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The importance of fashion in society
The importance of fashion in society
The importance of fashion in society
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Have we come to a point in time where image is everything? Where it depends on what one wears to show that they belong to a certain class or to prove how much money they have. People are wearing name brand clothing, driving expensive cars and living in mansions just so they can show off their money. Could they do the same for less? Sure they could, but then no one would see them as high class people if they dressed like commoners, drove cheaper vehicles and lived in regular houses. This has been the case for centuries. In F. Scott Fitzgerald's work “The Great Gatsby”, characters are suffering from this very thing. The Buchanan's and Gatsby are the higher class people who flaunt their money, while the Wilson's are of a lower class and function the same way for less.
Dress is an important feature of all human societies. In addition to providing protection and warmth, dress serves many other purposes. Most of them having to do with communicating our identity to others. According to fashion expert Kadence Buchanan, “But human clothes have over the years evolved into a symbol itself.” (1). What we wear shows who we are. In chapter 7 of Fitzgerald's novel, Daisy tells Gatsby, “You always look so cool... You resemble the advertisement of the man,' she went on innocently, 'You know the advertisement of the man-” (94-95). Back in the 1920's there was a man on posters who was clean cut, good looking and sharply dressed. Known as the Arrow Collar Man. This is who Daisy was referring Gatsby to. Resemblance between the Arrow Collar Man and Gatsby is strengthened by Nick Carraway's descriptions of Gatsby: “His tanned skin was drawn attractively tight on his face and his short hair looked as though it were trimmed everyd...
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...suit for his wedding (30), and he sees a bright new future out West in the form of Tom's coupe. Both Wilson and Gatsby are indifferent to commodities per se, but they make the mistake of seeking material possessions rather than themselves as the best means for attracting and keeping their women.
Having money and wealth is not all its cracked up to be. One shouldn't have to buy fancy cars and name brand clothing and seek other things to make them happy when they are bored with what they have. You can take the regular person wearing regular clothes and driving a used car and he can do the same thing as the rich person driving the Jaguar and wearing Armani suits. Its not the luxury items that make a person, but the person that makes themselves. A person who knows what they want and how to get it and who works for it is far more valuable than any Armani suit.
Initially, Gatsby stirs up sympathetic feelings because of his obsession with wealth. Ever since meeting Dan Cody, his fascination for wealth has increased dramatically. He even uses illegal unmoral methods to obtain hefty amounts of wealth to spend on buying a house with “ Marie Antoinette music-rooms, Restoration Salons, dressing rooms and poolrooms, and bath rooms with sunken baths.” (88) His wardrobe is just as sensational with “ shirts of sheer linen and thick silk and fine fennel.” (89) Gatsby buys such posh items to impress Daisy but to him, Daisy herself is a symbol of wealth. Jay remarks, “[Daisy’s] voice is full of money.” (115). For him, Daisy is the one who is “ High in a white palace the king’s daughter, the golden gir...
A well-known expression is that money can’t buy happiness, yet people fantasize of winning the lottery, living in their dream house, and possessing enough tangible objects to feel satisfied with their lives. Most are under the preconceived notion that the absence of wealth and power translates to hardship and despair. This, however, is not the case, because a self-effacing lifestyle is not an indication of a lower quality of life, and often is better than one of great fortune. People yearn to have the financial independence and capabilities of those in higher ranking positions, and are willing to abandon their morals and own personal well-being if it means being successful. It seems that by reaching a level of wealth in which money is no longer
Wilson and Mrs. Wilson, reside in the Valley of Ashes, home of the literal “foul dust [that] floated in the wake of [Gatsby’s] dreams.” (2) The Valley of Ashes, besides hosting the dust that sullies Gatsby’s ability to chase Daisy, also contains the waste products of the high paced society on either side of the valley. Mr. Wilson’s livelihood depends on his business, which supports itself on the remains of the rich. Tom dangles a car in front of Wilson, promising to sell it, someday. Wilson needs the money from the car “to get away… to go West” alongside his wife. In spite of all that Mr. Wilson does to please his wife out of love, Mrs. Wilson has other ideas, calling him “[unfit] to lick my shoe.” (34) Like Daisy, Mrs. Wilson chooses to subjugate herself to the richest man possible, to acquire wealth. Apparently, the lower classes pines for wealth, believing that it will bring happiness. One example of such comes from Gatsby’s father, who comes to take excessive pride in Gatsby, using the wealth that Gatsby acquired as the core of his self-esteem. In fact, Mr. Gatz doesn’t appear to feel the least bit depressed by his child’s death, and instead flaunts Gatsby’s wealth, especially the mansion, in order to impress Nick. Like Mr. Gatsby as a boy, who maintained a rigorous schedule of study and work always having “some resolves like this or something” (173), Wilson also cannot get ahead despite ten years of hard labor for his business. Mrs.
“The Great Gatsby”, by F. Scott Fitzgerald depicts the vast social difference between the old aristocrats, the new self-made rich and the poor. He vividly interprets the social stratification during the roaring twenties as each group has their own problems to deal with. Old Money, who have fortunes dating from the 19th century, have built up powerful and influential social connections, and tend to hide their wealth and superiority behind a veneer of civility. The New Money made their fortunes in the 1920s boom and therefore have no social connections and tend to overcompensate for this lack with lavish displays of wealth. As usual, the No Money gets overlooked by the struggle at the top, leaving them forgotten or ignored. Such is exemplified by Jay Gatsby, Myrtle Wilson and Tom Buchanan. Their ambitions distinctly represent their class in which Fitzgerald implies strongly about.
...s with all of the parties and the pursuit of wealth, power, and pleasure in an era of change. The novel shows the relationship of Gatsby and Daisy as a symbol of this pursuit of wealth, power, and pleasure. The reader sees the pursuit of wealth through Daisy wanting Gatsby and Tom, both of whom have money. The pursuit of power is shown through Daisy’s decision of Tom over Gatsby as Gatsby is seen as a lower social status with little power compared to Tom who has tremendous power. Pleasure is seen through the extramarital affairs of Tom and Myrtle as well as Daisy and Gatsby. The Great Gatsby, through Tom and Daisy, reveals the human condition of the pursuit of wealth, power, and pleasure through these examples and shows that the “American Dream” is not possible in a life where one’s surroundings are pushing him/her towards a life of wealth, power, and pleasure.
In ‘The Great Gatsby’ Fitzgerald criticises the increase of consumerism in the 1920s and the abandonment of the original American Dream , highlighting that the increased focus on wealth and the social class associated with it has negative effects on relationships and the poorest sections of society. The concept of wealth being used as a measure of success and worth is also explored by Plath in ‘The Bell Jar’. Similarly, she draws attention to the superficial nature of this material American Dream which has extended into the 1960s, but highlights that gender determines people’s worth in society as well as class.
Jay Gatsby, a mysterious, young and very wealthy man, fatally chases an impossible dream. Gatsby attempts to rekindle an old relationship and has confidence in repeating the past. Gatsby claims that he is going to “fix everything just the way it was before” (Fitzgerald 117). In a a conversation with Nick, Gatsby discusses how the past can be repeated and how he wants the relationship that he once had with Daisy (Fitzgerald 116). Secondly, Gatsby attempts to exemplify his wealth through fancy cars and stylish clothing. Gatsby shows his clothing to Daisy and informs her that he has a “man in England” who buys his clothes every season (Fitzgerald 97). Illustrating his wealth, Gatsby drives a Rolls Royce that “was a rich cream color, bright with nickel” (Fitzgerald 68). Although Gatsby’s foolish quest of the American dream exemplifies a respectable aspiration, it ends in a tragic death that goes virtually unnoticed. A sharp contrast to the parties , the funeral was sparingly attended and “nobody came” (Fitzgerald 182). Following the ...
Not all people can be rich. According to the article “The Treadmill of Consumption”, Robert says that “Life is a game. Money is how we keep score”. That is what some people think about real life, and that is wrong, because real life isn’t a game. It is a world where you need to work and earn your money to buy things you need. Not everyone can have a big house and many cars. Everyone is different and have different jobs and salaries. Somebody is born rich, and they easily get money from their parents, but others work hard to get the place where they are now and the money that they are earning. People never know who works hard and get it easy, but in any way they want to be like them. Moreover, people forget what they have, and they just want more. In the article “All That Glitters Is Not Gold”, it says that everyone should be equal. It is true that being equal would be an easy solution for people. Most of the people earn enough money to live good and simple lives, but that is not enough for them. They look at rich people and forget about themselves. Maybe, the money that they have is plenty for them, and they don’t need to be
The distance between the wealthy class and the rest has grown, but so has the idea of noblesse oblige. The Great Gatsby clearly shows all of these issues as they were in the ‘20s, and all of them can be paralleled to show the same issues in today’s times. Works Cited Auchincloss, Louis. A. “The American Dream: All Gush and Twinkle.” Reading on the Great Gatsby.
While Gatsby receives riches and fame beyond most, but fails to become apart of the social class he truly was aiming for. He fails to get the girl he loves Daisy, and fit in with the East Egg environment she comes from because he never lived with those people and continues to be an outsider of the world. Myrtle on the other hand never achieves wealth of the first class, and continuously puts on the façade of wealthy just hoping for that reality become her truth one day. Myrtle’s constant act of dress up also addresses, especially as she shows off her dress at a party, shows the unhealthy standard of wealth the comes with American ideals and assets. This is a concept that is commonly viewed today, as designer brands have become a more commonly bought item. This can be seen as brands such as “Supreme “ have become popular, places inhabiting wealthier citizens, particularly in L.A. This brand has t-shirts for hundreds of dollars. Consumerism is constant and everywhere with the interruptive
Fitzgerald discusses the desire for material possessions in The Great Gatsby by explaining the fact that Americans judge people by the possessions and the money they have. For example people pictured Tom as a god because of his wealth. Because of his wealth he could commit crimes, have affairs, cover up stories all by being wealthy. Nick explains “They smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together and let other people clean up the mess” (Fitzgerald 187). Wealth allowed Tom and Daisy to feel entitled to do as they pleased. They reveled in the fact that they were well known and talked about by people. “Did you keep it…? Sure I did. I was going to wear it tonight, but it was too big in the bust and had to...
Fitzgerald describes Daisy as wearing a “three-cornered lavender hat” (85) and Gatsby as wearing a sports coat looking “pale as death” (86). This can be seen in the film exactly how it is portrayed in the novel. Daisy is wearing a lavender three-cornered hat that matches her lavender dress and is wearing a pearl necklace. This shows Daisy’s wealth and attractiveness. In the book Costume and Cinema: Dress Codes in Popular Film, it says, “In classical Hollywood cinema, great emphasis was placed on female costuming as intimately related to sexual attractiveness” (Street, 3). This is apparent from the film because Daisy is absolutely stunning. Her hair is styled and makeup is done, dress is pressed, fancy jewelry, and a stylish hat. She was styled to meet the male eye. Gatsby is also shown in the film as he is described in the novel. We can see how pale he is and the water dripping from his face. His hands are snug in his coat pockets showing how nervous he is to finally be meeting up with Daisy after all these years. Costume is about more than just appearance. It is a key component when it comes to telling the
..., a person who earns $25,000 is happier than a person who makes $125,000 and an employee who makes $500,000 is only slightly happier than someone who makes $55,000. Lastly, there are more important things in life that and make you happy, for example, friends. They don’t come with a price tag, and if they do, you definitely need new friends. Money won’t make you happy since good times can’t be bought. You don’t need a fancy vacation to have a good time; it’s just a matter of who you spend it with. Over the years, humans have blown the value of money way out of proportion. People make it seem like if you’re not filthy rich, then you won’t live a good life but it’s not true. You can lack money and yet still live a perfect, happy life.
Almost everybody hopes to be rich. Society believes that only the social status can define the kind of person you are. Majority of
Acquiring things like houses and cars only has a transient effect on happiness. People’s desires for material possessions crank up at the same, or greater rate, than their salaries. Again, this means that despite considerably more luxurious possessions, people end up no happier. There’s even evidence that materialism makes us less happy. People don’t shift to enjoyable activities when they are rich.... ...