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The gift of humility is something that would be hard to come by during the 1920’s in the American northeast. One character in The Great Gatsby that shows the vice of overindulgence is Mrs. Daisy Buchanan, the cousin of the main character and narrator, Nick Caraway. In one scene from the book, Nick mentions Chicago and Daisy asks, “Do they miss me?”(Fitzgerald 9). She shows how much of a narcissist she is here by the fact that she is concerned about someone’s opinion in a city over five hundred miles away. Another critical character in the book, Mr. Jay Gatsby, shows his own insecurities by throwing lavish soirees to distance himself from his rural upbringings (“Great Gatsby Captures” SRC). Nick’s revulsion with the way of life in the eastern United States is only further perpetrated by Tom’s adultery. The similarities between Gatsby and Daisy’s relationship share many of the same problems that plagued Fitzgerald and his eventual wife, Zelda. This type of self-indulgence and egotism is at the root of someone’s insecurity and their need to feel
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The values that were rooted so deeply to the American spirit had been pushed aside to make way for the new values: wealth, power and social prominence. As stated by Mr. Richard Staton, “Mass production saw prices plummet and profits skyrocket” (Staton SRC). Self-indulgence is a common flaw associated the attainment of substantial amounts of wealth. The lavish parties and extravagant celebrations were a very popular practice during the Roaring Twenties. These measures were usually used to create envy and desire from friends and foes alike. Gatsby’s attempt to woo Daisy by demonstrating his immense wealth by lighting up his monumental house is a testament to how materialistic and superficial the time was, and the people in it. “When I came home to West Egg that night I was afraid for a moment my house was on fire…. Turning a corner, I saw that it was Gatsby’s house, lit from tower to cellar” (Fitzgerald 81). This was a time of immense overcompensation and, for lack of a better word, showing off. To quote the infamous movie Scarface, “Nothing exceeds like excess, you should know that Tony” (Scarface). This was none more apparent than within the pages of The Great
The values that were rooted so deeply to the American spirit had been pushed aside to make way for the new values: wealth, power and social prominence. As stated by Mr. Richard Staton, “Mass production saw prices plummet and profits skyrocket” (Staton SRC). Self-indulgence is a common flaw associated the attainment of substantial amounts of wealth. The lavish parties and extravagant celebrations were a very popular practice during the Roaring Twenties. These measures were usually used to create envy and desire from friends and foes alike. Gatsby’s attempt to woo Daisy by demonstrating his immense wealth by lighting up his monumental house is a testament to how materialistic and superficial the time was, and the people in it. “When I came home to West Egg that night I was afraid for a moment my house was on fire…. Turning a corner, I saw that it was Gatsby’s house, lit from tower to cellar” (Fitzgerald 81). This was a time of immense overcompensation and, for lack of a better word, showing off. To quote the infamous movie Scarface, “Nothing exceeds like excess, you should know that Tony” (Scarface). This was none more apparent than within the pages of The Great