Wealth And Money In The Great Gatsby

The novel T he Great Gatsby, written by Francis Scott Fitzgerald, which is set on Long Island and New York city, outlines the idea of how society can be affected by wealth and money. The variation of different values and life goals of East and West Egg play an important role in the theme of wealth in the book.
F. Scott Fitzgerald uses the two areas to portray different values. Most importantly, the author of the book focuses on two formations of land­West Egg and East Egg­which are separated from New York by the Valley of Ashes. It is outlined in the story that the separation of the two island cities plays an important role in the book and has a meaningful significance. The Valley of Ashes is the symbol of complete poverty and hopelessness …show more content…
There will always be a gap between “new money” and “old money”. Gatsby has the money to buy the things that rich people have, but he cannot buy the experience or education. Gatsby states that Daisy’s voice is “full of money”; consequently, the point of this statement is that money isn't something that can be separated from the body. Being born with money means somehow actually consisting of it. However, no matter how hard Gatsby worked to achieve Daisy’s standards, in the end, it is possible to recognize just how unimportant wealth is compared to status. Even all the money in the world is not capable of making Gatsby "worth" Daisy. The narrator of the novel admires the main character, which is evident by his claim to Gatsby that the narcissistic people of West Egg are “a rotten crowd” and by his gladly addressed compliment: “You’re worth the whole damn bunch put together” (154). A lthough t he residents of East Egg and West Egg both tend to have money, Gatsby’s most important goal in life is getting the love of his life, whereas Daisy’s most important life goal is to be wealthy. Poor people's crimes seem to matter in a greater way than rich people's crimes. This can be …show more content…
The narrator has no respect for the ones who only care about what they are worth for. East Egg and West Egg appreciate items in an unlikely way. Mr. McKee’s wife, Lucille, seems to be more impressed by the cost rather than the quality of the item: “I was going to wear it tonight, but it was too big in the bust and had to be altered. It was gas blue with lavender beads. Two hundred and sixty­five dollars” (35). P eople from worlds like East egg are implied to be self­centered humans, carrying about prices and their social status: “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” (179). Whereas residents of West Egg like Nick Carraway declines Gatsby’s job offer no matter on how much he struggles to sell bonds. Recognizing that Gatsby is only offering a favor in return, Nick has dignity and he does not estimate his income as the most important thing in his life. The rich of East Egg attend Gatsby’s parties, get drunk and act impolitely according to the surrounding them environment. They come to West Egg as completely different people who don’t take things seriously. Nevertheless, on their return back to East Egg, they transform back to their daily