gatsby, . Get the latest articles and test prep tips! Fitzgerald portrays the newly rich as being vulgar, gaudy, ostentatious, and lacking in social graces and taste. What SAT Target Score Should You Be Aiming For? Alongside the juxtaposition of the Midwest and the East, Fitzgerald also reflects the culture of the 1920s with descriptions of Prohibition and the law breaking that came as a result. After all, "People were not invitedthey went there" (3.7). Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1990. But since Daisy is flighty and inconsistent, Gatsby's comment also suggests that wealth is similarly unstable. In contrast to 19th century writing that tended to reinforce the status quo, modernism rejected old-fashioned ideas like heroism and moral certitude. Scott Fitzgerald criticizes the culture of materialism and greed amongst people in the higher social classes. and events that occur in the novels plot. The ramifications of this were political, economic, and social. The 1920s marked a key time of change in the social status of women as so called flappers defied the traditional norms for conduct and dress, and women finally received the right to vote (The Great Gatsby Novels 74). No one has time to read them all, but its important to go over them at least briefly. Together with the examples of deceit under Prohibition, Fitzgeralds novel was inspired by the corruption of certain Americans during the 1920s as reflected in the actions and deceit used by the major characters he created. In the world of The Great Gatsby, the American Dream is synonymous with money and statusnot so much success, career (does anyone but Nick and George even have a real job?