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The great gatsby essay on corruption and wealth
The great gatsby essay on corruption and wealth
Corruption of society in the great gatsby
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We often desire what we cannot have and ponder on what could have been. Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, explored the clandestine lives of the rich and affluent; especially that of Jay Gatsby. Gatsby’s wealth, however, came at a cost. Gatsby is an aficionado in the licit world of fashion and glamour, as well as the world of bootlegging and corruption. Fitzgerald insinuates that Gatsby’s ill-gotten wealth came from bootlegging operations during the prohibition era. Corruption ultimately led to the rejection of the American Dream. A novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald takes place in two of the most affluent towns of Long Island; West and East Egg. West Egg, was a place of the “nouveau riche” or new money. This is where Jay Gatsby settled down in his majestic mansion. Just across the bay, sits Tom Buchanan’s mansion on the East Egg of Long Island. During the prohibition era, many people like Jay Gatsby, became instant millionaires in the alcohol smuggling business. With their new found wealth, they were propelled into the top of the social pyramid. As with any successful criminal operation, corruption is the key to keeping the officials off your back. The introduction of Gatsby’s business partner, Meyer Wolfshiem led to the presumption that Gatsby was well connected. Fitzgerald’s novel supports this in which Gatsby says “He’s the man who fixed the World Series back in 1919… they can’t get him, old sport. He’s a smart man”(The Great Gatsby 78). On another occasion, Gatsby was pulled over for speeding; he flashed the police officer a card and was let off. “Taking a white card from his wallet he waved it before the man’s eyes…Know you next time Mr. Gatsby” (The Great Gatsby 72). Although Fitzgerald does not specificall... ... middle of paper ... ...he prohibition era served as a catalyst, fueling the lucrative bootlegging industry, churning out multi-millionaires (like Gatsby) every other day. Coming from a lower class background, Gatsby could not resist blowing his new money on parties, clothing, and cars, let alone pursue the love of his life. He fell into a delusional state in which he believed that his money could buy anything. Gatsby, unsatisfied with his humble origins, wanted a life of sumptuous parties, fancy clothing, and the woman of his dreams. This led him to the corrupt underground world of illegal operations, especially the smuggling of alcohol. The 1920’s marked a decade of loose moral and social values. People were engaged in an era of consumerism as displayed by Gatsby’s parties. This hindered the pursuit of more righteous goals which in turn led to the rejection of the American ideals.
In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Daisy Miller by Henry James, most of the characters are under illusions during the majority of the plot. The plots are carried out with the characters living under these illusions, which are mainly overcome by the ends of the stories. The disillusionment of most of the characters completely diminishes the foundation in which the plots were built upon, leading to the downfall of some of the main characters and the altering of the other characters.
In the 1920s, prohibition, the ban on alcohol is in full force in order to better society, alcohol was seen as the corrupter of people’s judgement. Ironically prohibition caused society to decay, despite the many boons happening at the time. Beneath the seemingly prosperous country lies corruption, inequality, and despair. The corruption is so obvious, that author F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote a book on this subject called The Great Gatsby. His main character, Jay Gatsby, spent his whole life trying to become rich enough to win the heart of a now married Daisy. He became rich by bootlegging, selling alcohol illegally. In the end, he ultimately didn't win Daisy’s heart. She instead stayed with her husband, Tom Buchanan, as she rather have a predictable future, rather than an uncertain one. In the novel, Fitzgerald explores the corruption of wealth and how it causes suffering to others, while the rich themselves don’t face the consequences.
The Value of Jay Gatsby Jay Gatsby, who is one of the main characters of the Great Gatsby, is a man with a mysterious background and an unknown personality. He doesn't mention too much about his past except certain fabricated highlights of his life which were designed to impress others. The strange and humorous thing is that he carries articles of evidence that back up most of his lies to prove that he isn't lying. Gatsby is also the kind of man that is used to getting what he wants no matter what the consequences are, causing him to be a very determined man that once has an idea in his mind won't let it go until he accomplishes it. The things that Jay Gatsby values the most is money, to impress others and gain acceptance and most of all, having things his own way.
Even with all the side effects of Gatsby’s lifestyle, however, there is still a large gap about Gatsby to discuss considering the depth of hedonism has within The Great Gatsby. There still stands the question of how Gatsby even funds his hedonistic lifestyle to woo Daisy, especially since he has no real job except for his job with Meyer Wolfsheim, which is bootlegging. His cooperation with Wolfsheim is what funds Gatsby. At first, it may seem to be not enough to pay for the weekly parties and the shirts upon shirts, but when one takes into account the time the novel occurs in and the time of the Eighteenth Amendment. Moreover, while alcohol was banned, it did not stop the consumption. In fact, “While the reduction in drinking had some positive
During the 1920s, the social scene was gradually changing because of the Prohibition Law; with the influence of prohibition, new waves of modern gangsters were created, and they were primarily involved in such crimes as “bootlegging” and “bank robbery.” The author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, wrote the novel of The Great Gatsby, which focuses on the unachievable love affair between Gatsby and Daisy. In this novel, Jay Gatsby confronts death by getting shot on his back by flaming pistol triggered by Mr. Wilson. However, Mr. Wilson is not the only person who is responsible for Gatsby’s death; Nick Carraway, Daisy Buchanan, and Tom Buchanan are also accountable.
During Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, it is apparent to be an absurd time for the wealthy. The shallowness of money, riches, and a place in a higher social class were probably the most important components in most lives at that period of time. This is expressed clearly by Fitzgerald, especially through his characters, which include Myrtle Wilson, Tom and Daisy Buchanan, and of course, Jay Gatsby. This novel was obviously written to criticize and condemn the ethics of the rich.
According to the dictionary, the definition of dissatisfaction is the quality or state of being unhappy or discontent. Dissatisfaction is a disease that theoretically knows no prejudices, has no cure, and almost everyone has it. This is a global epidemic, that can destroy a man in the time it takes to snap your fingers. Physically most people will be alright but discontent will rot you to the core on the inside. Unfortunately, not being content seems to be a very common part of society today and in the past. The theme of not be satiated by life is especially seen in the famous novel, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. All the characters in this novel seemingly have achieved the american dream but they are all unhappy and never get what they really want in the end. Also, no character is satisfied with their marriage, with love, and with life in general. They are all unhappy with their lives and they destroy the lives of others in order to satisfy themselves. The Great Gatsby teaches us that even being wealthy and powerful, people can still be dissatisfied and will do anything in order to be happy. Therefore, despite believing that we have it all, dissatisfaction still plagues the human spirit.
Law enforcement was not stable during the 1920’s. In The Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby were on the way to meet Jay’s business partner, Wolfshiem, when they were stopped by a police officer. “All right, old sport,” called Gatsby. We slowed down. Taking a white card from his wallet, he waved it before the man’s eyes.
Several individuals mark Gatsby to be a man of great wealth, with a beautiful estate, and an abundance of friends. To illustrate, parties that are hosted at Gatsby’s house are magnificent, filled with professional entertainment, music and dancers, and guests varying from politicians to movie stars. Fitzgerald paints the picture of the parties at Gatsby’s house in great detail in this passage “The bar is in full swing and floating rounds of cocktails permeate the garden outside until the air is alive with chatter and laughter and casual innuendo and introductions forgotten on the spot and enthusiastic meetings between women who never knew each other’s names.” (Fitzgerald 44). It can be seen that these were extravagant parties filled with lust and alcohol. The evidence shows that no ordinary man would be throwing parties of this form, only a man with great wealth and resources would pull of such a feat. Furthermore, this was the prohibition era, which meant that alcohol and the consumption of alcohol was illegal. After this brief look into Gatsby’s life, one can understand why he was considered “great”, but to truly understand Gatsby’s greatness, one must look into his
There were many characters, including Gatsby himself, who made their fortune from crime. Tom exposes Gatsby, talking about how he has dug up how Gatsby has come across his money, and saying that Gatsby and Wolfsheim were bootleggers. Tom had found out that the two partners sold grain alcohol over the counter in their drug stores (Fitzgerald 133). Gatsby and Wolfsheim were also gamblers and the side. Gatsby tells Nick that Wolfsheim fixed the 1919 World Series, and one can only assume that Gatsby was in on it too (Fitzgerald 73).Gatsby was a bootlegger and a gambler, but he lied to Daisy when he said all his family had died and left him their money, and that was where all the money he had came from (Fitzgerald
According to Tom, Gatsby is a “bootlegger”, meaning Tom believes Gatsby’s wealth has come from dishonest means such as smuggling alcoholic beverages during the Prohibition, which made alcohol illegal. This shows that even though
The 1920’s, better known as the “Roaring 20’s” was a time full of joy and wealth where almost everyone was focused on money. The book The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald adequately demonstrates the life of the upper class during the 1920’s by giving us a glimpse of their lavish lifestyle, showing us the best and worst of them. The best being their massive houses, glamorous cars, and elegant clothing; and their worst being their low morals and selfish attitudes.Throughout the novel, we can catch a glimpse the lavish lifestyle of the main characters such as Daisy, Tom, Gatsby, and Nick who is the narrator. Regardless of Nick’s wealth, his ‘American Dream’ was unfulfilled because in pursuit of becoming a successful bondsman, Nick moved to West Egg and learned that sometimes to become wealthy people go against their morals, which is something he did not want to do.
Gatsby grows up from a poor family. He has worked hard to make something of himself. He starts by working for Dan Cody on his yacht. “For over a year he had been beating his way along the south shore of Lake Superior as other capacity that brought him food and bed. His brown, hardening body lived through the half-fierce and half lazy work of bracing the days” (Fitzgerald, 2180). His determination is the reason of his achievement of the American Dream. However, his achievement of the dream is corrupt. Gatsby also dabbles in some illegal transactions. He does illegal business such as bootlegging selling of drugs and alcohol. In order to overcome his poor childhood and make himself one of the wealthy, he lies about his background. “My family all died and I came to a good deal of money” (Fitzgerald, 1463). He lets people believe that he is from a wealthy family and lies about the source of his
During The Roaring 20s, thousands of people took advantage of Prohibition to turn up a profit. Speakeasies popped up everywhere becoming the image of The Roaring 20s while turning a pretty profit. With the rise of the speakeasies, the need for alcohol also rose to supply them. Many turned to bootlegging, the making and distribution of illegal alcohol as their “get rich quick” token. In Fitzgerald’s novel the people who attend Gatsby’s party are enjoying their own version of the American Dream, having a good time and living in the moment. Of course, there is the classic example portrayed through Gatsby of an impoverished individual turned successful through his own means.
The people surrounding Fitzgerald and the people surrounding Gatsby were great examples of how society acted during the 1920’s. It was filled with people who were willing to do anything in order to satisfy their personal needs or help them acquire money (Enotes). Gatsby’s “American Dream” was driven by capitalism and materialism. The novel gives a realistic view of a tainted society and culture during this era and the things people would do in order to boost their social standing, even if it were extremely selfish, immoral, or illegal.