Essay on Materialism in the Great Gatsby - 905 Words

â€Å"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: â€Å"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 â€Å"old money,† meaning he will always have the money and status to support Daisy. When Gatsby returns†¦show more content†¦Daisy’s materialism is revealed when she allows money to influence her decisions, and her life becomes a mess because of it, which is what Fitzgeral d tries to teach to his audience. Gatsby’s love for Daisy propels his materialism, which leads to his ultimate downfall. Gatsby uses his words and specious actions to prove to Daisy that he is rich so she will love him by giving Daisy a tour of his house. Exploring Gatsby’s house is when Gatsby is careful to point out to Daisy his lavish possessions that are present in his many extravagant rooms: â€Å"We went upstairs, through period bedrooms swathed in rose and lavender silk and vivid with new flowers, through dressing-rooms and poolrooms, and bathrooms, with sunken baths† (91). After strolling through Gatsby’s house, Gatsby takes Daisy up to his closet and begins to boast about his expensive clothes so that Daisy realizes that Gatsby is rich, and, â€Å"He took out a pile of shirts, and began throwing them, one by one, before us, shirts of sheer linen and thick silk and fine flannel, which lost their folds as they fell and covered the table in many-colored disarray† (92). Daisyâ €™s desire and obsession with materialistic things is also evident because after she sees all of these shirts, she begins crying because ofShow 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. AlthoughRead More Materialism in The Great Gatsby Essay1075 Words   |  5 PagesMaterialism may be defined as attention to or emphasis on material objects, needs or considerations, with a disinterest in or rejection of spiritual values. 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This article is similar to the novel, The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald because both discuss the idea of wants versus needs. Gatsby is the main character, however Nick Carraway is the narrator througho ut the entire story. They have been neighbors ever since Nick moved to West Egg. Nick and Gatsby become close friendsRead MoreMaterialism in The Great Gatsby Essay515 Words   |  3 Pagessay that you are happy. Daisy Buchanans case in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald proves this to its entirety. When having to decide between an empty marriage with her husband Tom and Jay Gatsby, her love interest, she chooses Tom even though he doesnt make her truly happy. It is then evident all throughout the novel that materialistic properties of wealth and status triumphs over love. In 1917, Daisy became acquainted with Jay Gatsby from Louisiana. Though they seemed very close with eachRead MoreEssay On Greed And Materialism In The Great Gatsby1014 Words   |  5 Pagesgrowth in an economic forum. This caused many Americans to move into the uncharted territory of the city, and make the transition into a prosperous and foreign â€Å"consumer society† (History.com). In addition, the traits of greed and materialism are ubiquitous in The Great Gatsby, as well as in the flashy 1920’s. These two characteristics give one confidence, but as demonstrated in the novel, it brings nothing but short-term satisfaction. After that, feelings of desperation to childish behaviors can accompanyRead MoreGreed And Materialism In The Great Gatsby Analysis1311 Words   |  6 Pagesprosperous and previously foreign â€Å"consumer society† (History.com). The traits of greed and materialism are ubiquitous in The Great Gatsby, as well as in the Art Deco era of the 19 20’s. 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 Wo rds   |  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