Theme Of Consumerism In The Great Gatsby

On the surface of the novel written by Scott F. Fitzgerald, one may say that "The Great Gatsby" illustrates a classic American story with a plot twist, having one of the preeminent characters pass in an abrupt and unforeseen way. However, underneath that very surface lies the resounding theme of the novel—The American Dream. "The Great Gatsby" is a pure symbolic reflection of America in the 1920s, depicting the effects of the sudden boom in the marketplace and the intensified materialistic views people gained. The American Dream in the novel is stripped of its ambition and gaiety once Fitzgerald spun a mordant critique of that particular decaying illusion in the society of the '20s, where people 's ethical significance was splintering, and their giddy greed for wealth and superfluous material items resulted in hedonism—which very well still happens today. In the same manner that the novel itself was symbolic, Fitzgerald 's characters were as well. The two main characters that were once separated by the barrier of money and social standing, Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby, are genuine symbols of the codependent, yet doomed relationship of capitalism (Daisy) and consumerism (Gatsby) in America. Consumerism builds capitalism while capitalism ruins consumerists—an …show more content…
This novel is still relevant and quoted to this day—although the era has changed, people 's views and values have not. The American Dream is an idea many people coming to America hope for—the fame, the riches, and the notoriety. However, what people may not realize is that there will always be a price to pay. For that, take into consideration Jay Gatsby, a foolish, dead man with a near-empty funeral solely because he chased his dream and it swallowed him whole as he lost sight of his true morals. Ask yourself: is The American Dream a dream worth