Social status is simply the rank of an individual or group within society, determined by one 's prestige. This basic sociological idea appears to be straightforward, with many perceiving it as if I have this, whether it be wealth or honor, I will rise about the value of others in society. Already complexity has found its way into this issue, as the one 's social status can be determined in two ways which were stated above, by inheriting one 's position, known as ascribed status, or by achieved status of an individual, thus reflecting one 's skills, abilities and efforts. This social conflict in depicted in F. Scott Fitzgerald 's, “The Great Gatsby,” with the strife between “Old money,” the wealthy who possess ascribed status, and feel that
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Fitzgerald criticizes American society, and specifically those with antiquated wealth for their discriminatory views towards others who own the exact same, if not more material objects. This sentiment also reflects Fitzgerald own biases, as he worked his way out of his middle class standings of his childhood and rose to be one of the most prominent writers in American history, acquiring great wealth, but never was worthy of mixing with long ago established social groups.
On Long Island, the setting in which “The Great Gatsby” takes place divides characters into those who are made of old money and live in East Egg, those who recently acquired their wealth living in West Egg, and a third group overlooked in this book, and the 1920’s, the moneyless inhabitants of the Valley of Ashes. …show more content…
Likewise, many characters make up their past, such as Gatsby, trying to fit in with those of old money who he has always strived to associate with. In the first chapter, as Nick is establishing who he is, he tells the readers, “My family had been prominent...The Carraways are something of a clan, and we have a tradition that we’re descended from the Dukes of Buccleuch, but the actual founder of my line was my grandfather’s brother, who came here in fifty-one, sent a substitute to the Civil War, and started the wholesale hardware business that my father carries on today.”(3) In this it is seen that Nick comes from relatively new money, but yet many in his family tell others that they come from a prominent Scottish family, the Buccleuchs, tracing back to Sir Richard le Scott, born in 1240. This proves that many lied about their backgrounds in order to appear that they were from old money, and therefore worthy of a high ranking social status, one that they wouldn 't have earned if people know they the family had recently earned their money. Gatsby takes this fraudulence to the extreme in an effort to be worthy of loving Daisy, as she came from old money. Toward the end of Gatsby 's life, he admitted to Nick that he came from “North Dakota” (98), his original name was “James Gatz” (98) and his parents
Fitzgerald criticizes American society, and specifically those with antiquated wealth for their discriminatory views towards others who own the exact same, if not more material objects. This sentiment also reflects Fitzgerald own biases, as he worked his way out of his middle class standings of his childhood and rose to be one of the most prominent writers in American history, acquiring great wealth, but never was worthy of mixing with long ago established social groups.
On Long Island, the setting in which “The Great Gatsby” takes place divides characters into those who are made of old money and live in East Egg, those who recently acquired their wealth living in West Egg, and a third group overlooked in this book, and the 1920’s, the moneyless inhabitants of the Valley of Ashes. …show more content…
Likewise, many characters make up their past, such as Gatsby, trying to fit in with those of old money who he has always strived to associate with. In the first chapter, as Nick is establishing who he is, he tells the readers, “My family had been prominent...The Carraways are something of a clan, and we have a tradition that we’re descended from the Dukes of Buccleuch, but the actual founder of my line was my grandfather’s brother, who came here in fifty-one, sent a substitute to the Civil War, and started the wholesale hardware business that my father carries on today.”(3) In this it is seen that Nick comes from relatively new money, but yet many in his family tell others that they come from a prominent Scottish family, the Buccleuchs, tracing back to Sir Richard le Scott, born in 1240. This proves that many lied about their backgrounds in order to appear that they were from old money, and therefore worthy of a high ranking social status, one that they wouldn 't have earned if people know they the family had recently earned their money. Gatsby takes this fraudulence to the extreme in an effort to be worthy of loving Daisy, as she came from old money. Toward the end of Gatsby 's life, he admitted to Nick that he came from “North Dakota” (98), his original name was “James Gatz” (98) and his parents