Comparison Of Gatsby And West Egg

The two Eggs in Long Island symbolize two types of wealth. The West Egg contains residents who gained their wealth through hard work, investments, and savings. Its residents grew up not originally in the upper class but climbed their way there as opposed to those in East Egg who inherited their wealth from the previous generations’ labor. Two of the main characters live in these Eggs in enormous houses that embody the social differences of these two societies. The contrasts between the two houses, internally and externally, vividly demonstrate these differences, which to many people outside of that society may very well go unnoticed.
The geographical location of the Eggs plays a key role in Fitzgerald illustrating these differences of fundamental

philosophies and perspectives of wealth. Although a bay separates the Eggs, it symbolizes the vast differences of the societies that live on either side of it.

The homes of Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby sit directly across from each other in the opposite Eggs. Gatsby “lived at West Egg, the – well, the less fashionable of the two though this is a most superficial to express the bizarre and not a little sinister contrast between them” (Fitzgerald 5). Through Fitzgerald’s diction, beauty masks the underlying ugliness in West Egg. Although West Egg’s residents have “new money” wealth, they do not have the “proper” etiquette or background of those in East Egg, who “observe the rules of formality and tradition, at least on the surface” (Parkinson 35). Those in East Egg have generations of training in proper society and the importance of it, creating a barrier to those who did not grow up with such lineage of wealth. This perception

automatically casts West Egg, a step below in the eyes of those in East Egg. Nick, the narrator of the novel, sitting at his home in West Egg views the East Egg homes across the bay. Nick observes the beautiful mansions “across the courtesy bay, the white palaces of fashionable East Egg” (Fitzgerald 5). To further Fitzgerald’s commitment to show the societal difference reflected in the mansions within the Eggs, he has the narrator, Nick Calloway, capture visible differences of the two. Although residents of both Eggs have considerable wealth, the bay between them symbolizes the social gulf that exists between the two levels within the upper-class.
One of the only connections between the two Eggs, aside from the characters that traverse them, stands a green light at the end of the dock on the Buchanan’s East Egg property (Fitzgerald 93). The green light signifies a bridge from the West Egg and Gatsby to the East Egg and Daisy. As the green light glows throughout much of the book, so does the hope that Gatsby might somehow bridge the gap between the Eggs and the prejudices of its residences. On a broader societal level, the green light symbolizes the “charm [that] involves the subtle fusion of two powerful sources of attraction, sex and money,” which exists as long as the green light burns bright (Way). However, when the light goes dark, all hope of the Eggs uniting in their philosophies about wealth vanishes and the bay once again becomes the barrier that divides them. Not only does the potential for like-minded views of the residences of the Eggs disappear, but so does any hope that Gatsby will have Daisy. When illuminated, the green light symbolizes a bridge between the mansions in the two eggs and the possibility of mutual respect and acceptance that erases those differences; but once the light dies so does all hope of unity.
The geographical locations of the Eggs illustrate Fitzgerald’s comparison of the classes within the upper class, and the houses in which the characters live do as well. Jay Gatsby lives in West Egg in a mansion so large that to observers it no doubt shelters wealthy people – precisely Gatsby’s intent. When Gatsby bought his house, he loved the idea that it “was a factual imitation of some Hotel de Ville in Normandy,” a formal government building in France (Fitzgerald 5) (Parkinson 56). With the house designed to replicate this period of history and mimic the timeworn edifice of Hotel de Ville, it reveals Gatsby’s dedication to portray an established wealth, generations in the making. No doubt designed to garner respect and acknowledgement through its unparalleled grandeur, “Gatsby’s house is presented as an edifice rather than a home that is given identity by those living in it,” personifying Gatsby’s true motivation in purchasing it: to gain acceptance among the wealthy and thereby hopefully receiving Daisy’s attention (Parkinson 56). Such extravagance represents Gatsby’s attempt to even the playing field between West Egg’s “new” money and East Egg’s “old” money and combat the prejudice that exists and his own insecurities.
Even details about the grounds and landscaping demonstrate the differences between the Eggs.

As Nick observes, Gatsby’s house has “a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool” (Fitzgerald 5). “New” towers, no doubt, earmarked for West Egg homes and their new wealth. The ivy’s thin rawness that ran up the new tower represents the young plant still trying to root itself, just like Gatsby who did not inherit his wealth but wanted so badly to participate in the “rooted” society. The ivy also symbolizes how Gatsby continues to seek to find his place in society through his lifestyle (Parkinson 56). Like the ivy, Gatsby lives in this “new” society, “new” to wealth and not established. Attempting to create a façade of established ivy, Gatsby uses a vast, thick amount to make this appearance of rooted, old ivy. The ivy’s entanglement resembles the twisted conflict in the wealthy class in the Eggs and also the conflict that exist in Gatsby’s and Daisy’s relationship. Gatsby consistently misrepresents his “true” self. The ivy foreshadows the “vulnerable with age-is made to seem spurious and a failure by the phrase ‘a thick beard of ivy’” (Fitzgerald 5) (Parkinson

56).
To further the image Gatsby creates with his mansion, there exists lush surrounding grounds and an extravagant “marble swimming pool” (Fitzgerald 5). People use marble on floors in their house to represent wealth to a degree but putting marble in the pool creates a showy display of extreme opulence. Gatsby seeks to portray such lavishness in an effort to gain acceptance by those in East Egg, most importantly Daisy. The pool never had any true use to Gatsby other than what it symbolizes. Gatsby recalls that he “never used that pool all summer,” revealing its lack of actual use and highlighting the importance that it symbolized (Fitzgerald 153). In the novel, he never actually enjoyed the pool, but instead wanted it for appearance and proof of his wealth. Not using the pool not only symbolizes Gatsby’s image of wealth, it also serves to lessen his insecurities over his “new” money (Parkinson 59). Although few in West Egg used such displays of opulence, they still displayed their wealth in other manners.
Across the bay opposite of West Egg, East Egg residents have contrasting demeanor, societal views, and wealth attitudes. Tom and Daisy Buchannan live in East Egg and represent all that it has to offer. When Nick first sees the Buchanan’s house, he describes “their house []as even more elaborate than I expected, a cheerful rea-and-white Georgian Colonial mansion, overlooking the bay” (Fitzgerald 6). The style of their house suggests an established history of wealth and prestige. The house, “elaborate” and “overlooking the bay,” alludes to the fact that the Buchannan’s stand slightly above the others in the upper-class. Consistent with the Buchannan mansion, the grounds also serve as literary examples of “old money.” The expansiveness of the “lawn has supernatural qualities” as it leads down to the beach where the bay sits (Donaldson). The supernatural qualities capture the pristine nature of the lawn, manicured and picturesque. On display for all to see, the large, abundant lawn and land that the Buchanan’s own, symbolizes “all the outward signs that a high civilization has achieved” (Way). Outside, the house represents the attitudes of East Egg in contrast to that Gatsby’s house where loud raucous parties replace “high civilization.”
Gatsby’s parties embody the West Egg view of wealth. Nick who attends one of Gatsby’s parties observes, while approaching the house, the “place looks like the World’s fair,” because of the way it lights up with so many colors (Fitzgerald 81). The vibrant display of color illuminates the house drawing the attention of the East Egg residences, including Daisy. The audacious and loud colors displayed at Gatsby’s house contained “the sea-change of…color under the constantly changing light,” which contrasts with East Egg’s conservative “classy” white (Fitzgerald 41). Gatsby’s insecurities about wealth remain concealed by these lavish parties. Not only do they soothe his insecurities but they also help him gain recognition by those in East Egg, including Daisy, drawing attention to himself through this extravagance (Parkinson 55-56). Though the parties hosted by Gatsby symbolize “new” wealth, the house represents the naiveté of wealth as seen through the persons of West Egg.
There remains, however, a contradiction between the outside spectacle created by the lights and the hedonistic party-goers within and Gatsby himself. Nick observes Gatsby from afar during one of his parties, “standing alone on the marble steps and looking from one group to another with approving eyes […] wonder[ing] if the fact that he was not drinking helped to set him off from his guests” (Fitzgerald 50). The symbolism of Gatsby, the host, alone, isolating himself from the other partygoers, signifies his uneasiness with his wealth, questioning whether he fits in. Gatsby, “the solitary figure of the host, […] it anticipates the revelation of the essential instability of Gatsby’s life,” which the activities in the house reflect (Parkinson 55-56). Peering over his guests and house with satisfaction that his guests all come to admire this wealth also arguably depicts the superficiality of wealth in West Egg. Moreover, not partaking in drinking with the rest of his guests exaggerates Gatsby’s amusement by all the extravagance displayed at his parties; yet there remains void or emptiness in him. Despite the vast number of party-goers that invade his mansion and diversion that they create still do not alleviate his longing for Daisy and her East Egg society.