5.1.2

Class

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Class

The novel deals with three classes in 1920s American society: ‘old money’, best represented by the Buchanans, the ‘new money’ of Gatsby, and those with ‘no money’ (George and Myrtle Wilson).

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Jay Gatsby

  • Jay Gatsby started life in a poor farming family in the Midwest and so has earnt his own money (however illegally) to secure the luxurious life he leads in West Egg.
  • As part of his plan to win back the love of ‘old money’ Daisy, Gatsby tries to gain acceptance among the ‘old money’ class, but he is unsuccessful in several ways.
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Failure of changing speech

  • Gatsby has changed the way he speaks to ‘fit in’ with ‘old money’ people.
  • The best example of this is his habit of referring to other men as 'old sport'.
  • Nick, who does come from a rich background, is quick to point out that Gatsby’s attempts to change the way he speaks are a failure, noting that his 'elaborate formality of speech just missed being absurd' (Chapter Three).
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Failure of mansion

  • Even Gatsby’s mansion does not meet the standards of the ‘old money’ classes.
  • Despite its size and grandeur, it is considered to be tacky and gauche in comparison to the tasteful colonial house of the Buchanans: 'an imitation of some Hôtel de Ville in Normandy, with a tower on one side, spanking new under a thin beard of raw ivy' (Chapter One).
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'No money'

  • While much of the plot revolves around the conflict between old and new money, the story also deals with a far more easily forgotten section of society: those with 'no money'.
  • Fitzgerald seems to be using characters like George and Myrtle Wilson as a reminder that, for every Gatsby, there are countless other individuals who have failed to escape the struggle of being poor.
  • Myrtle wants to move beyond her world - Tom won’t allow it.
  • George dreams of moving west.
  • Ultimately, they are used and abused by the rich.

Jump to other topics

1Specification Overview

1.1Specification Overview

2Context

3Plot Summary

4Character Profiles

5Key Ideas

6Writing Techniques

7Love Through the Ages - Thematic Analysis

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