The Tragic Consequences of
Excessive Materialism in The Great Gatsby
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Step into the world of the Roaring Twenties,
where dreams are made, fortunes are lost, and the American Dream takes a dark
and dangerous turn. Set in the 1920s during the Roaring Twenties, The Great
Gatsby is about the lives of wealthy people in New York. This novel explores
themes of the American Dream, wealth, and love. The novel is narrated by Nick
Carraway, who is involved in the lives of his rich neighbors, like the
mysterious Jay Gatsby, whose pursuit of wealth and status ultimately leads to
tragedy. In The Great Gatsby, F.
Scott Fitzgerald portrays the corruption of the American Dream through the
characters' pursuit of wealth and status, demonstrating the destructive effects
of excessive materialism on society and the individual during the 1920s.
Through the portrayal of characters driven by
materialistic desires, Fitzgerald highlights the corruption of the American
Dream. In Gatsby and Nick’s conversation regarding Tom, Nick said that Tom and
Daisy "were careless people" because "they smashed up things and
creatures". Then they "retreated back into their money or their vast
carelessness" and "let other people clean up the mess they had
made." (Fitzgerald 191). This conversation exposes how Tom and Daisy's
pursuit of wealth and status has led them to become careless and destructive,
causing harm to those around them without any sense of responsibility or guilt.
Gatsby disturbs Daisy and Tom's marriage in order to regain her lost love: “The
two come from comparable backgrounds in terms of status, wealth, and social
milieu: prosperous families at the top of the social hierarchy. Daisy’s
physical beauty and social gifts are as striking as Tom’s wealth, ensuring her
social success”(“American Classics”). By disrupting Daisy's marriage, Gatsby is
ignoring the predictable patterns of mate selection based on social background
and material wealth. It emphasizes the significance of social success and
physical attractiveness in this society.
Fitzgerald exposes the destructive effects on
both society and individuals during the 1920s in the United States. During a
conversation between Gatsby and Nick, Gatsby reveals his belief that material
possessions can secure love and happiness. He says, "She only married you
because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible
mistake, but in her heart she never loved anyone except me!" (Fitzgerald
130). This conversation highlights Gatsby's misguided belief that wealth and
social status can rewrite the past and win back Daisy's love. His lavish
parties and extravagant lifestyle are all fueled by the belief that wealth and
social status will lead to happiness and accomplishment. However, Gatsby's
pursuit of the American Dream ultimately leads to his downfall, as his
obsession with materialism blinds him to the true values of love and
friendship. The author describes the background of the 1920s: “The decade
before survived the cataclysm of World War I and a deadly global influenza epidemic.
This brought about a cynical post-war mindset: “Eat, drink, and be merry, for
tomorrow you may die.” At the same time, long-simmering efforts like the
temperance movement rose to the surface that led to high-minded laws that
brought about unforeseen consequences and made law breakers out of the everyday
citizen” (“American Fads and Crazes: 1920s”). This quote highlights the impact
of historical events and societal changes on the characters and their behavior
in The Great Gatsby. It underscores
the theme of societal destruction between civil norms and individual desires.
In The
Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald conveys a critique of the corrupted American Dream
and exposes the destruction of excessive materialism. The author highlights the
corruption of the American Dream through characters obsessed with material
desires. He exposes the devastating effects on both society and individuals in
the 1920s United States. By examining how excessive materialism and the pursuit
of wealth can lead to moral decay and the breakdown of personal relationships,
we gain insight into the consequences of valuing material possessions over
human connections.
Jina Choi is originally from South Korea. She enjoys reading and writing in her free time, as well as travelling, and spending time with friends and family.
Works Cited
Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great
Gatsby. Scribner, 2004.
Saunders, Judith P. “American
Classics: Evolutionary Perspectives on JSTOR.” Jstor, 2018, www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv4v3226.
Thomas, Heather. “American Fads and Crazes: 1920s: Headlines and
Heroes.” The Library of Congress, 24
Jan. 2023,
blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2023/01/american-fads-and-crazes-1920s/.