How Can Money Buy Happiness In The Great Gatsby
It is said that money cannot buy happiness. Many people believe for this to be true. They think money can solve any and all problems. Some even think that love can be bought with materialistic items. In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, love, wealth, and love of wealth go hand in hand to create a magical novel of what can happen when money controls the heart.
Different types of love are mentioned throughout the entire book. There is Daisy’s love for her baby, Gatsby’s love for Daisy, and Daisy’s forbidden love of Gatsby. In chapter 1, Daisy says, “I hope she’ll be a fool-that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool” (Fitzgerald 17). Daisy’s daughter has just been born and she speaks these words because she never wants her daughter to experience heartbreak like she has. This shows Daisy’s motherly love for her baby girl. The next type of love displayed is Gatsby’s never ending love …show more content…
The reader can compare and contrast Tom, Gatsby, and Mr. Wilson in this area. Tom and Gatsby are at one end of the spectrum, but George Wilson is on the other end. The Buchanan’s are so wealthy that the windows “reflected gold” (Fitzgerald 6). Tom Buchanan likes to show off how much money he has. It is ironic because he inherited every penny of his wealth and did not have to work for a cent. Jay Gatsby is also very, very wealthy. At one of his lavish parties, a woman’s dress was ruined, so he sends her a two hundred and sixty-three dollar replacement gown (Fitzgerald 43). This shows how Gatsby has money to spend. It does not matter what he spends it on, because he has plenty. On the other end of the spectrum is poor, penniless, George Wilson. He could not even afford a suit, so he had to borrow one for his own wedding (Fitzgerald 35). Mr. Wilson is the “common man” during this time period. Not everyone was blessed with wealth in this era like Tom and
Different types of love are mentioned throughout the entire book. There is Daisy’s love for her baby, Gatsby’s love for Daisy, and Daisy’s forbidden love of Gatsby. In chapter 1, Daisy says, “I hope she’ll be a fool-that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool” (Fitzgerald 17). Daisy’s daughter has just been born and she speaks these words because she never wants her daughter to experience heartbreak like she has. This shows Daisy’s motherly love for her baby girl. The next type of love displayed is Gatsby’s never ending love …show more content…
The reader can compare and contrast Tom, Gatsby, and Mr. Wilson in this area. Tom and Gatsby are at one end of the spectrum, but George Wilson is on the other end. The Buchanan’s are so wealthy that the windows “reflected gold” (Fitzgerald 6). Tom Buchanan likes to show off how much money he has. It is ironic because he inherited every penny of his wealth and did not have to work for a cent. Jay Gatsby is also very, very wealthy. At one of his lavish parties, a woman’s dress was ruined, so he sends her a two hundred and sixty-three dollar replacement gown (Fitzgerald 43). This shows how Gatsby has money to spend. It does not matter what he spends it on, because he has plenty. On the other end of the spectrum is poor, penniless, George Wilson. He could not even afford a suit, so he had to borrow one for his own wedding (Fitzgerald 35). Mr. Wilson is the “common man” during this time period. Not everyone was blessed with wealth in this era like Tom and