The Great Gatsby, Reading of Power
The Great Gatsby is a book by F. Scott Fitzgerald published in 1925. One of the dominant readings that can be taken from this novel is a reading of power in The Great Gatsby. The power plays a huge part in the novel ,the characters are mainly driven by power and it greatly enriches the readers understanding of the characters and the relationships between them. The reading of power In The Great Gatsby has many different forms of power that belong to many of the different characters. Examples of this are Monetary power of Tom and Jay, Intellectual power of Nick, Sexual power of Myrtle, Physical power of Tom and the power of love that Jay has for Daisy.
The main form of power that drives the novel is monetary power or the power of wealth. This monetary power in The Great Gatsby many belongs to Gatsby himself and to Tom Buchanan. The wealth of Tom Buchanan is far more powerful than that of Jay Gatsby. The figures of their wealth do not play a large part in their actual wealth. Tom’s wealth far outweighs that of Jay because it is ‘old money’ and is passed down from generation. It is respected and achieved through legal means. The money of Gatsby is new and comes from illegitimate sources such as the sale of bootleg alcohol. …show more content…
Myrtle uses her sexuality where she otherwise lacks power to try and gain a more luxurious life. Her sexual power causes Tom an otherwise reasonably respectable man from a well respected family to be unfaithful to his wife and go off on a ‘spree’ with Myrtle. Her power over Tom gained her some luxuries such as an apartment and a dog but unfortunately for Myrtle that is about the extent of what she will get out of her relationship with Tom. Her willingness to leave her incredibly hard working and faithful husband outlines her as a person who is willing to do anything just for a small slice of the american
The Great Gatsby is a book by F. Scott Fitzgerald published in 1925. One of the dominant readings that can be taken from this novel is a reading of power in The Great Gatsby. The power plays a huge part in the novel ,the characters are mainly driven by power and it greatly enriches the readers understanding of the characters and the relationships between them. The reading of power In The Great Gatsby has many different forms of power that belong to many of the different characters. Examples of this are Monetary power of Tom and Jay, Intellectual power of Nick, Sexual power of Myrtle, Physical power of Tom and the power of love that Jay has for Daisy.
The main form of power that drives the novel is monetary power or the power of wealth. This monetary power in The Great Gatsby many belongs to Gatsby himself and to Tom Buchanan. The wealth of Tom Buchanan is far more powerful than that of Jay Gatsby. The figures of their wealth do not play a large part in their actual wealth. Tom’s wealth far outweighs that of Jay because it is ‘old money’ and is passed down from generation. It is respected and achieved through legal means. The money of Gatsby is new and comes from illegitimate sources such as the sale of bootleg alcohol. …show more content…
Myrtle uses her sexuality where she otherwise lacks power to try and gain a more luxurious life. Her sexual power causes Tom an otherwise reasonably respectable man from a well respected family to be unfaithful to his wife and go off on a ‘spree’ with Myrtle. Her power over Tom gained her some luxuries such as an apartment and a dog but unfortunately for Myrtle that is about the extent of what she will get out of her relationship with Tom. Her willingness to leave her incredibly hard working and faithful husband outlines her as a person who is willing to do anything just for a small slice of the american