Examples Of Selfishness In The Great Gatsby

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It is the opinion of many that selfishness is the root cause of society’s problems. Whether you agree with this statement or not, there is no denying the very apparent theme of selfishness throughout the highly acclaimed novel, The Great Gatsby. In fact, another suitable title for the novel would be, Sins of a Selfish Society. This would be a fitting title for the book because of the society’s relationships, appearances, and lies. All of these contribute to the self centered nature of the society seen in the world of The Great Gatsby.
The relationships shown in the book are fragile and are built on facades and lies. They display an abundance of selfish characteristics. Examples of this are shown in the many affairs that take place in the …show more content…

For centuries, societies have been broken down into classes and the society in the Great Gatsby is no different. The upper class shown in the novel are people of power, wealth, and extravagance living on Long Island in New York during the nineteen twenties. The twenties were a time of gayety and high-spirits and this is very present in Gatsby’s society. Jay Gatsby is described as having a mansion that was, “...a factual imitation of some Hôtel de Ville in Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy, and a marble swimming pool, and more than forty acres of lawn and garden” (10). Gatsby is also famous for throwing excessive parties of drinking, small talk, and relations between men and women. The same ritzy lifestyle is shared by Tom and Daisy Buchanan who have old money and spend it on their palace-like home and the many vacations they take. The appearances of these people mean everything to them and displays the conceited and vain nature of the people who will do just about anything to maintain their wealth, looks, power, and status in the hierarchy of society. As a whole they are very accustomed to a lavish lifestyle. From the clothes they wear to the food they eat, everything about them captures the essence of the upper class in the nineteen

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