Analysis of the Great Gatsby

Throughout the novel Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, it is thought that love and happiness can be bought, but in reality love comes from inside. Happiness is something that one discovers in oneself and money is a material asset. Money can’t buy love and happiness is a saying that is used to make one understand that there is more to life than wealth. During this time period, it was known as The Roaring 20s, where most people were rich and split societies were around more.

In these societies, there was an upper, middle, and lower class. Each of which have different living situations and needs. This leads to money being looked at differently, due to their different needs and priorities. Money is a form of currency that quantifies what you can buy in life. (Gurbaksh Chahal) Self control plays a big part in having money and how it can affect your life. Depending on how one manages it can lead to happiness or depression. Not only does management play a role in having money, but also those who have money say that it leads to power which then leads to happiness, while others argue that you cannot have all three at once. Many people have different opinions, but all opinions can be right due to it affecting people differently.

Mass production, mass consumption and mass culture occurred throughout the Roaring 20s. This was the time period when the economy was thriving and at its best. It was also the period of mass consumerism, which led to many companies to grow larger, and new jobs were created. Which then led to an increase in wages for Americans and helped Americans to be able to afford new kinds of products. Due to the availability of new products, this caused more people to spend more money than they should. This can lead to financial anxiety. John Rampton said, Having enough money means no anxiety when shopping at the grocery store, going out to eat or paying your rent. This type of security is overlooked when you are used to it. On the other hand, those who are not financially stable have to think about if they will be able to pay the next bill. Which can lead to depression, anxiety, stress, etc.

Some people say that money can buy happiness because they presume money could give them power. (Lindsey D. Marblehead) Power is given by others when they respect you. It comes from maturity, confidence, and experience. Many people receive power after hard work and proven events of success. Gurbaksh Chahal states, you can acquire all of the power and financial fortune this world has to offer, but it doesn’t necessarily give you the biggest prize of all: your ultimate happiness. Oftentimes most people are so derived on gaining so much wealth and power, it creates more negative energy than positive. Although, Wealth provides the means to enact power. But only if the means are driven by an idea. So the idea gives power, while wealth acts as fuel or energy that works towards manifestation of that idea. (David Leitner, Researches Leadership and Strategy) This leads some to believe that in order to receive power, you need money.

Most people get this idea from television nowadays, watching the Kardashians, the Chrisleys, etc. because they show off the enormous houses, fancy cars, designer shoes, clothes, bags and more, which they have been able to get from having power. The average person dreams for the rich life, to have the money and the power to influence the world but fail to realize that fame and fortune only buys items. Due to having so much power and materialistic things, many celebrities face depression. Kylie Jenner once said that from being in the spotlight so much, she has faced harsh bullying and attacking. This shows us that no matter how much money and power you have, you will never have complete happiness. Notch, the creator of sandbox video game, has said The problem with getting everything is you run out of reasons to keep trying, and human interaction becomes impossible due to imbalance. This leads to the conclusion that even with an abundance of money, it will not necessarily bring you happiness.

Most people’s motivation is money, it is a crucial incentive to work motivation. According to Daniel H. Pink, if a person is not paid enough, they will not want to perform. The only reason people spend 7 to 12 hours at the workplace a day is to earn money. Money helps people lead a nice comfortable life. It helps provide the best education for children. It ensures that near and dear ones have access to medical attention whenever it is in need. Unfortunately, there is a cap space to the amount of money that people can spend on themselves. (1242, 5)

After receiving the benefits and buying the wanted things, it will never be suffice. No amount is ever enough. If you don’t have it then you want it. If you have it then you want even more of it. (1242, 5) Due to people wanting more and more, relationships became more materialistic. Austin Ebel states, The society is screwed, no one will ever be truly happy with who they are with because there is no true love, just the money and materialistic things. Money gets in the way of relationships due to the expectation that both persons should have the same yearly salary. Dave Ramsey stated that Instead of seeing the full pot as our money, you might think you have leverage over the other all thanks to a few extra digits on your paycheck. Sometimes the spouse bringing in the most money can feel entitled to the most say. Don’t even go there. That’s just asking for more money and relationship troubles. When arguments arise, the money thing can get thrown out which could cause even more problems. This leads them to work harder in hopes for a promotion to bring in more money. Although, this is only temporary motivation.

The Great Gatsby is a classic novel that represents what someone would do for love. In this case, Gatsby gaining money to try and win Daisy back. We can see how the management of money can help or hurt our happiness. Gatsby wanted to show Daisy a very fancy, sophisticated house to get her attention. Daisy is mainly attracted to money. Gatsby hopes that she would fall for him for his money, like she did with her husband, Tom Buchanan. Also, we get a better understanding of whether or not money can lead to power. Throughout the Great Gatsby, power is associated with money. Gatsby has parties which attract lots of people, in which he throws the parties for the people to come and admire his house.

These people do not go to look at or admire Gatsby, but for the sole purpose of them being for the wealthy and upper class. Whereas, people such as George Wilson, who is one of the weaker people in the novel. George has a run down shop and lives in the Valley of Ashes, many people do not take him seriously because he lacks money. His wife, Myrtle, is having an affair with Tom Buchanan. She is attracted to him, for his money, just like Daisy is. This shows that he or she that has money has power. Lastly, we see whether people are motivated by money. In the novel, money is a huge motivator in the characters relationships. Which leads the characters to be shown as highly materialistic. We know this due to Myrtle having an affair with Tom Buchanan due to having an abundance of money that helps her have access to privileges. Also, with Daisy and Gatsby. Gatsby idolizes Daisy as if she is a prize that he wants to win. They say her voice is, full of money that was the inexhaustible charm that rose and fell in it, the jingle of it, the cymbals’ song of it. High in a white palace the king’s daughter, the golden girl. This shows that the characters throughout the novel are highly materialistic due to their motivations being driven by their desire and want for materials and things.

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