How Does Social Class Affect The Great Gatsby

In the 1920s or as it was also known, The Roaring 20s, many people were finding ways to make money. Some made money through the stock market or becoming bootleggers, how the person had obtained their wealth affected their relationships with others. In The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald social class has an effect on relationships. It affects how people treat each other and how they are viewed by one another. In the novel, there are three main types of people that are grouped either old or new money and the lower class. The old and new money are wealthy people and the lower class are poor. People who are considered new money people and lower class are looked down upon by people of old money. The differences and similarities of individuals based on their social class affect relationships between Myrtle and Tom, Daisy and Tom, Myrtle and Mr. Wilson, and Daisy and Gatsby. These differences or similarities create inequalities, instability, unhappiness or prevents trust in relationships. Social class affects the relationship of Tom and Daisy Buchanan in a different way since both belong to the same class, the old money class. Therefore, Tom and Daisy are equal, he isn 't superior to Daisy. Daisy complains to Tom in front of everyone at their party. She complaint that her knuckle was black and blue because Tom had hurted her, it is stated, “We all looked—the knuckle was black and blue. “You did it, Tom” she said accusingly. “I …show more content…
In the novel social class defines who the person is and how they are viewed by others. This affects relationships between the characters such as Myrtle and Tom, Daisy and Tom, Myrtle and Mr. Wilson, and Daisy and Gatsby. Social class creates an inequality in the relationship of Myrtle and Tom, chaotic and hurtful relationship between Daisy and Tom, unhappiness between Myrtle and Mr. Wilson, and prevents a loving relationship between Gatsby and