Corruption In The Great Gatsby

In the Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald uses social commentary to show what the people of the time period were like. It is set in an upper class area of old and newly made wealthy people. Although the book was set during the Jazz Age of the 1920s, it parallels the people of the 21st century and shows the peoples low morals, their individual pursuit of the American dream, and how they embrace noblesse oblige.

As a society, America has created certain ideas and stereotypes of each class including the citizens within them. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald focuses around the superficial communities of West and East Egg, and their misconceptions of one another. The citizens of East Egg, such as Daisy and Tom Buchanan, frown upon the up-and-coming men of West Egg. This includes Gatsby, who dreams of the riches they take for granted. Gatsby, who obtains his money through dishonest means appears villainous, unsuccessfully attempting to join the wealthy and elite society of East egg. However, there may be more to Gatsby's story. As Nick, the narrator, says he is “worth the whole damn bunch put together”(154). Through his descriptions and comparison of Tom’s house and Gatsby’s house, Fitzgerald reveals the true nature of the two men. While Gatsby appears to be morally corrupt, in the end he actually has pure intentions, instead it is Tom who emits negativity and is ungrateful for his life.

During the time in our country's history called the roaring twenties, society had a new obsession, money. Just shortly after the great depression, people's focus now fell on wealth and success in the economic realm. Many Americans would stop at nothing to become rich and money was the new factor in separation of classes within society. Wealth was a direct reflection of how successful a person really was and now became what many people strived to be, to be rich. Wealth became the new stable in the "American dream" that people yearned and chased after all their lives. In the novel entitled the great Gatsby, the ideals of the so

Often when thinking of symbolism, people and actions are thought of first. Guilt now a days leads to corruption, whether it is guilt for what has happened in the past, present or what is wished to happen. Guilt is all over the world; Corruption is all over the world. Tim O’Brien author of The Things They Carried, takes the reader to the Vietnam War, on his life travels during and after the war. F. Scott Fitzgerald author of The Great Gatsby, takes readers to the Roaring Twenties to see the life of different social classes and the problems that may come along when they all come together.

First, Tom and Daisy demonstrate their carelessness through their insensitiveness. When Tom is visiting his mistress, Myrtle, she taunts Tom by repeatedly saying “Daisy! Daisy! Daisy!” (Fitzgerald, 39). This causes Tom to get aggravated and strike Myrtle in the face, breaking her nose. Tom physically abuses Myrtle and while he is under the influence of alcohol, he has the intent of hurting her, not caring if she gets injured. Tom also lies to Myrtle, telling her that he would marry her if is wife wasn’t Catholic. Tom does not care about the feelings of his mistress, seeing her as an object and not a human. Myrtle is nothing more than a way for Tom to feel powerful due to her low social status and insecurities. It is mentioned that Tom has cheated on Daisy before with a maid, further proving that Toms motive for having an affair is power. It also proves that Tom is not cheating on Daisy because he is bored, but because he does not truly love her or care for her. Tom’s lack of concern for those around him proves his insensitiveness and overall carelessness.

When individuals become overly focused on or obsessed with a certain thing, it can lead to corruption. In the novel “The Great Gatsby” by Scott Fitzgerald, the complex relationship between the characters Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan serves as a prime example of this. Gatsby’s attachment and obsession with Daisy ultimately led to his corruption. His inability to accept the reality of their relationship killed him in the end. Gatsby's fixation on Daisy and the past becomes destructive.

While Gatsby’s dream of attaining and starting over with Daisy remains pure, his means of achieving his dream are, unfortunately, corrupt. There are plenty subtle hints about Gatsby’s immoral practices yet unadulterated heart throughout the novel. For example, in the beginning of the novel a woman at one of Gatsby’s parties chatting with her friend states, “You look at him sometimes when he thinks nobody’s looking at him. I’ll bet he killed a man” (44). This statement doesn’t bluntly say he is corrupt but gives honest insight into his public image and inserts the thought that Gatsby could have possibly been involved in illegal actions during his pathway to wealth.

Success, formerly signifying the accomplishment of an aim or purpose, however, it has become poisoned by the narcissism of humankind which redefines it as the state of being financially superior to others. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, the outlook on the American Dream during the 1920s was crafted through a myriad of events and characters depicting this civil dilemma. By definition, the American Dream is the belief that anyone, regardless of race, class, gender, or nationality, can be successful in America (wealthy), if they exert the required effort on their arduous journey. Having said that, the American Dream thus presents an illusion of an American society that neglects issues such as: systemic racism, misogyny, xenophobia, and income inequality. Furthermore, it also postulates a myth of class equality, yet the reality could not be further from this. In the novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald demonstrates how fantasies driven by materialistic ideologies can lead to inevitable corruption and demoralization in society. Notably, this is exhibited through the daily struggles of George and Myrtle Wilson, the conspicuous bigotry of Tom and Daisy Buchanan as well as the ambition and passion of Jay Gatsby.

When Fitzgerald made the character Meyer Wolfsheim he was inspired by the real criminal who fixed the 1919 World Series. Just like in real life the involvement in organized crime has consequences. Gatsbys involvement in organized crime had a major effect of Daisy love for him. After she found out he was a bootlegger she broke up with him. Gatsbys connections to organized crime eventually ruined all of his relationship. First he tried to bring nick in on his underground business operation, but that failed. Them Daisy found out that we was a bootlegger and she never talked to him again. She didn't even show up to his funeral.when everyone found out gatsby was part of the organized crime they looked at him differently. By the end of the book all of the people gatsby knew shut him out and didn't show up to his funeral. Eventually his involvement with bootlegging and crime got him killed. Gatsbys death was a revenge plot made by Tom Buchanan. Tom was angry at Jay for stealing Daisy. He called Gatsby out and told everyone what he had done, So Daisy ran out and Gatsby ran after her. She was driving home and wasn't paying attention and killed Mrytle. Tom thought it was Gatsby and had

Corruption is a dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power and humanity is a virtue associated with basic ethics of altruism derived from the human condition. In the novel the great Gatsby humanity is over-ruled by corruption. The great Gatsby novel reveals how corruption has destroyed the essence of humanity as Gatsby undying love for Daisy leads him into the ways of corruption in order to win Daisy love. Tom and Daisy corruption is the essence to the destruction of the great Gatsby humanity. Daisy is merely a selfish, shallow, careless, hurtful woman that Gatsby loves with a lot of admiration, vitality and determination.

The Corruption of the American Dream and Society, first took place in the 1920’s, also commonly known as the “roaring twenties”, when this new ideology erupted. Therefore, this idea of the free market and opportunity took over the market industry, especially in stocks. People started seeing possibility to become very wealthy without anyone to stop them. They ended up liking this lifestyle which boosted the decay of the American Dream and Society. Where people could care less about the true meaning of American Dream which is about freedom, hard work and prosperity; instead, people had begun to care a great deal about social status. In addition, The Great Gatsby, which is set in the heart of the “roaring twenties”, where F. Scott Fitzgerald ties his thoughts and his life experience of this damaging effect on the people into his book. Using the main characters he shows us how the men and women in his life were, how they were caught up in all of this. In addition to the downfall of the American Dream the reader can also pick up the themes of corruption of Society and the emptiness behind the glamour of the Jazz Age from the characters.

The two classic parties in The Great Gatsby may differ physically, but are driven by the same motive. The Great Gatsby took place in the 1920’s, when the American Dream was at its peak. The main characters are Nick, Gatsby, and Daisy, who live in a city where the American dream was big – essentially another city the American Dream corrupted. The American Dream transitioned from being all about hope, to a dream filled with money, or that money was everything, which ended up corrupting many people’s lives. The Great Gatsby clearly shows the corruption the American Dream caused, especially with the two parties. While both parties differ in size and guest list, they together reinforce Fitzgerald’s theme that the American dream is a dream driven

Why do we often look up to the higher class? Why do we crave the fabulous lifestyles of the wealthy and famous? Murder, cheating, gambling and wild parties are just some examples of what went on in The Great Gatsby. First of all, the rich were also criminals and may have gotten their endless money in illegal matters. Secondly, most all of the rich characters shown throughout the book were unfaithful to his or her spouse. Thirdly, the wealthy were lavishly wasteful and did not seem to care about others. Finally, a character that expresses immorality the most is Tom Buchanan. In Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, his intentions were for people to learn to know that being rich or the hunger for money can lead to the immoral actions including some

The wealthy in the late 20’s was corrupt and selfish. In the Great Gatsby the upper class is shown as corruptive. The people in the upper class such as Tom and Daisy don’t really care about their actions because they feel invincible due to their amount of money and the power they have. Fitzgerald illustrates the corruption in the way upper class is care-less about their behavior.

The Great Gatsby was taken place in the roaring 20s, even though alcohol was illegal, the wealthy found a way to sneak it and get away with drinking and partying. The book takes place in Long Island, New York, where there is new and old money and thats the West and East Egg. In the west egg that’s considered as new money, those people with new money is involved in organized crime, organized crime is illegal behavior that is planned and carried out by groups of people in a very systematic fashion. Also, there was the Mafia and they were involved with bootlegging, drug trafficking and messing with New York's industries. New York is known for being a big and hectic city which never sleeps. In New York there is the rich and poor, but in this book they show us how it is and feels to be rich there during the 20s. Throughout The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald shows us the advantages with being rich is actually a disadvantage by how they can get away with things that are banned, how old money and new money is earned, and how cops are blinded when they knew what’s going on.