Preview

How Does Fitzgerald Use Social Class In The Great Gatsby

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1046 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
How Does Fitzgerald Use Social Class In The Great Gatsby
In The Great Gatsby Fitzgerald, shows different views of his characters throughout showing his eagerness, selling out, the American dream, et cetera. Of the considerable number of subjects, maybe none is more very much created than that of social stratification. The Great Gatsby is viewed as a splendid bit of social critique, offering a striking look into American life in the 1920s. Fitzgerald deliberately sets up his novel into particular gatherings be that as it may, at last, each gathering has its own particular issues to battle with, leaving an effective indication of what a dubious place the world truly is. By making particular social classes — old cash, new cash, and no cash — Fitzgerald sends solid messages about the elitism running …show more content…
Their families have had cash for some eras; henceforth they are "old cash." As depicted in the novel, the "old cash" individuals don't need to work (they once in a while, if at any point, even talk about business game plans) and they invest their energy entertaining themselves with whatever takes their favor. Daisy, Tom, Jordan, and the unmistakable social class they speak to are maybe the story's most elitist gathering, forcing refinements on the other individuals of riches (like Gatsby) construct less with respect to how much cash one has, however where that cash originated from and when it was gained. For the "old cash" individuals, the way that Gatsby (and incalculable other individuals like him in the 1920s) has just barely as of late gained his cash is reason enough to aversion him. In their mindset, he can't in any way, shape or form have a similar refinement, sensibility, and taste they have. Does he work as a profession, as well as he originates from a low-class foundation which, as they would like to think, implies he can't in any way, shape or form resembles them. From multiple points of view, the social world class is

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    Thesis Statement: In “The Great Gatsby”, the author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, explores how the social classes of the twenties affected society negatively as a whole, creating a corrupt thought of what the “American dream” truly is.…

    • 1500 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The mystery behind Jay Gatsby allows for him to become one of the most intriguing members of the upper class. As Gatsby’s background unravels, it becomes clear that Fitzgerald chose Jay Gatsby as the main character because he defies every social normality in the 1920’s. By Fitzgerald’s writing, the reader realizes that Gatsby’s mindset separates him from others. Everything Gatsby has accomplished in the past five years is because of his dedication, ambition, and integrity in following in his dreams which Fitzgerald greatly admires. The social class one is born into is the one they belong to their entire life, unless you are Jay Gatsby. Although Gatsby attempts to convince people that his entire life has consisted of lavish and wealthy things,…

    • 257 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is the illustration of the contemporary American society of the Jazz Age. It is noted in the text that social status and class prevail there and play very significant roles concerning various issues in the light of American Dream. This classification is mainly an aftermath of World War One because of disillusionment and pursuit of wealth. Three types of social class people, upper class, middle class, and lower class, are nicely presented by Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby. The dominance of the rich over the poor is a noted effect of this social stratification in this novel. People try to change their existed social class and upgrade reputation by any means. As a result, the characters of the novel become…

    • 274 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    One of the key themes in The Great Gatsby is ‘The morality and importance of Wealth’ in high end New York social circles of the 1920s. Fitzgerald himself lived during this period of significant culture change in America and therefore I feel his own feelings and concerns on obsession with money and the new consumer culture was one reason as to why he wrote this novel.…

    • 571 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Ridge Scholarship Essay

    • 819 Words
    • 4 Pages

    On the surface, The Great Gatsby reads as a story of thwarted love between a man and a woman. The real theme of the novel, however, encompasses a highly symbolic meditation on 1920’s America as a whole, and, in particular, the disintegration of the American dream in an era of unprecedented prosperity and material excess. Fitzgerald portrays the 1920’s as an era of decaying social and moral values, evidenced in its overarching cynicism, greed, and empty pursuit of pleasure. The reckless jubilance that led to decadent parties and wild jazz music—epitomized in The Great Gatsby by the opulent parties that Gatsby himself hosts every Saturday night—resulted ultimately in the corruption of the…

    • 819 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is a representation of American society of Roaring Twenties having three social class divisions amid the pursuit of American Dream and presenting the changing trend of social, economic and relationship freedom of females relating to gender, race, ethnicity, sex and sexuality within the class framework found in the portrayal of the characters. Divided people into the old money upper-class, the Buchanans and Jordan Baker; the new money upper-class, Gatsby; the middle class, Nick; and the working class, the Wilsons and minor ones based on wealth and family background are prevailed in the ways of their differences regarding education, residence, earning source, life style, reputation and attitudes.…

    • 110 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s novel “The Great Gatsby” is a chronicle of its times. Times of prohibition, bootleggers and economical prosperity, but also the times of people still recalling the World War I, those who try to forget its horror and compensate all the harms suffered, with the life full of luxury. The period of 1920s, so called Roaring Twenties, is the time when the United States experienced cultural revolution. The lifestyle changed and the old values, such as morality disappeared, replaced by money and corruption. As the one who lived in that era, F. S. Fitzgerald became a strong critic of his contemporary’s lifestyles. One of the major themes of the novel is the criticism of the society for its trend to waste everything.…

    • 668 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    During the notorious time of “The Jazz Age”, the American People continuously danced to swingy, joyful, voluptuous music. People all over America were living life to the fullest. Party after party, drink after drink people in the 1920’s didn’t care what the prohibition in tailed. People were buying everything upon everything, until the point where their funds ceased. The American people fell for consumerism. All people cared about was when the next big party was. At the beginning of the 1920’s, the American people valued parties over conservation, but once the Stock Market crashed in 1929 peoples morals changed. All of the sudden people valued conserving money over partying. Fitzgerald reflects these views onto Gatsby’s Character. Gatsby is able to live above the law because of his wealth, connections, and his views on the American dream.…

    • 962 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Great Gatsby is a classic novel in which many characters lives revolve around money, however money cannot buy happiness. F. Scott Fitzgerald pursued many things writing the book The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald offers many themes in the book he shows power, greed, and betrayal. Fitzgerald showed Gatsby as a Fitzgerald carefully sets up his novel into distinct groups but, in the end, each group has its own problems to contend with, leaving a powerful reminder of what a precarious place the world really is. By creating distinct social classes old money, new money, and no money Fitzgerald sends strong messages about the elitism running throughout every strata of society.…

    • 513 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is not just a novel; rather it is the representation of an era. The story is about the moral decay that arouses in the American society in 1920s. It also shows the picture of the American dream getting corrupted by lust, greed and empty pursuit of pleasure. In other words it was the collision of subcultures. The wealthy and elite class found pleasure by throwing decadent parties and playing wild jazz music. On the other hand, the member of middle class was seduced by the dabbler lifestyle of the rich. Jay Gatsby was somewhat a mysterious one as people knew very little about his personal life. We finally find that Gatsby was involved in criminal activities to win his beloved Daisy’s attention.…

    • 3218 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby may appear to be a simple tragic romance; however, within the text, Fitzgerald identifies and defines social gaps and importance of wealth. He also presents women within a very separate space as the men. The Great Gatsby allows the reader to enter into the world of wealth and experience the joys and tragedies of being within this certain class. In the novel, Fitzgerald criticizes American society in the 1920's for its emphasis on money, superficial relationships, and obsession over class; as well as allowing the reader to interpret the position of gender inside the class.…

    • 326 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Flashy parties, wild behavior, and endless amounts of bootlegged alcohol; sounds like a great time, huh? In the glamorous era of the 1920’s this was more than just a party, it was a lifestyle. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, the roaring twenties is a time of carelessness for some that comes as a result of wealth, class, and privilege. Characters such as Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby use their money and materialistic items to win over women’s hearts and to fabricate themselves as high class to the rest of society. Wealth class and privilege is not always defined as a positive concept, it brings many negative effects to the characters in Fitzgerald’s novel as well as the outcome of the story.…

    • 1137 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the Great Gatsby, social class plays an important role in determining the course of events. Geographical factors and occupation primarily decide the divisions in the community and the social class of the characters can bring people together, but also tear them apart. The social classes in the novel appear evident to readers, as they are commonly decided by their occupation and home region. They are divided into new rich, old rich, middle class and poor. But social class is more than just having money, it is determined by culture, education and even conforming to society.…

    • 488 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The three main social classes in the Great Gatsby had many barriers and conflicts to overcome amongst each other and with themselves throughout the story. The three social classes in the story are the “new money” (Gatsby), “old money” (Tom, Daisy, and Jordan), and the “no money” (Myrtle and Wilson). The new money was Gatsby, He was a young, rich party man who threw parties every night. The old money was made up of Tom, Daisy, and Jordan. They all got their fortunes from pure ways; however they were very careless and unforgiving people, Nick says that “They smashed up things and creatures and then retreated to their money, or their vast carelessness” (Fitzgerald 179). Lastly there is the no money social class which is made up of Myrtle and Wilson. They lived in deplorable conditions and ran a gas station business straight out…

    • 462 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby was written in a time of great change in American society, some of which is discussed in the novel. Fitzgerald represents the class conflict seen in the Twenties with the story of a man’s climb from poverty to riches, motivated by his fantasies regarding his lover, and his ultimate inability to join her in the highest echelon of society. Fitzgerald uses the homes of characters as a symbol of the subservient role the lower classes are relegated to in society.…

    • 706 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays