Examples Of Materialism In The Great Gatsby

As Bertrand Russell once said, “It is the preoccupation with possessions, more than anything else, that prevents us from living freely and nobly.” Indeed, in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, set during the Roaring 20s, displays the materialism of the characters through their concern to obtain more belongings. The Roaring 20s is considered as one of America’s most prosperous eras, however, Fitzgerald denounces the loss of moral values, the loss of identity, and the deception about achieving a person’s American Dream in addition to the hierarchy ruled by the rich. Thus, in The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses characterization and symbols to explore the superficial nature of the Roaring 20’s and in doing so exposes the dangers

When an artist paints a picture, they use vibrant greens and reds and contrast with dull blues and purples. In literature, the same technique can be used. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s work, The Great Gatsby, he gives greater meaning to his characters and their experiences by using color imagery. The Great Gatsby, set in 1920s New York, shows the differences between the life of the prosperous and the impoverished. Fitzgerald uses the colors gold, yellow, green, and white to expand the meaning and purpose of different elements and to express the themes of wealth, society and class, memory, and compassion.

What does the color green make you think of? Do you think of beautiful forests home to unique animals and intricate ecosystems? Do you think of fresh ripe kiwi in the summer? Do you think of broccoli ,which takes the cake as the most hated vegetable by children under 8? A lot of times people see colors very basically and don’t think about the connotation or symbolism behind them Fitzgerald is the contrary. He uses colors throughout the novel as a way to express his ideas in a more interpretive way that cause the reader to really analyze the novel, The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald converges Gatsby's primary motivations with the use of the color green, a symbol that represents both wealth, money, the chase of the American dream and ,on the flip-side, a renewal and revival of his and Daisy’s relationship. Fitzgerald shows green in its many lights, from the physical representation of wealthy, to wealths grasp on an individual who idolizes it, to its freshness in relation to a new frontier to the American dream.

Green has come to symbolize rebirth because of this connection, and is utilized by Fitzgerald to symbolize Gatsby’s personal rebirth. Gatsby’s outward appearance is not an accurate representation of his origins, as he had originally begun as a poor boy who lived on a farm in North Dakota. This total antithesis of his condition in the time of the novel establishes his soon to be rebirth into a wealthy New Yorker who constantly throws extravagant parties. During his upbringing by a man named Dan Cody, who raised Gatsby into his wealth, Gatsby was described as “loafing along the beach that afternoon in a torn green jersey…” (Fitzgerald 98). The color green being physically attached to Gatsby gives the impression that he himself is one of the reborn plants during the springtime, emerging from a lower state, a “slumber”, into a newer version of himself. This simple green shirt gives the reader a deeper look into Gatsby’s virgin upbringings, before he earned his mysterious, but awe-inspiring reputation in New York City. This rebirth, along with other traits, are key to not only Gatsby’s upbringing, but his true nature behind his deceiving

The roaring twenties, characterized by cultural changes and economic prosperity, was a great time to be an American. The citizens enjoyed the rising stock market, new products, and jazz music. The best of all came with the exuberant optimism, as citizens wished for the best, even in despair. The idea of chasing materialistic items became popular throughout the twenties, as citizens chased ‘The American Dream.’ In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald effectively characterizes Gatsby as an optimist by utilizing the green light as a symbol in order to convey that the American Dream is a nightmare.

" We are living in a material world." This famous line in one of Madonna's 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 1920's. 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, can't bring true happiness. Love is an important factor in this equation; when you don't have love, it is hard to say

The symbolism of a book can be a great but yet so small as in the form of a color. In the Great Gatsby, minor things have great importance. In the Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald made sure to give great importance to minor details like color and objects. While the theme of the story is that anyone can gain the American Dream the fast or illegal way but always with a consequence, Fitzgerald put great importance into colors and objects. With the most common colors of green, white and yellow showing the corruption part of gaining the American Dream. From false purity, to desires, to even death, there are many risks in gaining the American Dream.

“Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter- to morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther… And one fine morning---” In the Great Gatsby, the green light signifies Jay Gatsby’s hopes and dreams for the future and ultimately the American Dream. The green light represents the lost dreams of Americans, unrealistic hope and the determination to achieve the American Dream. The writing from F. Scott Fitzgerald in “The Great Gatsby” allows the reader to learn the significance behind the green light, if hopes and dreams are always centered around future belief and if the belief is more satisfying than one’s desires.

Geology shows that over time, environments will change due to the naturally occurring event of erosion, which wears it down through wind, sand, water or other elements. Fitzgerald’s famous modernist piece, The Great Gatsby, has characters’ that show similar corrosion to their integrity, as they are so enamoured by this materialistic idea of doing it all for show. He utilizes symbolism to pursue this idea of time passing, which will eventually make fissions in their outer façades. From Gatsby knocking over Nick’s clock, to the hearse passing them on a ride, to the valley of ashes illustrating the inherent trashiness of the nouveau riche, they all foretell of a greater, more powerful force than money: time.

“‘I’m glad it’s a girl and I hope she’ll be a fool - that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool’”. This is a very vivid quote written by F. Scott Fitzgerald that helps identify one of the many themes in his book The Great Gatsby. This specific quote speaks of the topic I will be addressing which is money and materialism. This theme takes shape and form in many different ways and through different people throughout the book, and is shown through Fitzgerald’s characters Myrtle, Daisy, and Tom.

It is Gatsby's failure to attain daisy and wealth (legally at least) which substantiates the unattainability of the American dream. Gatsby was "an ambitious man,” whose dream was “commensurate only to his capacity for wonder"(193). The motif of the green light served to illustrate his hope and the survival of that dream "as long as that light is shining, his dream existed,” (178). However, as the book progresses, audiences are positioned to accept the impossibility of the American dream when “it occurred to Gatsby that the colossal significance of the light had vanished forever," (100). Likewise, the social dichotomy between old and new money serves to attribute Gatsby’s illegal wealth as a product of capitalism.

Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, the promise of the American dream causes people to fall into dishonest and deceitful behavior. This is demonstrated by Gatsby’s use of unethical means, in attempting to attain his American Dream, or by Tom’s and Daisy’s treatment of others as less than themselves, and their immoral actions, while still avoiding reprimandation by using wealth and status as a shield. These doings call into inquiry the validity of the American Dream, and whether the American Dream as itself exist as eternally futile, or if our personal views about American Dreams are profoundly corrupted. F. Scott Fitzgerald described the pursuit of the American Dream best using the metaphor of the green light saying, “Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter---to-morrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther. . . . And one fine morning------- So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past”(Fitzgerald

Happiness is not defined by wealth or luxury, happiness is attained with one’s satisfaction with oneself and their lifestyle. F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays in his book The Great Gatsby that happiness is not achieved through materialistic desires, but with contentment with one’s life. Daisy’s personality is an embodiment of this theme throughout the novel. She pretends to be optimistic and content with her luxuries and life with Tom when in reality she is pessimistic. Daisy has a jubilant air about her that attracts people to be her company. Last, but not least, Daisy is spoiled because she is accustomed to having luxuries all her life. F. Scott Fitzgerald uses Daisy’s superficial, charming and overindulgent nature in The Great Gatsby to portray

A few symbolisms in novels are as memorable as the green light in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Shining at the end of Daisy’s dock, it is close enough to be seen, but too far away to be reached. Still, Gatsby, an eternal optimist, stares at it at night, as if it showed him that all his far-away dreams were about to come true. The green light in The Great Gatsby is symbolic of hope, a source of inspiration, and a representation of the American Dream to Gatsby and to the novel’s readers.

“Money Changes Everything” by Cyndi Lauper illustrates the way people center their desires on material things such as money. The speaker in the song leaves the poor man, solely because he does not have money, for the affluent one: “I’m leaving you tonight…There was one thing we weren’t really thinking of and that’s money” (Lauper 1, 6-7). Like Cyndi Lauper, F. Scott Fitzgerald demonstrates the way people often center their desires on material things such as money in The Great Gatsby. Daisy falls in love with Gatsby, who is a poor man at the time, and when Gatsby leaves for the war, Daisy marries Tom Buchanan, who is a rich man, because he is “old money,” meaning he will always have the money and status to support Daisy. When Gatsby returns