Parties In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

As seen throughout The Great Gatsby, parties played a large role in the 1920’s social scene of the upper-class. During this time, parties were a way to demonstrate wealth and glamour. The first party that Nick attends at Gatsby’s mansion is when the reader first begins to see the corrupted values of the wealthy elite. Nick observes the entire scene first-hand and witnesses the partygoers lack of morals and materialistic worth that showcases their faulty American dream. Fitzgerald also uses party scenes such as this first one to contrast Gatsby’s motives with that of the other characters in the novel. The first party at Gatsby’s showcases the most popular values of the time period and the aspect of the pursuit of a faulty American Dream. Nick …show more content…
In plain terms, all of Gatsby’s guests were looking for the same thing; wealth and materialistic success. Nick becomes automatically aware of the glamorous lifestyles that these people pursue. By the look of Gatsby’s mansion, swimming pool, and Rolls Royce one would assume Gatsby is after what the rest of the guests were searching for. Early in the book Fitzgerald sets Gatsby up as a mysterious and distant character by showing how he separates himself from his own party and does not partake in the drinking. Neither Nick nor the guests truly know any substance of his character and everyone lacks truth to what he is searching for. The reason that Gatsby is famous is because of the spectacular parties that he throws on the weekends but the only knowledge anyone has about him are the rumors and conspiracies that float around. Fitzgerald uses this component of Gatsby’s life to set up a paradox between perception and …show more content…
Nick’s commentary displays his belief that while the people of east and west egg used their elaborate lives to conceal their corruption and lack of morality, Gatsby used his wealth to cover up something of greater substance. For Gatsby, these lavish parties were a vehicle to lure Daisy in hopes she would fall in love with him. It was not a coincidence that Nick was the only guest to have received a formal invitation to the party. Gatsby felt that his goal could be achieved through inviting Nick, a cousin of Daisy’s. Gatsby had always wanted to be rich but gaining fortune was no more than a means of dedication to winning Daisy back. Gatsby’s whole world revolved around this one objective just as his guests’ worlds revolved around expensive, lavish lifestyles and the pursuit of a faulty American