Materialism_In_The_Great_Gatsby

Materialism In The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald chronicles the vapid, materialistic lives of the upper class of Long Island during the booming times of the Jazz Age. The characters in the novel do not work, and live solely for the purpose of amassing their wealth, recklessly indulging themselves, and displaying their affluence. The excess of their lifestyle is shown through their enormous houses, their extravagant parties, and their indulgence in alcohol. Nothing in their daily lives is spared from this outrageous standard of living, and the automobiles that they drive are no exception. Throughout The Great Gatsby, the issue of class, wealth, and the American Dream is illustrated literally and metaphorically through the use of the automobile. For most Americans, the automobile was simply a means of transportation, but for the upper crust of society that wasn't concerned about commuting to a factory, the car was a symbol of wealth and prosperity. Tom Buchanan and Jay Gatsby both own extravagant cars in order to project their high class and wealthy image. It's pretty isn't it old sport' Haven't you ever seen it before' I'd seen it. Everybody had seen it. It was a rich cream color, bright with nickel, swollen gatsby, car, wilson, tom, american, dream, automobile, class, wealth, seen, myrtle, life, way, people, old, new, loved, buchanan, working, wealthy, upper, through, society, sell, page, never, money, love, killed, husband, drive, cars, automobiles, about, week, very