Wealth In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

“Wealth is the ability to truly experience life” (Thoreau) Thoreau perspective symbolizes the views of the upper class during the 1920’s and the overall belief that money can solve the problems of the world. However in The Great Gatsby by F.Scott Fitzgerald, money is only used as a barrier between a world of fabricated luxury and a world of bleak reality. Gatsby and Tom used their fortunes only to benefit themselves, becoming naive to functions of a normal society. Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald illustrates how wealth creates a class of careless people driven by quantity and status by highlighting how money corrupts the minds of the elite.
In the novel The Great Gatsby, wealth allows Tom and Daisy to run away from the trouble they stirred

up, leaving behind the rest of the world to clean up their mess. On the drive home from New York, Daisy is the cause of a fatal accident resulting in Myrtle's death. Gatsby is the only one aware of Daisy’s blunder stating, “but of course I’ll say I was,” inferring he will take the blame for Daisy’s misstep (Citation). This is significant because it allows for Daisy to avoid responsibility for her actions which continues to support the idea that she can run away from her wrongdoings. After Gatsby's death Nick tries to spread the horrific news to Tom and Daisy only to discovers they have left on a vacation. By leaving on vacation they had escaped from the reality of the situation. Later when Nick runs into Tom on the street he comes to the realization that Tom outed Gatsby as Myrtle’s murderer. To Tom, giving up Gatsby was entirely rationale because money had corrupted Tom’s thought process. Nick then goes on to state “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy---they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever is was that kept them together and let other people clean up the mess they had made…” (Fitzgerald 179). This highlights that wealth allows for Tom and Daisy to chose to remain ignorant to the suffering they cause. Ultimately, money creates the idea that every problem has a simple solution which requires no accountability.
Wealth leads to the notion that everything can be owned including love.

When Gatsby admits his love for Daisy in front of Tom, Tom begins arguing for Daisy as if her love is his possession yelling, “But all the rest of that’s a Goddamned lie. Daisy loved me when she married me and she loves me now” (Fitzgerald 131). This portrays Tom’s notion that Daisy belongs to him and her love is something he has obtained. This highlights that money can destroy the idea of true love and leads to reckless assumptions. Furthermore, Tom allows himself to engage with other women while still claiming love for Daisy. By stating, “And what’s more, I love Daisy too. Once and awhile I go off on a spree and make a fool of myself, but I always come back, and in my heart I love her all the time” he is showing the utmost disregard for Daisy’s love for him (Fitzgerald 131). This is significant because it shows how Tom’s wealth has created the perception that Daisy is a prop he can utilize as he chooses . This also demonstrates the carless naure of the upper class because Tom feels justified for running around with a mistress because he claims to still love

Daisy.
Wealth constructs the belief that money defines the capability of love.

Gatsby fell in love with Daisy when he still had no money to account for. Daisy grew up in an extremely rich family and had access to a plethora of money. After Daisy and Gatsby are separated it is arranged for Daisy to marry Tom. On the night before her wedding Daisy becomes spifflicated and questions her marriage to Tom. The novel states “She groped around in a wastebasket she had with her on the bed and pulled out the string of pearls. ‘Take ‘em down-stairs and give ‘em back to whoever they belong to. Tell ‘em all Daisy’s change’ her mind’” (Fitzgerald 76). When Daisy is under the influence she doubts her marriage to Tom and is not as infatuated with material goods. However, when she becomes sober she completes her one task:to marry someone who is rich. This highlights the impacts wealth has on love and how it can destroy the concept of true love. When Gatsby returns and learns who Daisy married, he becomes obsessed with procuring wealth to secure Daisy’s love. Daisy is invited to Nick's house for tea and reunites with Gatsby for the first time. He directs her attention toward his large mansion stating to Nick “ I want you and Daisy to come over to my house” and later stating “My house looks well doesn’t it?” (Fitzgerald 89). Here he is trying to sway Daisy’s feelings for him merely by using his wealth. This is significant because it demonstrates the careless nature of the upper class by using their

money to capture what they want. Once inside Gatsby’s house he shows off all of his nice clothing to Daisy, who begins to cry at the sight of their beauty (Fitzgerald 92). This highlights the superficiality of the upper class and the influence wealth has on their thought processes. In general the upper class in defined by the idea that money really does buy love.
Overall, the wealthy are a class controlled by superficial values and ultimately corrupted by its power. Even though the upper class appears to live an ideal life from the outside, Fitzgerald is able to bring light to the reality of copious amounts of money. Wealth, in the end , led to the premature deaths of Myrtle Wilson and Jay Gatsby while allowing Tom and Daisy to return to their seemingly perfect life of riches. Tom and Daisy will continue to live in their skewed reality until they create more problems to run away from. In general, affluence creates a twisted society that time and time again repeats its cycle of corruption. Looking back at Thoreau's quote it leaves one question to remain: Does wealth give us the ability to truly experience life or does it provide a curtain from genuine existence?