Society and Class in The Great Gatsby - 843 Words

Society and Class in The Great Gatsby The Roaring Twenties, or the Jazz Age, was a period characterized by post-war euphoria, prosperity, profligacy, and cultural dynamism. There were significant changes in lifestyle and culture in the 1920s; many found opportunities to rise to affluence, which resulted in groups of newly rich people, such as the hero of Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Jay Gatsby. Set in this booming era, the novel portrays the lavish and reckless lifestyle of the wealthy and elite. With the aristocratic upper class in the East Egg and the nouveau riche in the West Egg, people are divided into distinct social classes. Contrasting the two groups’ conflicting values, Fitzgerald reveals the ugliness and moral decay beneath†¦show more content†¦As Nick says, â€Å"Gatsby turned out alright at the end†(2), despite all the scornful things Gatsby has represented. Despite the general characterization of the upper class as gentle, well-mannered pe ople, the kind, well-bred characters are more of the West Eggers than the upper class East Eggers. In fact, the upper class displays the worst behaviors. Tom, for example, is arrogant, selfish, hypocritical, and constantly rude to Gatsby. He proudly speaks out racist and sexist views, and shows violence such as when he breaks Myrtle’s nose for merely annoying him. When the Buchanans at the end, simply move away than attend Gatsby’s funeral, they prove to be inconsiderate, careless people who â€Å"let other people clean up the mess they had made.†(179) Jordan, who is dishonest and a cheater, is not such a refined character either. Gatsby, on the other hand, is a â€Å"perfect gentleman†, what Wolfsheim regards as â€Å"a man of fine breeding†(71) He always maintains a polite and kind attitude, even when he’s with Tom and his condescending friends. He is continuously considerate and loyal, and although his manners come off as affectations, Ni ck nonetheless finds â€Å"something gorgeous about him†. When it comes down to personal charm and character, wealth and class mean nothing. Another contrasting value between the East Egg upper class and the West Egg new rich isShow MoreRelatedClass And Society : The Great Gatsby And Its Impact Today1811 Words   |  8 PagesClass and Society in The Great Gatsby and its impact today. Could there be a consequence in having society nowadays and what importance did it have in literature? Many people believe that society isn’t a thing in the present days, nor have they seen this topic in any work of literature, but how much of it forms our present and past? In The Great Gatsby society, was one of the most important things in those years, in the 1920’s most of the people were rich, but no matter how much money theyRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald1512 Words   |  7 PagesThe Great Gatsby was written by the famous American writer F. Scott Fitzgerald that describes the fictional story of a cast of characters living in a town of West Egg in the summer of 1922. His books have been considered by as many a symbol for the ‘Jazz Age,’ a time of extraordinary wealth and promise, but Fitzgerald’s novels are much more than that, presenting the truth behind the twenties and creating an atmosphere, which has earned a permanent place in American literature. After the second industrialRead MoreThe Representation Of The American Dream Essay1535 Words   |  7 PagesRepresentation of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby The American Dream is the dream of achieving success and opportunity, but The Great Gatsby defines the American Dream as unachievable. The characters in the novel are portrayed as the cause of corruption, materialism, and immorality within society. The novel takes place during the 1920’s, an era of prosperity. 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