Materialism in Gatsby

-
In The Great Gatsby, it is debatable as to whether Gatsby is materialistic. In English class, we read an article naming Gatsby a "materialistic god" and explaining all the ways that Gatsby has this characteristic. However, the book seems to imply the opposite, explicitly stating how everything he bought was for Daisy. I still believe that Gatsby is materialistic. Even though he became wealthy so that Daisy would want him back, he still seems to want and enjoy all the things he has.

He always likes to show off his mansion and his wealth. Previously being poor, it is understandable how Gatsby probably has longed for material objects and has become materialistic. Daisy is clearly materialistic, and he probably had gained this trait from her when they were together in the past and he saw all her belongings. He seemed to fall more in love with them than he did with her. Therefore, the article is correct in stating that Gatsby is materialistic even though his intentions in buying all his things were for Daisy. By broadening our horizons, we can see how materialism can really change a person. Gatsby's focus is on money and material objects instead of people. This can be clearly seen when he invites people to his parties but has no intention of talking to them. He just wants to show off his mansion, hoping that Daisy will see it. Regardless, his focus is on material objects, further illustrating his materialism.

Comments

  1. UnknownNovember 20, 2017 at 4:30 PM

    Your explanation of Gatsby's development of materialism is very insightful, and your connection from Daisy's materialism to Gatsby's is thoughtful. Good job thoroughly explaining your thoughts!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Symbolism of the Swimming Pool in "The Great Gatsby"

-
In "The Great Gatsby," the pool may have numerous symbolic definitions. First, it can symbolize Gatsby's dreams and wealth. Gatsby never uses the pool until the end of the book. Instead, he just shows it off to people who come to his house. The only reason he throws parties is to show off his wealth in the hopes that Daisy would come. When fall approaches, Gatsby tells his servants not to drain the pool, symbolizing his attempts to hold onto his dreams, including having Daisy. It is clear that his dream of Daisy is almost unobtainable by this time, but he is still trying to hold onto it. His death in the pool represents the death of his ability to have Daisy, and thus cherish his wealth. The pool can also have a biblical symbolism of the baptism and cleansing of Gatsby. He repeats many times that it is his first time using the pool. He also takes off his expensive clothes which represent materialism. He is being cleansed from the materialism of the 1920's and the mat...
Read more

The Ending of "The Crucible"

-
The ending of "The Crucible" is a bit sad and confusing. Parris and Hale both want John Proctor to confess so he won't be hung, but he can't. I was confused as to why it is such a big deal for him to confess. He would be able to live just by writing down that he was "with the Devil." I assume that it was just the time period and how strict their religion was that caused it to be so hard for him to confess. Even though Parris was the one calling Proctor out for being a liar, he wants him to confess now. I think the reason for this is because he doesn't want to be responsible for a life lost, and because Abigail left out of the blue and took Parris' money. Abigail seems to be running away from her problems. She puts all her effort into making up lies to make herself look better in the town, and then she just runs away, leaving all that behind. I assume it is because nothing is going to be left for her. She probably realizes that John Proctor hates he...
Read more

Analyzing the Things we See

-
Everywhere around us things are constantly happening. While you want to stay in place, the world keeps moving. Everything keeps changing. I am an ant in a large room, a single person in a world that keeps on spinning. I don't dwell on the little moments. I don't stop and look around and analyze the world around me. I go through the motions day after day, forgetting my past and remembering my future. I realize the importance of stopping for a second and analyzing the world around us- taking a mental image of what you have seen and seeing it for what it is. What is happening in the image? What is in the foreground? What is in the background? What is the message the image is giving you? How is it making you feel? Each and every single moment that we see can answer each and every one of these questions. "What's the point of analyzing the things we see," you ask. When you analyze something, you learn from it. You remember it. Life is in these little moments. You lear...
Read more