Class Structure In The Great Gatsby

The 1920s in America were referred to as the “Roaring Twenties” due to the increased economic prosperity at the time. An author by the name of F. Scott Fitzgerald captured the essence of this age of social change and wealth in his classic novel The Great Gatsby. Thus, The Great Gatsby remains impactful today because of its commentary on class structure as told through themes of the American dream and material wealth. According to F. Scott Fitzgerald, the 1920s was “an age of miracles, it was an age of art, it was an age of excess and it was an age of satire” (“F. Scott Fitzgerald”). Fitzgerald was clearly mesmerized and fascinated by the magic of this era in America. He speaks from experience since he also found himself swept away by the promise of the 1920s as he “embarked on an extravagant lifestyle that earned him a reputation as a playboy and hindered his reputation as a serious literary writer” (“F. Scott Fitzgerald”). Upon the success of his first novel, Fitzgerald began to live lavishly as he became accustomed to this carefree lifestyle. The aura of the 1920s is important to establish so as to better understand the …show more content…
There’s the hopeful Jay Gatsby who achieves the American dream through criminal activities and catapults himself into an affluent lifestyle where he shamelessly flaunts his wealth in order to woo Daisy. Then there’s the materialistic Daisy Buchanan who is accustomed to all the finer things in life. Finally, there’s Nick Carraway who finds himself in the midst of this world he does not understand but gradually notices the sheer carelessness and superficiality of it all. Putting it all together, Fitzgerald crafts one of the most renowned American novels of all