It is true of many of the characters that their source of ambition is driven towards gaining social status by an awareness of where they currently stand in society. This collective social consciousness at the time of which the novel was set was not exclusive to the wealthy but even more so for those who had come from lower class backgrounds, such as Gatsby.
Despite the mysterious ambiguity surrounding Gatsby, the readers are informed throughout the novel of his past and journey to success. As he amasses wealth in a bid to be found worthy of Daisy’s love, the way he experiences the world around him evolves, according to Marxist theory, this is ‘conditioned by the way the economy is organised.’ His mentality of social ambition deriving from …show more content…
Again, Fitzgerald emphasises the moral obligation we have to one another, or lack thereof in this case. Considering the throngs of people spilling through his doors to attend his parties, it is somewhat surprising that no one cared to pay their respects for his hospitality. Wolfshiem especially, as he claims to be the man who ‘raised him out of nothing, right out of the gutter.’ Readers may see that his circumstance in terms of finance and security have improved, yet he never really fits in with the ‘old money’ society. He will always be ‘nouveau riche’ and therefore not accepted, by Daisy or by his fellow elite. Fitzgerald shows us the hollowness of the world Gatsby has created for himself. Gatsby proudly tells Nick Carraway of his days at Oxford University where he claims to have studied as his ‘ancestors have been educated there for many years.’ Gatsby knows the only way to be truly worthy of Daisy and of this exclusive society is to have a history of family wealth and honour. Yet Nick does not entirely believe his claims: ‘with this doubt, his whole statement fell to …show more content…
The irony of it being described as a farm is important, as we are informed that the valley of the ashes is a ‘dumping ground’ where the very bottom rung of the societal ladder live, almost as if they are animals and only live to provide the higher echelons with the industry to fuel the economy. The word ‘ashes’ is used repeatedly throughout the chapter; the Valley of the Ashes represents a critique of the regressive or decaying moral values as a result of a capitalist America. However, it is a place where only ashes seems to thrive due to the way the economy is organised in the novel which could represent the attempted and failed efforts of the people that live there to better their lives. To Nick Carraway, everything and everyone here embodies the failed American Dream of many people. Here Fitzgerald makes use of a billboard with the eyes of Doctor TJ Eckleburg looking down on the people, Even Wilson refers to him, ‘God sees everything!’ when he learns of his wife’s affair with Tom Buchanan. It could be that the ever present gaze of Eckleburg acts as a moral critique on each of the characters and Fitzgerald’s disgust with corrupted America. For the case of people that live here, the Marxist theory certainly applies as the population of this place seem to have not advantaged from the
Despite the mysterious ambiguity surrounding Gatsby, the readers are informed throughout the novel of his past and journey to success. As he amasses wealth in a bid to be found worthy of Daisy’s love, the way he experiences the world around him evolves, according to Marxist theory, this is ‘conditioned by the way the economy is organised.’ His mentality of social ambition deriving from …show more content…
Again, Fitzgerald emphasises the moral obligation we have to one another, or lack thereof in this case. Considering the throngs of people spilling through his doors to attend his parties, it is somewhat surprising that no one cared to pay their respects for his hospitality. Wolfshiem especially, as he claims to be the man who ‘raised him out of nothing, right out of the gutter.’ Readers may see that his circumstance in terms of finance and security have improved, yet he never really fits in with the ‘old money’ society. He will always be ‘nouveau riche’ and therefore not accepted, by Daisy or by his fellow elite. Fitzgerald shows us the hollowness of the world Gatsby has created for himself. Gatsby proudly tells Nick Carraway of his days at Oxford University where he claims to have studied as his ‘ancestors have been educated there for many years.’ Gatsby knows the only way to be truly worthy of Daisy and of this exclusive society is to have a history of family wealth and honour. Yet Nick does not entirely believe his claims: ‘with this doubt, his whole statement fell to …show more content…
The irony of it being described as a farm is important, as we are informed that the valley of the ashes is a ‘dumping ground’ where the very bottom rung of the societal ladder live, almost as if they are animals and only live to provide the higher echelons with the industry to fuel the economy. The word ‘ashes’ is used repeatedly throughout the chapter; the Valley of the Ashes represents a critique of the regressive or decaying moral values as a result of a capitalist America. However, it is a place where only ashes seems to thrive due to the way the economy is organised in the novel which could represent the attempted and failed efforts of the people that live there to better their lives. To Nick Carraway, everything and everyone here embodies the failed American Dream of many people. Here Fitzgerald makes use of a billboard with the eyes of Doctor TJ Eckleburg looking down on the people, Even Wilson refers to him, ‘God sees everything!’ when he learns of his wife’s affair with Tom Buchanan. It could be that the ever present gaze of Eckleburg acts as a moral critique on each of the characters and Fitzgerald’s disgust with corrupted America. For the case of people that live here, the Marxist theory certainly applies as the population of this place seem to have not advantaged from the