This essay examines the negative consequences of materialism as depicted in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. It traces the evolution of the American Dream from early settler ideals to the wealth-obsessed culture of the 1920s, then analyzes how Jay Gatsby's single-minded pursuit of status and riches — driven by his desire to win back Daisy — leads to moral compromise, criminal activity, and ultimately his death. The essay also considers a moral defense of wealth-seeking before arguing that unchecked materialism erodes compassion, ethics, and authentic human connection, as illustrated by the Buchanans' moral emptiness and the indifference shown at Gatsby's funeral.
The American Dream is the promise of a better life that brought people from all over the world to the newly discovered continent so that they could populate it and contribute to the development of the land and of their personal lives. The concept of the American Dream continues to attract immigrants from Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America even after more than 400 years. However, the interpretation of the American Dream has changed over the centuries, and many people have come to the country with their own expectations of well-being and success. During the early days of settlement, immigrants from Europe were welcomed to create a new life for themselves and their families. They were attracted by the promise of land on which to farm and build a home. The loneliness and loss of tradition was an acceptable price to pay to escape religious and economic persecution in the old country.
Once the country had gained an identity, it continued to attract people with dreams of making wealth through its culture of innovation and resourcefulness. The Puritan work ethic combined with free market principles meant that people could earn a great deal of money if they worked hard enough. The American Dream then evolved from the dream of creating a home in a foreign land to achieving material wealth. With the rise of communism, America became the champion of free market enterprise and attracted people from controlled economies in search of economic freedom and prosperity. However, the United States was still a growing economic power and had not yet become a global leader. That opportunity came first with the First World War, after which the destruction of Europe left America as the economic haven of the world, and people continued to amass extraordinary wealth because of the peace, stability, and power of the United States. This interpretation of the American Dream is reflected by Fitzgerald in The Great Gatsby, where he describes the excesses that an obsession with materialism can cause. Today, the American Dream of wealth, freedom, and equal opportunity continues to attract people from the poorer regions of the world in search of a better future for their families.
Gatsby seeks greater wealth and material status in the novel as a means to attain the love of Daisy. He had a relationship with Daisy in the past, but they could not marry because he had been called away to serve in the First World War. Meanwhile, Daisy married Tom, a wealthy man who belongs to the elite West Egg part of the city. This makes Daisy seemingly unattainable for Gatsby. However, Gatsby lives in a period when the power of money is rising at unprecedented levels. Money is seen as a vehicle for achieving almost everything one desires. For the naïve Gatsby, this includes even the love of another human being — in this case, Daisy. He believes that by seeking greater wealth and status, he would be able to win Daisy back from her husband Tom. According to Callahan (374), Jay Gatsby pursues Daisy knowing that her sense of happiness and the good life depends on money and property.
Gatsby changes his name from James Gatz to Jay Gatsby (Fitzgerald 104) and makes a fortune by becoming a bootlegger. He is involved in numerous illegal activities, such as selling smuggled alcohol and doing business with people involved in fixing sports events (Fitzgerald 79). His obsession with winning Daisy even causes him to cross the line between right and wrong, resorting to criminal activity to accumulate wealth. This also reflects the decadent values of the 1920s, when material wealth mattered more than the means by which it had been attained. Prohibition-era bootlegging made men like Gatsby enormously rich while operating entirely outside the law. Everybody from the newly wealthy attends the ostentatious and loud parties thrown by Gatsby every weekend (Fitzgerald 43), even though most of them are loath to become personally associated with him. Hardly any of the regular attendees come to pay their respects at Gatsby's funeral. According to Roberts (71), despite earning wealth, Gatsby has been unable to learn the ways of the elite class.
The reason he throws these parties is again to impress Daisy and convince her that he is wealthier — and therefore more worthy of her — than he was before. He assumes that Daisy will come back to him now that he has greater wealth and a higher social status. In this way, Gatsby has come to view Daisy as a material possession that can be obtained through money and status, rather than as a person to be loved on her own terms.
"Legitimate benefits of seeking wealth and status"
"Moral decay and human cost of blind materialism"
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