Fortune or Fortunate?

The 1920s was a time of growing wealth and extravagant lives for the people who had money. Grand parties and other events were often held to flaunt money. In Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby”, he uses various characters and events in order to show the difference in power that wealth brings. Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald uses money and characters’ class to determine the amount of power they hold in society.

Jay Gatsby showed his wealth off to gain power. According to NCpedia.org, “The 1920s represented an era of change and growth. The decade was one of learning and exploration.” In the 1920s, people were finally able to spend their money on entertainment an things that they wanted, rather than only spending their money on necessities. In “The Great Gatsby”, Gatsby spent his money on extravagant parties almost every week. These large parties flaunted his wealth, which gave him power. On page 39 it says, “There was music from my neighbor’s house through the summer nights. In, his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars.” This was Nick’s first glance at one of Gatsby’s parties. Gatsby showed his wealth off in order to gain Daisy’s attention. It was clear to see the Daisy was attracted to money and the status it could give her, so once Gatsby gained all of his new money, she noticed him again and wanted to be with him now, instead of Tom. When they had met before, Gatsby didn’t have enough money for Daisy to be able to stay with him, and then she found and married Tom. Once Gatsby gained all of his money, he built a grand house, and was able to buy Daisy’s attention and rekindled love. On page 75 it says, “The officer looked at Daisy while she was speaking, in a way that every young girl wants to be looked at some time.” This quote shows that Gatsby’s love for Daisy was real, when at first her love was real, but eventually she cared more about money than real love.

Seeing as Daisy used Tom for his money and status, and then Gatsby for his, it can also be concluded that Daisy Buchanan views wealth and status as power. When she was young, Daisy fell in love with Jay Gatsby, but since they were so young and Gatsby was unwealthy, her parents did not allow it. This may have put the idea that wealth equals status and power in her head. This was one of the reasons Daisy fell in love with her husband Tom. He had a high status and was very rich, which grabbed Daisy’s attention and led her to marry him. Even though Tom treats her poorly and she knows about his affair, she doesn’t try to end the marriage because of all of the status and wealth she gains from Tom. On page 130 it says, “‘She never loved you, do you hear?’ he cried. ‘She only married you because I was poor and she as tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible mistake, but in her heart she never loved any one except me!'” This shows that Daisy was tired of waiting on Gatsby to get out of the war and become rich, so she found the wealthy Tom Buchanan and married him for his money and not because she loved him. This also explains why Daisy was so interested in Gatsby after he gained all of his new money. Not only was she in love with him before he was rich, Gatsby also gained a large amount of money which Daisy loved as well. On page 120 it says, “‘Her voice is full of money,’ he said suddenly. That was it. I’d never understood before. It was full of money — that was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it, the jingle of it, the cymbals’ song of it… High in a white palace the king’s daughter, the golden girl…” This quote shows that Daisy is a gold digger and only cares about money, as stated before.

Myrtle Wilson is also a character who sees wealth and status gives power. That is the only reason she wanted to have an affair with Tom Buchanan. She thought that if she could get away from her poor husband and have the affair with Tom, she would gain a higher status in society. On page 34 it says “‘I married him because I thought he was a gentleman,’ she said finally. ‘I thought he knew something about breeding, but he wasn’t fit to lick my shoe.'” This quote reveals that Myrtle thinks that marrying her husband, George Wilson, was a mistake. It also shows that the reason their marriage is a mistake is because he isn’t good enough for her and isn’t up to her standards. She did, however, think Tom was up to her standards which is why she began the affair because Tom is rich enough for unlike George. On page 27 it says, “Up-stairs, in the solemn echoing drive she let four taxicabs drive away before she selected a new one, lavender-colored with gray upholstery…” This quote shows how materialistic Myrtle is. She only wanted the fancy taxicab, rather than the plain regular one. Myrtle is so desperate to have a high status in society the she cheated on her husband and went out of her way to make sure she had things that was different from everyone else.

In all, characters in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby” see wealth and high status as power. The more money one has, the more they are valued in society. He develops the characters in a way that readers can see which characters value wealth more. Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald uses money and characters’ class to determine the amount of power they hold in society.