Socioeconomic Status Classification According to a former writer Will Lavender,“ Literature is a writer’s secret life record in symbols.” The Great Gatsby is a story that takes place during 1922 where the narrator Nick Caraway guides the reader into the American dream, Jay Gatsby tries to achieve throughout the plot of the book, but he fails and is murdered by another character George Wilson. Fitzgerald creates an artificial world in The Great Gatsby in which he symbolizes a socioeconomic class based on their characteristics, location and wealth through the characters Jay Gatsby, Tom Buchanan, and George Wilson. The wealth status of these characters shows what type of socialization they have. Their characteristics throughout the story represent
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The places where these characters live classifies what type of socioeconomic group they are in. Wealth status exhibits the character’s type of socialization in their jobs and relationships. According to F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jay Gatsby is a man well known for hosting big parties when Tom speaks about Gatsby, “ I know I’m not very popular. I don’t give big parties”(130). In these parties, however it is interpreted that Gatsby is not very sociable during these parties. It is also understood that he has these parties so he can attract Daisy to come to them. He explains this when he fires his servants in order to please her and says, “I wanted somebody who wouldn’t gossip. Daisy comes over quite often in the afternoons”(Fitzgerald 114). These actions clearly show how Gatsby is a wealthy man who can spend his money to attract and show his love Daisy. Tom is also a wealthy-class man who has a rich lifestyle. For example, in chapters 1 and 7 Tom has lucrative dinners with his invitees. Nick also mentions he met Tom at Yale University when he says,“ I’d known Tom in college”(Fitzgerald 5). …show more content…
Although Gatsby is not very sociable in his parties he does have lots of connections like in chapter three one of his servants interrupts his conversation when he tells Gatsby,” Philadelphia wants you on the phone, sir”(Fitzgerald 53). Though he is a wealthy man he doesn’t really have such a negative attitude towards others and this is proven with his warm caring affection he has towards Daisy. He also has stands for hope in the novel as Nick says,” Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us”(Fitzgerald 180). Tom Buchanan shows how his wealth and superiority has him have negative characteristics. He is not loyal to his wife and is very hypocritical. In chapter two he becomes aggressive towards Myrtle the woman whom he has an affair with because she disobeys him when he tells her to stop mentioning his wife’s name out loud. Also in chapter seven, he is frustrated when he learns about his wife’s affair with Gatsby that is hypocritical since he also has an affair. He is also racist when he talks about the book The Rise of the Colored Empire and says,“It’s up to us, the dominant race to watch out or these other races will have control of thing” (Fitzgerald 12). Tom discriminates the people from the East Egg as he says,“A lot of these newly rich are just
The places where these characters live classifies what type of socioeconomic group they are in. Wealth status exhibits the character’s type of socialization in their jobs and relationships. According to F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jay Gatsby is a man well known for hosting big parties when Tom speaks about Gatsby, “ I know I’m not very popular. I don’t give big parties”(130). In these parties, however it is interpreted that Gatsby is not very sociable during these parties. It is also understood that he has these parties so he can attract Daisy to come to them. He explains this when he fires his servants in order to please her and says, “I wanted somebody who wouldn’t gossip. Daisy comes over quite often in the afternoons”(Fitzgerald 114). These actions clearly show how Gatsby is a wealthy man who can spend his money to attract and show his love Daisy. Tom is also a wealthy-class man who has a rich lifestyle. For example, in chapters 1 and 7 Tom has lucrative dinners with his invitees. Nick also mentions he met Tom at Yale University when he says,“ I’d known Tom in college”(Fitzgerald 5). …show more content…
Although Gatsby is not very sociable in his parties he does have lots of connections like in chapter three one of his servants interrupts his conversation when he tells Gatsby,” Philadelphia wants you on the phone, sir”(Fitzgerald 53). Though he is a wealthy man he doesn’t really have such a negative attitude towards others and this is proven with his warm caring affection he has towards Daisy. He also has stands for hope in the novel as Nick says,” Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgiastic future that year by year recedes before us”(Fitzgerald 180). Tom Buchanan shows how his wealth and superiority has him have negative characteristics. He is not loyal to his wife and is very hypocritical. In chapter two he becomes aggressive towards Myrtle the woman whom he has an affair with because she disobeys him when he tells her to stop mentioning his wife’s name out loud. Also in chapter seven, he is frustrated when he learns about his wife’s affair with Gatsby that is hypocritical since he also has an affair. He is also racist when he talks about the book The Rise of the Colored Empire and says,“It’s up to us, the dominant race to watch out or these other races will have control of thing” (Fitzgerald 12). Tom discriminates the people from the East Egg as he says,“A lot of these newly rich are just