Social Classes In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

In The Great Gatsby, the story takes place during the 1920’s otherwise known as the roaring twenties because of the economic boom. This period of economic growth was caused by advances in technology and the creation of the credit industry. Credit helped boost the economy which made it easier for more people to become wealthy. In the novel, the wealthy class was two different classes; there was “old money” and “new money”. When people are born privileged and their family has been wealthy for many generations, they are considered “old money”. When a person earns their wealth in their lifetime and they are the first in their family to become wealthy, they are considered “new money”. Old money is more classy and well-respected while new money

is more glitzy and looked down upon by people from old money. Even though Gatsby became affluent, his money could not buy love or honor.
Tom looked down on Gatsby even though Gatsby was just as wealthy.

Tom Buchanan and Daisy Buchanan are from old money while Gatsby was from new money. Tom thinks that if a person could become wealthy quickly then they could lose their money just as fast and that’s why he feels superior to Gatsby. As they were going to town together, Tom described Gatsby’s car as a “‘...circus wagon”’ (Fitzgerald 128). Their automobiles represented their social status’. Gatsby’s car was a newer model while Tom’s car was more elegant. Both of the cars are very expensive cars just like how both classes are both wealthy. Tom was patronizing Gatsby because he doesn’t respect him. Gatsby will never earn Tom’s respect even though Gatsby has the same amount of money as Tom. As they were in town together, Tom called Gatsby “‘...Mr. Nobody…”’ (Fitzgerald 137). Tom thinks that he is superior to Gatsby just because he was born privileged and didn’t have to earn his wealth. Tom had the effrontery to call Gatsby that in front of him just to affront Gatsby. Tom thinks he is better than Gatsby because Tom is more socially esteemed. Gatsby may be as rich as Tom, but he is not as revered as

Tom.
When Gatsby tried to rekindle his relationship with Daisy, she couldn’t love him back even though he was wealthy.

Gatsby invites Daisy over to his house in an attempt to win her over. He shows her all of his different styles of expensive shirts to prove his wealth to her. Daisy reaction was that she put “...her head into the shirts and began to cry stormily” (Fitzgerald 98). She was crying because she realized that Gatsby became wealthy just so he could get her to love him. She also realizes that if she married Gatsby instead of Tom, she still would have been wealthy. But, later on, Daisy couldn’t do what Gatsby wanted - she couldn’t leave Tom. Gatsby couldn’t get Daisy to tell Tom that she never loved him nor did she leave Tom for Gatsby. Daisy realized that if she left Tom for Gatsby then she would lose her social status and she decided that her social status was more important to her than being with the one she loved. Gatsby ends up dying because he loved Daisy and protected her while Daisy and Tom rekindled their relationship. Even though Gatsby became rich for Daisy, she still didn’t leave Tom for

him.
Although money can buy many luxuries, it cannot buy love or respect as attested in The Great Gatsby. Tom disregards Gatsby even though they both are affluent. Gatsby’s money wasn’t enough to make Daisy love him. Daisy was unable to leave Tom because she cared too much about her social status. In The Great Gatsby, money couldn’t be used to obtain love nor did it earn respect.