Student Essay on Materialism in "The Great Gatsby"

Materialism in "The Great Gatsby"

Summary:   In F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby," Daisy Buchanan chooses to live a safe and secure life with Tom instead of with her true love, Jay Gatsby. In the end, this greed corrupts Tom and Daisy's souls.

" We are living in a material world." This famous line in one of Madonna's songs entitled "Material Girl" will never outgrow itself. Ever since the beginnings of monetary means, the main focus of living is getting more money and to be as successful as possible. This became a huge issue during the 1920's. In this era, people made money from the stock market, illegal bootlegging and so forth. With these people hitting the jackpot, this then created a new rank called 'new money'. This rank, however, never overpowered 'old money' the most wealthiest, well-known and respected class. The possession of material wealth however, can't bring true happiness. Love is an important factor in this equation; when you don't have love, it is hard to say that you are happy. Daisy Buchanan's case in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald proves this to its entirety. When having to decide between an empty marriage with her husband Tom and Jay Gatsby, her love interest, she chooses Tom even though he doesn't make her truly happy. It is then evident all throughout the novel that materialistic properties of wealth and status triumphs over love.

In 1917, Daisy became acquainted with Jay Gatsby from Louisiana. Though they seemed very close with each other, marriage wasn't in the picture. 'Gatsby sprang to his feet, vivid with excitement. '"She [Daisy] never loved you [Tom], do you hear"" he cried. "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!"'(137). Even though love did seem important for Daisy, it didn't top the fact that Gatsby had no money to support the both of them. This is one way that materialism proves itself to be on top.

Another way is the superficial relationship that Tom and Daisy have. They are hardly Communicable towards each other and the way this is described is obvious."Daisy and Tom were sitting opposite each other at the kitchen table with a plate of cold fried chicken between them and two bottles of ale. He was talking intently across the table at her hand and in his earnestness his hand had fallen upon and covered her own. Once in awhile she looked up at him and nodded in agreement. They weren't happy, and neither of them had touched the chicken or ale-and yet they weren't unhappy either" (152). Daisy and Tom have been married for five years and this happiness and unhappiness they do and don't feel deals primarily with the fact that their relationship is not based on love. They don't look as if they share a deep connection-a connection such as Daisy and Gatsby's.

Daisy and Tom's happiness is based on both of them coming from money, marrying for money and getting more money.It is not until later on in the novel however that true colors are shown. After the untimely demise of Gatsby, Daisy doesn't even bother showing up at his funeral. Instead, she goes on vacation with her husband; not even a letter of condolence sent. Fitzgerald then shows how materialistic tendencies make people unremorseful and cold-hearted. "They were careless people, Tom and Daisy-they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made" (188). Fitzgerald's usage of the text makes Tom and Daisy seem like money-hungry robots; wanting to be surrounded around wealth and having no sympathy or any other emotion towards anybody other than people like themselves.

The affixation to greed in The Great Gatsby overshadows love in the same way as in present times. There is still the need, for some people, to marry for financial security and they don't consider the love issue due to the conflicting interest. As from the beginning of the development of monetary means, money has played a huge role in relationships. It hasn't however guaranteed bliss; only the values of matter that are portrayed on the outside surface.