great gatsby and social mobility
The Great Gatsby: Social Mobility
Social mobility is the primary effect of the American Dream, which itself is an idea that seems simple, but is strangely hard to define. At the root of it, is the sense of a society’s greed for success obtained by hard work, honesty, and modesty. If in fact this Dream were in the reach of anybody, then society would exist as a community where "all men are created equal" and everyone would have the opportunity of social mobility by doing the best for themselves as they could. But the reality of American society is cruel. A once high, mighty, and pure ideal has become degraded and buried for greed for money.
In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book, The Great Gatsby, many of the characters, believed in the Dream and that wealth and social mobility was within his or her reach. Fitzgerald illustrates three specific social classes: old money, new money, and the lower class, with old money and new money taking center stage. Gatsby, himself, represents new money: he climbed the social and economic ladder and succeeded by way of shady dealings of bootlegging. On the other hand, Daisy Buchanan, the love of Gatsby’s life, represents old money. She received everything she has on a silver platter; she earned nothing but her inheritance. Gatsby, aware of their differences, attempts to act as though he is “old” money in order to be accepted by Daisy’s class. By illustrating social-economic class differences through Gatsby and his desire for Daisy, Fitzgerald depicts the mistaken hype of the corrupted American Dream and the gap of economic class that will never close (Richards).
In the novel we may see a clear connection between geographical location and social values, East Egg, West Egg and the Valley of Ashes demonstrate to that. These differences are evident in such characters as Jay Gatsby (West Egg), Tom and Daisy Buchanan (East Egg), George and Myrtle Wilson (the Valley of Ashes). Though they are separated only by a small expanse of water, the
Social mobility is the primary effect of the American Dream, which itself is an idea that seems simple, but is strangely hard to define. At the root of it, is the sense of a society’s greed for success obtained by hard work, honesty, and modesty. If in fact this Dream were in the reach of anybody, then society would exist as a community where "all men are created equal" and everyone would have the opportunity of social mobility by doing the best for themselves as they could. But the reality of American society is cruel. A once high, mighty, and pure ideal has become degraded and buried for greed for money.
In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book, The Great Gatsby, many of the characters, believed in the Dream and that wealth and social mobility was within his or her reach. Fitzgerald illustrates three specific social classes: old money, new money, and the lower class, with old money and new money taking center stage. Gatsby, himself, represents new money: he climbed the social and economic ladder and succeeded by way of shady dealings of bootlegging. On the other hand, Daisy Buchanan, the love of Gatsby’s life, represents old money. She received everything she has on a silver platter; she earned nothing but her inheritance. Gatsby, aware of their differences, attempts to act as though he is “old” money in order to be accepted by Daisy’s class. By illustrating social-economic class differences through Gatsby and his desire for Daisy, Fitzgerald depicts the mistaken hype of the corrupted American Dream and the gap of economic class that will never close (Richards).
In the novel we may see a clear connection between geographical location and social values, East Egg, West Egg and the Valley of Ashes demonstrate to that. These differences are evident in such characters as Jay Gatsby (West Egg), Tom and Daisy Buchanan (East Egg), George and Myrtle Wilson (the Valley of Ashes). Though they are separated only by a small expanse of water, the
Cited: Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Charles Scribner’s Son, 1925 "F. Scott Fitzgerald." Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6Th Edition (2011): 1. Biography Collection Complete. Web. 18 June 2012. Cornell University Library. 11 Nov. 2010. Cornell University, 11. Nov. 2010 http://reading.cornell.edu/reading_project_06/gatsby/jazz_age.htm Richards, Rebekah. "Comparing the Jazz Age to The Great Gatsby Read more at Suite101: Comparing the Jazz Age to The Great Gatsby: False Values, Materialism, and Disillusionment in Fitzgerald 's Novel." 1. Web. 7 Dec 2010. http://www.suite101.com/content/comparing-the-jazz-age-to-the-great-gatsby- a194368.