Corruption In The Great Gatsby Essay

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Great Gatsby Essay The Great Gatsby’s numerous settings are significant to the themes of the novel through Fitzgerald’s use of imagery and symbolism to create powerful images and convey his ideas of the corruption of the American dream and the people of the 1920s. On one hand, Fitzgerald conveys the split in society of the wealthy between the classes of old money and new money through the setting and environment of East and West Egg. West Egg is described as the embodiment of new money and is the less fashionable of the two. It is known for its people’s corrupted ways and ostentation. East Egg is old money and is known for being more elegant and fashionable. East Egg has a high aristocratic status and its people are known for their taste and fondness of leisure. The extravagant appearances of East Egg, however, have harsh realities and cover up the demoralization and corruption on the inside. Daisy, a citizen of East Egg, states “I hope she'll be a fool – that's the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool” (Fitzgerald 17). This shows how people must play the part of what society portrays them as in order to maintain their lavish lifestyle. Gatsby lives in West Egg and is the fulfillment of the West Egg lifestyle of parties and flamboyance. …show more content…

This time period was known for its obsession with wealth, parties, and leisure. The commercial growth of the society and the upper elite resulted in extreme materialism and consumerism. This lifestyle was especially prevalent in the East and New York. In New York, Tom is able to openly bring around Myrtle the city and his friends and society accepts the affair and the abusiveness of the relationship. Fitzgerald choosing to set the novel in the “Jazz Age” helps to convey the theme of the corruption in society and of the American Dream by using the characters to describe and demonstrate the loss of morals of the people in the

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