Materialism in The Great Gatsby Essay - 515 Words

We are living in a material world. This famous line in one of Madonnas songs entitled Material Girl will never outgrow itself. Ever since the beginnings of monetary means, the main focus of living is getting more money and to be as successful as possible. This became a huge issue during the 1920s. In this era, people made money from the stock market, illegal bootlegging and so forth. With these people hitting the jackpot, this then created a new rank called `new money. This rank, however, never overpowered `old money the most wealthiest, well-known and respected class. The possession of material wealth however, cant bring true happiness. Love is an important factor in this equation; when you dont have love, it is hard to say†¦show more content†¦Though they seemed very close with each other, marriage wasnt in the picture. `Gatsby sprang to his feet, vivid with excitement. `She [Daisy] never loved you [Tom], do you hear? he cried. She only married you because I was poor and s he was tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible mistake, but in her heart she never loved anyone except me!(137). Even though love did seem important for Daisy, it didnt top the fact that Gatsby had no money to support the both of them. This is one way that materialism proves itself to be on top. Another way is the superficial relationship that Tom and Daisy have. They are hardly Communicable towards each other and the way this is described is obvious.Daisy and Tom were sitting opposite each other at the kitchen table with a plate of cold fried chicken between them and two bottles of ale. He was talking intently across the table at her hand and in his earnestness his hand had fallen upon and covered her own. Once in awhile she looked up at him and nodded in agreement. They werent happy, and neither of them had touched the chicken or ale-and yet they werent unhappy either (152). Daisy and Tom have been married for five years and this happiness and unhappiness they do and dont feel deals primarily with the fact that their relationship is not based on love. They dont look as if they share a deep connection-a connection such as Daisy and Gatsbys. Daisy and Toms happiness is based on both of them coming from money,Show MoreRelatedMaterialism - the Great Gatsby1732 Words   |  7 PagesMaterialism America has been labeled The land of opportunity, a place where it is possible to accomplish anything and everything. This state of mind is known as 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 dream, however, originates from a desire for spiritual and material improvement. Unfortunately, the acquisition of material has been tied together with happiness in America. 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These two characteristics can give one confidence, but as demonstrated in the novel, they bring nothing but short-term satisfaction. After which, feelings can run the gamut from desperation to childish behaviors. While greed and materialism have the power to seem favorable, bringing an amplification of social status, theyRead MoreEssay On Money And Materialism In The Great Gatsby1994 Words   |  8 Pages Money and materialism play a large role in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book, The Great Gatsby, which takes place on Long Island in the summer of 1922. The book follows a man by the name of Jay Gatsby who centers his life around one goal, winning back the girl of his dreams, Daisy Buchanan, who he lost five years earlier. His quest leads him from rags-to-riches into the arms of the one he loves, and ultimately, to death. This book is written from a Marxist point of view based on the fact that the bookRead MoreEssay on Love vs. Materialism in the Great Gatsby1131 Words   |  5 PagesVs. Materialism The Great Gatsby does not offer a definition of love, or a contrast between love and romance. Rather it suggests that what people believe to be love is normally only a dream. America in the 1920s was a country where moral values were slowly crumbling and Americans soon only had one dream and objective to achieve, success. Distorted love is one theme in the novel The Great Gatsby, present among all of the characters relationships; Daisy and Tom, Tom and Myrtle, Daisy and Gatsby, and