Examples Of Social Stratification In The Great Gatsby

A Sociological Analysis of The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby, a film released in 1974, based off a novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald depicts the tragic story of a mysterious man named Jay Gatsby. The movie takes place in America after World War I. The movie allows viewers to observe the social effect of the post-war’s economic growth on the people of the 1920’s. In the film, there are several examples of social stratification, the butterfly effect, labeling theory, and social functionalism from the characters’ diverse backgrounds and actions. In The Great Gatsby, social stratification is seen in the three classes of people in the movie; old money, new money, and no money. Those in the old money class have inherited their wealth that their families have had for generations. Daisy Buchanan, Tom Buchanan, and Jordan Baker have all been born into wealthy families. These people believe themselves to be the elite and they are superior to those in the new money class because they do not have to work to maintain their wealth. In the 1920’s, the economy was rapidly growing which allowed people who were poor or in the middle class to become wealthy through work. Jay Gatsby is a prime example of a man from the new money class. …show more content…
Myrtle runs out into the road, thinking that the car belongs to Tom. Myrtle dies on impact. Tom sees his lover’s dead body and her upset husband, he figures he will kill two birds with one stone. He tells Myrtle’s husband, Wilson, that Gatsby is the man that was having an affair with Myrtle and he killed her with his car. Wilson decides to punish Gatsby for everything that he believes Gatsby has done. Wilson kills Gatsby and himself. Now that they are dead, Tom can convince everyone that Gatsby killed Myrtle and had an affair with her. Nick tries desperately to make it known that Gatsby was not the criminal, but no one believes