Great Gatsby And Money Essay, Research Paper

Great Gatsby and Money

Throughout The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, many important themes are prevalent; one of which is money. Money plays an important part in the book, for it is a deciding factor in many events and controls many of the main characters. Daisy’s voice is a symbol for money, her voice and her whole personality is controlled by money. One character that is ultimately created and run by money is Tom. When Gatsby shows his house to Daisy he makes sure to include all the luxurious and extravagant items of his in the tour of his house.

Daisy is a material girl who focuses on what brings her joy whether it be love by a pearl necklace or lovely shirts and her voice is the communication of this. She is careless with her voice like a child who is unable to control her fascination with a new toy. Daisy is no actress and her voice betrays her constantly. Daisy can’t cover up what is behind her voice, greed. Her greeting of Gatsby after years of separation was clearly artificial and throughout the novel her constant devotion to materials is displayed, “It makes me sad because I’ve never seen such – such beautiful shirts before” (89). Soon, the reader comes to understand what makes Daisy’s voice like this; “Her voice is full of money” (115). The truth of Gatsby’s remark is immediately perceived, her voice is the key to all her magic. Daisy has an ulterior motive to just about everything she does; this motive is to gain money. Her voice carries the jingle of riches.

Tom is a man who is made out of and by money. Tom, being raised into a rich family, has had all the advantages of being rich throughout his life, “His family were enormously wealthy-even in college his freedom of money was a matter of reproach” (10). Tom, being raised with money, knows nothing other than money and what money can buy. It seems that Tom has an endless pit full of money, ” for instance he’d brought down a string of polo ponies from Lake Forest. It was hard to realize that a man in my own generation was wealthy enough to do that” (10). Tom basically bought his wife, Daisy. That is why when Tom finds out that Daisy is cheating on him doesn’t care very much. No only did Tom buy a wife but he also bought a mistress, Myrtle. Tom is always buying things for Myrtle in order to keep her with him, “Here’s your money. Go and buy ten more dogs with it” (32). Tom uses his money to get what he wants, whether it be a wife or a mistress, and spares no expenses in doing so.

The episode where Gatsby shows Daisy his house is full of material items that only money can buy. Gatsby’s house is his pride and joy. Gatsby’s reason for having such an extravagant house is simply to impress Daisy. Gatsby is very proud of his house and is no afraid too so it off, “My house looks well, doesn’t it Yes It took me over three years to earn the money to pay for it” (95). Daisy plays into Gatsby’s plan and is very impressed with Gatsby house, ” ‘Do you like it?’ ‘I love it,’ ” (95). The tour through Gatsby house shows Daisy how much money Gatsby actually has. Gatsby does not stop at just spending money on his house, “After the house we were to see the grounds and the swimming pool and the hydroplane and the midsummer flowers”(98). Again all the material items that Gatsby has are to impress Daisy, ” ‘I adore it!’ exclaimed Daisy. ‘The pompadour! You never told me you had a pompadour-or a yacht’ “(99). Gatsby spares no expenses when it comes to spending his money in order to impress Daisy.

The fact that money plays such an important role throughout this book goes to show how dependant people are on money. In the book money is the deciding factor in many of the characters’ lives. People whole lives are controlled and influenced by money. It is sad that people put so much value on money. People value money more than they should; they put money in front of everything else. Some people get obsessed with money and devote their whole life to making more and more money. F. Scott Fitzgerald is trying to show how Americans care about nothing but money and how greed can take them over and consume them.