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The Effects Of Materialism In The Great Gatsby

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Register to read the introduction… The economy was at its peak and the country was split up between people of “old money” and “new money”. The competitive society of the 1920’s enabled people to become fixated on material things. F. Scott Fitzgerald worked as a writer for the Saturday Evening Post. He did whatever he could do in order to maximize his profit. However, the materialistic ambition led F. Scott Fitzgerald towards a disastrous downfall, “Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald did spend money faster than he earned it; the author who wrote so eloquently about the effects of money on character was unable to manage his own finances”(“Fitzgerald Biography” par.1). The novel, The Great Gatsby centers on the negative view of money. Nonetheless, F. Scott Fitzgerald himself was focused on his economic status that he did not acknowledge the dangers of materialism. The Great Gatsby is a story of how good fortune can bring great unhappiness. However, the author, F. Scott Fitzgerald spent carelessly and was only about his economic standing. The obsession with materialism caused F. Scott Fitzgerald to lead towards a life of bankruptcy. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s superficial attitude is the main aspect towards his demise. Thus, proving the universal truth that money can not bring happiness. Many people during the 1920 have attempted to accomplish the American dream. The American Dream provides a sense of hope and faith that looks forward to the fulfillment of human wishes and desires. This …show more content…
Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby is thus the most potent presentation of materialism. The Great Gatsby shows the 1920’s as a materialistic era in which money was the main focus. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s time period as well as the personal experiences were among the influences that led him to write The Great Gatsby in which he communicated the universal truth that money can not bring happiness. The desire for wealth in order to be content can lead one towards a catastrophic downfall. The Great Gatsby shows the risks that come with acquiring wealth. Furthermore, it indicates that good fortune can lead to great unhappiness. The unhappy life that the characters and the author lived despite their wealth further insinuates the universal truth that money can not bring happiness. All in all, The Great Gatsby is a classic American literature that has been passed down for generations. Although it was written during the 1920’s, nonetheless, it still remains a stellar piece of writing. The Great Gatsby indicates that wealth is not an important factor, and that, when one does acquire wealth they cannot bring true happiness. Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan prove this to its entirety. F. Scott Fitzgerald’s materialistic nature effectively conveys the lesson in the text, money can not bring happiness. The characters in the story believe that a substantial amount of money will make one’s life content, ironically, the life of luxury in which they live, is a prominent contributor towards

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