Patel 1 Jaival Patel
Dr. Steltenkamp
11 L.C. English
26th February 2018
Wealth Creates Monsters
Wealth can bring out the absolute worst in people. Although it has the capabilities to bring a sense of power and accomplishment it can also create a monster within a person. Such is the case in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby. The majority of the characters were far wealthier than they could handle as consequently, they were irresponsible and destructive. Tom Buchanan, born into a wealthy family, consistently uses his money as a means of power to diminish others and live the reckless life that he desires. In the novel Nick says, “His family were enormously wealthy — even in college his freedom with money was a matter for reproach”(Fitzgerald …show more content…
Daisy married Tom for his wealth, her selfish desire for money caused her to forsake Gatsby, and her moral values, resulting in the murder of another woman. The narrator, Nick says that “The telephone rang...settee”(Fitzgerald 20-21). This quote shows how daisy’s desire for money and she is blinded by it, that purposely ignores her husband’s affair and gets into a different conversation to avoid. Daisy says “That huge place there?” “she cried pointing”. “Do you like it?” “I love it, but I don’t see how you live there all alone”(Fitzgerald 95-96) . In this quote and beyond Daisy is totally amazed by the richness and wealth of Gatsby and she slowly starts to bring back the feelings for Gatsby and they start their affair. At the end of the novel Daisy accidently kills Tom’s mistress Myrtle but Gatsby takes the blame on him instead. Even after Gatsby takes the blame, Daisy never once tells her husband or anyone that it was her who was actual killer and this result in the death of …show more content…
Wealth drove him to join a gang and commit illegal acts, tempt Daisy to have an affair and even hide his own family's past by inventing an entirely new story. Gatsby says "Meyer Wolfsheim? No, he's a gambler. Gatsby hesitated, then added coolly: He's the man who fixed the World's Series back in 1919. Fixed the World's Series? I repeated. […] Why isn't he in jail? They can't get him, old sport. He's a smart man" (Fitzgerald 78). This quote proves that Gatsby was into some illegal activities because he is friends with Meyer Wolfsheim who's a shady character. Gatsby also states "I was in the drug business and then I was in the oil business. But I'm not in either one now," (Fitzgerald 90). This Statement proves that Gatsby was involved in illegal activities and also it explains where he got so much money for.
The wealth possessed by these characters causes them to become reckless individuals. By becoming such careless, selfish people they had lost all of their moral values as a direct result of their riches. All of these reasons prove that these characters are carved into monsters through wealth. In the novel they were described as “rotten Crowd” because of the disturbing events that took
Dr. Steltenkamp
11 L.C. English
26th February 2018
Wealth Creates Monsters
Wealth can bring out the absolute worst in people. Although it has the capabilities to bring a sense of power and accomplishment it can also create a monster within a person. Such is the case in F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby. The majority of the characters were far wealthier than they could handle as consequently, they were irresponsible and destructive. Tom Buchanan, born into a wealthy family, consistently uses his money as a means of power to diminish others and live the reckless life that he desires. In the novel Nick says, “His family were enormously wealthy — even in college his freedom with money was a matter for reproach”(Fitzgerald …show more content…
Daisy married Tom for his wealth, her selfish desire for money caused her to forsake Gatsby, and her moral values, resulting in the murder of another woman. The narrator, Nick says that “The telephone rang...settee”(Fitzgerald 20-21). This quote shows how daisy’s desire for money and she is blinded by it, that purposely ignores her husband’s affair and gets into a different conversation to avoid. Daisy says “That huge place there?” “she cried pointing”. “Do you like it?” “I love it, but I don’t see how you live there all alone”(Fitzgerald 95-96) . In this quote and beyond Daisy is totally amazed by the richness and wealth of Gatsby and she slowly starts to bring back the feelings for Gatsby and they start their affair. At the end of the novel Daisy accidently kills Tom’s mistress Myrtle but Gatsby takes the blame on him instead. Even after Gatsby takes the blame, Daisy never once tells her husband or anyone that it was her who was actual killer and this result in the death of …show more content…
Wealth drove him to join a gang and commit illegal acts, tempt Daisy to have an affair and even hide his own family's past by inventing an entirely new story. Gatsby says "Meyer Wolfsheim? No, he's a gambler. Gatsby hesitated, then added coolly: He's the man who fixed the World's Series back in 1919. Fixed the World's Series? I repeated. […] Why isn't he in jail? They can't get him, old sport. He's a smart man" (Fitzgerald 78). This quote proves that Gatsby was into some illegal activities because he is friends with Meyer Wolfsheim who's a shady character. Gatsby also states "I was in the drug business and then I was in the oil business. But I'm not in either one now," (Fitzgerald 90). This Statement proves that Gatsby was involved in illegal activities and also it explains where he got so much money for.
The wealth possessed by these characters causes them to become reckless individuals. By becoming such careless, selfish people they had lost all of their moral values as a direct result of their riches. All of these reasons prove that these characters are carved into monsters through wealth. In the novel they were described as “rotten Crowd” because of the disturbing events that took