Values In The Great Gatsby

Improved Essays
The world has evolved greatly since the 1920’s. Technology has advanced, the pop culture scene has become essential in shaping our entire generation, and all people have experienced a growth in their legal citizenship rights, but a concept that remains constant are the values that Americans hold close. The values of money, success, and reputations that were held by the characters of The Great Gatsby, parallel the values that American society holds today. The drive to achieve money is held to a remarkably high standard in American culture nowadays. Americans are taught from a young age, through movies, T.V, and literature, as well as the way people act that have wealth and those who don’t, that life will be much easier and more pleasant if a grand amount of money is obtained. Celebrities love to …show more content…
How you are depicted often affects the class status you attain. Tom and Myrtle were having an affair that was plain as day, but even so they didn’t want to be seen together. When they were meeting up they took different trains, so not to be caught in their vile rendezvous’. If they were seen together they would be rendered as cheaters and liars, which would damage the reputation Tom had worked so hard to build up. “So Tom Buchanan and his girl and I went up together to New York--or not quite together, for Mrs. Wilson sat discreetly in another car. Tom deferred that much to the sensibilities of those East Eggers who might be on the train” (Fitzgerald ). The way Tom was seen in other people’s eyes was too important of a factor to dismiss. In today’s society celebrities make up crazy lies and schemes so that their horrendous mishaps don’t get published in the next gossip magazine, blackballing them from the entertainment industry forever. Reputations play a large role in manipulating the way society

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    The Great Gatsby Analysis

    • 804 Words
    • 4 Pages

    1922 was a series of ups and downs for Jay Gatsby. He watched as his dream became so close, he felt like he could reach out and grab it, then watched it all come quickly tumbling down. Terrible things happen in Gatsby’s life throughout The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, yet Nick Carraway states that he turned out all right in the end. This is due to keeping his hope of his dream alive even at his lowest points, and living his life as someone to be proud of.…

    • 804 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Tom Buchanan is a man who is saturated with a sense of power, for it encompasses his entire demeanor and outlook on life. From the moment Nick catches a glimpse of Tom, he could easily recognize Tom’s “two shining arrogant eyes [that] had established dominance over his face” (Fitzgerald 17). Shortly after Nick observes Tom, he immediately senses the ascendency that surrounds him. Tom lives his whole life under the safety umbrella that is his parents money, and now, having inherited a large amount of it, he has taken to be yet another white male who fears he is less of a man in the absence of a physically robust physique. A strong stature may provide to be helpful to intimidate others, but hardly ever does it guarantee any kind of emotional strength, “so he gave that up, and the only dead dream fought on as the afternoon slipped away… struggling unhappily, undespairingly, toward that lost voice across the room”(Fitzgerald 152).…

    • 1040 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    “Why, how could I love [Tom], possibly?” The words said by Daisy right before Gatsby’s entire world was turned upside down. Ultimately, she couldn’t tell Gatsby she doesn’t love Tom and recededreceeded back into her cushiony and wealthy lifestyle with her husband. F. Scott FitzgeraldFizgerald in The Great GatsbyGastby shows that wealth leads to corruption and carelessness shown by the way Gatsby makes his money, Tom’s cheating, and Daisy’s affair with Gatsby.…

    • 965 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Scott Fitzgerald intertwines relationships into The Great Gatsby as symbols to epitomize the anchors that drag down marriages and tear apart lives that most people would appreciate. For instance, Tom’s decision to cheat on his wife, Daisy, causes his marriage with her to be doubted. On the other side of this rendezvous, is a woman who wants to be a part of something that she does not realize she can never be a part of. The mistress and cheating wife, Myrtle Wilson, longs to marry a rich man and be a part of the coveted Secret Society. Due to the fact that her husband lies about being rich, she chose to attempt to build a serious relationship with Tom Buchanan.…

    • 1429 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    She was born into money and married into it. On Daisy’s weeding day she got a letter saying that Gatsby had not died in the war. At first reading it she did not want to marry Tom but she got herself drunk and did it. Daisy main reason for marrying Tom was for his money. When Gatsby again comes into Daisy’s life…

    • 902 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    In this analytical essay we covered three prominent issues within the book. The first dealt with Tom Buchanan’s mistress Myrtle Wilson, how Tom treated her as a second choice, and how her sexuality costed her life. The second dealt with Jordan Baker, the woman pro-golfer, who so desperately wanted to fit into a different social class. The last dealt with Daisy Buchanan a wife that settled for a man because of his money, social status. Daisy would never leave Tom because being in love with Gatsby meant that she would not have the same luxuries in life.…

    • 1280 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The Power of the Privileged Throughout The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, we encounter many different characters that use their wealth, power, and social status as a way of protecting themselves from the consequences of their actions. Both Tom and Daisy Buchanan are two characters that use their money and influence as a means of shielding themselves from the moral responsibilities of life. Daisy uses her position in society and marriage to Tom to protect herself from the ramifications of accidentally killing Myrtle, Tom’s mistress, and then retreats back to him for shelter from her mistakes, driven by a need for stability in her life. Similarly to Daisy, Tom uses and manipulates his high status to insulate himself from the consequences…

    • 1693 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The smug conceit of "The Rich Boy" has hardened into Tom’s arrogant cruelty” (Grande 9). Daisy likes the finer things in life and is materialistic, she also knows that Tom could get her anything she desires, therefore Daisy allows Tom maintain a relationship with Myrtle because she does not want to jeopardize not having nice objects. Tom is aware of this and he uses this knowledge to his advantage and proceed in the affair. Tom knows that because Daisy is somewhat materialist that she will never leave him. This supports the idea that Tom holds power and authority over Daisy.…

    • 2234 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The roaring 20s was all about celebrating great prosperity and having fun with big, wild parties. In the novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the story is taken place in the 1920s where people are constantly surrounded by greed and wealth. Though it appears that Jay Gatsby is the most materialistic character in the novel because of his obsession with becoming wealthy and his flashy parties, it is really Daisy Buchanan who is the most materialistic because her wealth exemplifies her lifestyle, superiority and her happiness. One might argue that Jay Gatsby is the most materialistic character in the novel. Gatsby has always admired the upper class and has aspired to become wealthy from a young age.…

    • 1053 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    In the roaring twenties, materialism and wealth were the keys to happiness. F. Scott Fitzgerald depicts this in his novel The Great Gatsby. The characters used their materialism and wealth to build their perfect utopia, for dominance, comfort, and love. With the help of geography, Fitzgerald analyzes and explores the horrid truth of American wealth and materialism through Myrtle Wilson, Tom Buchanan, Daisy Buchanan, and Jay Gatsby. Myrtle Wilson lives in the Valley of Ashes “where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens […] with a transcendent effort, of men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air” (23).…

    • 1533 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Great Essays

    Despite a personas wealth, stereotypes of uncaring, self involved, and unfaithful also classify a person of the upper class. Two higher class characters, Tom and Daisy show these harsh attributes in which Nick describes when he knocks into Tom, “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy - they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made…”(Fitzgerald 170). The Buchanan’s are wealth people but also arrogant and uncaring which makes them the perfect pair. As Tom and Daisy escape the tragedy of Myrtle 's and Gatsby’s death they do not look back and leave their mess behind. Daisy has supposedly loved Gatsby but she didn’t have the care in the world to mourn at his funeral.…

    • 1956 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The Corruption of Wealth in Gatsby In The Great Gatsby, the significant contrast between the valley of ashes and New York City shows that the endless drive for wealth can lead to the distortion of society. The valley of ashes represents absolute poverty and hopelessness. It is a desolate place where, "Ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens"(23). Everything about it is miserable and grey. In contrast, the city is full of promise of wealth and a hope for a better life.…

    • 1099 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Another similarity between Tom and Gatsby is that both men seem to be playing a role when every they’re in public, by putting on a facade for others to see. With his good looks, education, horses, polo shirts, riding pants, and boots, Tom tries to impress and dissemble others, while hiding the monster he really is. On the same token, the ostentatious parties, mysterious past, and made up stories are all used by Gatsby to hide his humble beginnings, and corrupt ways of attaining his wealth. Without a doubt, Gatsby and Tom’s most obvious connection is their link to Daisy. Beautiful, educated, and well groomed, Daisy is the personification of feminism in the 1920’s, and women of an elite social class.…

    • 1585 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Topic 7, Values and Goals of Society in The Great Gatsby The 1920s were a period in history marked by the end of the First World War and the ensuing economic boom. This great economic change also brought on an immense social change: the loss of traditional morals and a shift in the focus of life for society. In the novel The Great Gatsby, the author F. Scott Fitzgerald demonstrates this replacement of ideals of society in this time period through his characters.…

    • 1032 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    This talks about the respect concept of people even though there isn’t any in the novel. Misusages of these traditional values are the affair that a character committed, racism, and injuring women. One of the affairs mentioned in the book is the affair of Myrtle and Tom. It is mentioned in the book that Tom and Myrtle met in a train going to New York, “I went up to New York with Tom on the train one afternoon and when we stopped by the ash heaps he jumped to his feet and taking hold of my elbow literally forced me from the car” (Fitzgerald 27). Typically, the two would talk on the phone so no one knows about the ongoing affair.…

    • 1899 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays