Similarities Between The Great Gatsby And Project X

The Aspiration to Change Social Classes

“The great American novel”, formally known as The Great Gatsby, contains several scenes that have been alluded in modern media. Gatsby had always dreamed of entering the world of old money. However, that isn’t possible, Gatsby learns that he must be married into it. Later, Gatsby makes it his mission to attract a woman of old money, by throwing huge classy parties. This idea is also illustrated in the 2012 film, Project X. Project X is about the story behind three teenagers who weren’t so popular in high school, so decided to throw a big party to fit in. In both the novel and the film, the want of the main characters shifts in social class leads to corruption and disaster. One of many life lessons portrayed in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel and Project X is the idea of a man’s aspiration to transition into a different social class causes corruption.

In the 1920’s there

were three social classes; old money, new money, and no money. Those with old money were socially superior because they got rich from money passed through their family. Gatsby, however, contained new money, the money you had to work for. (Quote) Gatsby had always imagined being inducted into the old money class, and the only way is through marriage. Gatsby had found his “true love”, Daisy. After Gatsby had found his way in, in his mind he declared he would do anything in his power to win over this woman. One of his attempts to get her was to throw these huge parties in his mansion. During these classy parties, Gatsby desperately tried to get Daisy to fall in love with him. (Quote) Gatsby later died, because it was natures way of telling him to stop trying to switch social classes.
Nima Nourizadeh’s film, Project X, was about three boys, Thomas, JB, and Costa, just trying to make a name for themselves in their final high school years. Thomas’ parents go out of town one weekend, so they decide to throw a huge party so people in their school accept them as “cool kids”. An excerpt from the movie “Dude, please don’t back out. This party is gonna change everything for us” (Project X). Costa pressures Thomas into having the party and supports his defense by reminding him that it will pay off. These boys risk their safety and go against the law just to fit into a higher social class. Towards the end of the party, people began to trash Thomas’ house and fires burning down the block. Because the boys wanted to move up their social class, it had cost them their freedom and millions of dollars. This exemplifies that even in modern day, ones want to change social classes can harm and generate a catastrophe.
When Gatsby threw these big parties it was an open house, anyone could come.

In relation, in Project X the boys decide to have 50 people, but later on, realize they aren’t friends with that many people so they have an open invite. “You know, just big enough to be cool” (Project X). Thomas again supports that his only motive to throw the party is to receive friends and move up on the social ladder. This is controversial, but, Gatsby only loves Daisy for his desire to inherit her old money. Another similarity is the characters desire fools them into thinking they have succeeded, but really brought them closer to failure and corruption. Gatsby begins to get closer to Daisy, but then Daisy chooses Tom and Gatsby is killed. Likewise, in Project X, the boys began to feel successful when it was a big and fun party, but then later on their neighborhood burns to the ground and arrests are made among most students. This furthermore enforces that in the past and nowadays one’s desire to change into a different social class causes corruption and could lead to

disaster.