Theme Of Wealth In The Great Gatsby
Nick’s associations with the materialistic wealthy class ultimately led to his decision to give up on the American dream. As mentioned by James Adams, the American dream is, “a difficult dream for the European upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely…” (Adams). The American dream is not supposed to merely be the aspiration to have a lot of materialistic things, but the wanting to reach one’s highest potential. Though, the evident downfall of the meaning of the American dream is expressed throughout Nick’s narration as he proceeds associations with the wealthy. Despite coming from a family that is revealed as being, “descended
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This shows that Nick didn’t care that he came from a family of royalty as he believed his great-uncle’s decision to start a business was more worthy. In doing so, Nick can be seen by the readers as valid evidence of the American dream. However, his views on the validity of the American dream alters as he strays from the comfort of home and begins associating with the wealthy. The influence the judgmental wealthy had on him is first introduced when he says of those who preyed on Gatsby, “what foul dust floated in the wake of his dreams that temporarily closed out any interest the abortive sorrows and short-winded elations of men” (2). From Nick revealing this, he is foreshadowing the close-mindedness that he found within the wealthy. Likewise, to people who lived in the East Egg, materials had everything to do with someone’s worth. One of the first few things that Tom says to Nick is, “I’ve got a nice place here” …show more content…
Nick’s reactions to both characters exposes his usage of his father’s advice to not judge others by just going along with it. The demeaning nature is shown more in depth between Nick and Gatsby. When Nick offers to host a tea party with Daisy at his house, Gatsby says, “why, I thought—why look here, old sport, you don’t make much money, do you” (82). Gatsby even goes so far as to cut Nick’s grass because it wasn’t good enough for Daisy and would’ve made him embarrassed to have her arrive at a house like that. It’s almost as if Gatsby was saying that Nick’s house wasn’t good enough for Daisy. Coincidentally, by revealing that Gatsby is also materialistic, Nick disproves Stocks’ claim that Gatsby exemplifies, “a particular ideal for Nick” (Stock) and is possibly a, “kind of doppelganger who embodies all that Nick would like to be” (Stock) because Nick returns home due to the fact that he does not want to be materialistic. His disclosure of Gatsby being materialistic also disproves claims by Stock that Nick would, “ignore or edit anything that might undermine [Gatsby’s] image” (Stock). Through Nick exposing the belittling viewpoints of the elite East Egg class, the reader is likely to question the validity of the American
This shows that Nick didn’t care that he came from a family of royalty as he believed his great-uncle’s decision to start a business was more worthy. In doing so, Nick can be seen by the readers as valid evidence of the American dream. However, his views on the validity of the American dream alters as he strays from the comfort of home and begins associating with the wealthy. The influence the judgmental wealthy had on him is first introduced when he says of those who preyed on Gatsby, “what foul dust floated in the wake of his dreams that temporarily closed out any interest the abortive sorrows and short-winded elations of men” (2). From Nick revealing this, he is foreshadowing the close-mindedness that he found within the wealthy. Likewise, to people who lived in the East Egg, materials had everything to do with someone’s worth. One of the first few things that Tom says to Nick is, “I’ve got a nice place here” …show more content…
Nick’s reactions to both characters exposes his usage of his father’s advice to not judge others by just going along with it. The demeaning nature is shown more in depth between Nick and Gatsby. When Nick offers to host a tea party with Daisy at his house, Gatsby says, “why, I thought—why look here, old sport, you don’t make much money, do you” (82). Gatsby even goes so far as to cut Nick’s grass because it wasn’t good enough for Daisy and would’ve made him embarrassed to have her arrive at a house like that. It’s almost as if Gatsby was saying that Nick’s house wasn’t good enough for Daisy. Coincidentally, by revealing that Gatsby is also materialistic, Nick disproves Stocks’ claim that Gatsby exemplifies, “a particular ideal for Nick” (Stock) and is possibly a, “kind of doppelganger who embodies all that Nick would like to be” (Stock) because Nick returns home due to the fact that he does not want to be materialistic. His disclosure of Gatsby being materialistic also disproves claims by Stock that Nick would, “ignore or edit anything that might undermine [Gatsby’s] image” (Stock). Through Nick exposing the belittling viewpoints of the elite East Egg class, the reader is likely to question the validity of the American