Historical Context: Social Class

Historical Context: Social Class

Introduction: Social Class in The Great Gatsby

  • The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald provides a critical exploration of social class distinction in early 20th Century America.
  • The novel portrays three distinct social classes: ‘old money’ (Tom and Daisy Buchanan), ‘new money’ (Jay Gatsby), and ‘no money’ (George and Myrtle Wilson).
  • Fitzgerald uses these characters and their relationships to depict the inequalities and tensions prevalent in American society.

Affluent Class (‘Old Money’)

  • Characters such as Tom and Daisy represent the aristocratic social class, also referred to as ‘old money’.
  • Their wealth is inherited, which gives them status, privilege, and a sense of superiority.
  • This group is characterised by their indulgence in excessive and careless living, epitomised in their indifference to the harm they cause to others.

Ascending Class (‘New Money’)

  • Jay Gatsby signifies the ‘new money’ class, those who have accumulated wealth through their own efforts, typically though dubious means.
  • Gatsby originates from a humble background but gains wealth to win Daisy, a symbol of status and success he craves.
  • Fitzgerald uses Gatsby’s futile struggle to join the old money class to highlight the rigid class structure and the illusion of the American Dream.

Working Class (‘No Money’)

  • George and Myrtle Wilson symbolise the working class individuals who are victims of the wealth disparity.
  • They struggle to elevate their status but are exploited and left destructed by the wealthy.
  • Fitzgerald uses the Wilsons’ tragic fate to underscore the cruelty and injustice inherent in the American class system.

Historical Context

  • The 1920s, also known as the Roaring Twenties, witnessed dramatic social and economic changes, including the rise of various class hierarchies in America.
  • The book explores these social structures, from the gilded wealth of the upper class to the squalid poverty of the working class, reflecting the widening gap between the rich and the poor.
  • The materialistic pursuit and display of wealth often take precedence over human values and morality, as seen in the characters’ actions.

Summary

In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald enables us to comprehend the profound differences within American society in the 1920s, basing on social class and wealth. The disparity between the classes and the struggle for upward mobility define the characters and their interactions, thereby playing a significant role in unfolding the novel’s tragic events.