Theme: Class & Wealth (Leaving Cert English): Revision Notes
Theme: Class & Wealth
The significance of wealth in the novel
Wealth serves as a driving force for every character in The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald explores how money shapes people's lives during the 1920s economic boom following World War I. The novel examines not just how much money characters possess, but also how they acquired it and what their wealth represents in American society.
Key aspects of wealth in the novel:
- All characters are influenced by money and the consumer culture of the 1920s
- Fitzgerald contrasts different types of wealth and their social implications
- The novel critiques the materialistic nature of 1920s America
- Wealth creates a social hierarchy that determines characters' fates
The contrast between locations reflects different wealth levels - the glamorous lifestyles of East and West Egg oppose the poverty-stricken Valley of Ashes. This geographical divide reinforces Fitzgerald's critique of how money-driven society has become, showing how wealth creates distinct social classes with vastly different opportunities and outcomes.
The novel presents wealth as both attractive and destructive. While money provides comfort and status, the pursuit of wealth often leads to moral corruption and tragedy. The deaths of Gatsby, Myrtle, and Wilson serve as powerful symbols of how the empty pursuit of wealth can destroy lives.
The epigraph's connection to wealth
The novel opens with a quote from Thomas Parke D'Invilliers' poem "Then Wear the Gold Hat":
"Then wear the gold hat, if that will move her;
If you can bounce high, bounce for her too,
Till she cries 'Lover, gold-hatted, high-bouncing lover,
I must have you!'"
This epigraph establishes the central theme before the story even begins. The advice to "wear the gold hat" suggests that wealth is the key to winning love and acceptance. This connects directly to Gatsby's attempts to win Daisy through his lavish displays of wealth.
Analysis of the epigraph:
- Gold represents wealth and material success
- The "high-bouncing" imagery suggests the excessive, almost clownish behaviour required to impress
- Material possessions are presented as tools for capturing someone's heart
- The advice reveals the shallow, materialistic nature of relationships in this society
The reference to alternative titles "Gold-hatted Gatsby" and "The High-Bouncing Lover" emphasises how central these themes of wealth and social climbing are to Fitzgerald's vision of the novel.
The class system in The Great Gatsby
Fitzgerald presents three distinct social classes, each with specific characteristics and limitations:
Old money
This class includes established wealthy families like the Buchanans and Nick (to some extent). These characters represent America's social elite with inherited wealth dating back generations.
Characteristics of old money:
- Inherited wealth and privilege requiring no justification
- Undisputed family titles and social status
- Originally from wealthy European families who settled in America
- Look down on those trying to create new wealth
- Represent traditional aristocratic values
The Buchanans epitomise this class - they possess wealth without having to work for it or prove themselves worthy of it.
New money
Jay Gatsby represents this self-made class who profited from the 1920s economic boom. These characters lack aristocratic heritage and attempt to compensate through conspicuous consumption.
Character Example: Gatsby's Status Markers
Gatsby's approach to displaying wealth:
- Lavish mansion with elaborate parties
- Famous car as a status symbol
- Use of phrases like "old sport" to appear upper-class
- Expensive shirts scene with Daisy
- All attempts to prove his wealth and gain social acceptance
Characteristics of new money:
- Self-made wealth through business or speculation
- Lavish displays of wealth to gain social acceptance
- Lack of aristocratic background or established social connections
- Desperate attempts to integrate into high society
- Often viewed as "nouveau riche" by old money families
However, Gatsby's unsuccessful attempts to appear upper-class mark him as an outsider trying to fit in, revealing the insurmountable barriers between classes.
No money
This class includes characters like the Wilsons - workers, servants, and the unemployed who cannot achieve the American Dream.
Characteristics of no money:
- Unable to acquire wealth despite hard work
- Victims of the class conflict between old and new money
- Overlooked by the wealthy classes who use them when convenient
- Represent the failure of the American Dream for ordinary people
- Often suffer the consequences of the wealthy's actions
People like Tom Buchanan can win Daisy twice because of his solid aristocratic background, demonstrating how the wealthy always maintain their advantages while the poor struggle without success.
Clothing and appearance as class markers
Characters use their appearance strategically to signal their wealth and social status. The way they dress becomes a form of communication about their place in the social hierarchy.
Gatsby's approach to dress: Gatsby understands that wealthy appearance is crucial for acceptance. His "Oxford man" persona and carefully chosen clothing represent his attempt to blend into affluent society. The famous shirts scene where he throws expensive shirts at Daisy demonstrates how he uses material possessions to impress rather than relying on genuine emotion or connection.
Class differences in dress:
- Old money characters dress elegantly but without ostentation
- New money characters often overdress or display wealth too obviously
- Poor characters cannot afford to present themselves as wealthy
The contrast becomes clear when comparing Daisy's naturally elegant style with Myrtle's attempt to appear refined through expensive clothing that doesn't quite fit her background.
Colour symbolism and wealth
Fitzgerald uses specific colours to represent different aspects of wealth and class throughout the novel.
White symbolism
White represents aristocratic wealth, purity, and established social status. From the novel's opening, white is associated with East Egg's sophisticated lifestyle.
Examples of white symbolism:
- Daisy and Jordan wear white dresses when Nick first meets them
- The Buchanans' "elaborate" house features white elements
- White represents both innocence and the privilege that protects the wealthy from consequences
White traditionally symbolises purity and elegance, but in the novel it also represents the artificial innocence of the wealthy who remain untouched by the consequences of their actions.
Gold symbolism
Gold represents wealth itself, but often with negative connotations of ostentation and false promises.
Examples of gold symbolism:
- References to "golden" items throughout the novel
- The epigraph's "gold hat" as a symbol of wealth's power
- Gold suggests both glamour and the hollow nature of materialistic pursuits
The association between gold and wealth reveals how money appears attractive on the surface but often conceals emptiness or corruption beneath.
How class determines relationships
Class boundaries ultimately control who can form lasting relationships in the novel. Despite Gatsby's wealth, he cannot overcome his "new money" status to win Daisy permanently.
Class impact on love:
- Daisy chooses Tom over Gatsby because of his established social position
- Myrtle pursues Tom to escape her working-class life
- Class differences make genuine equality in relationships impossible
- The wealthy can afford to be careless with others' emotions
Daisy's beauty and wealth make her especially valuable in this social system. She represents both physical attractiveness and social status, making her the ultimate prize for men seeking to establish their place in high society.
The novel suggests that true love cannot survive in a society where class and wealth determine everything. Gatsby's romantic pursuit of Daisy is ultimately doomed because he can never truly become part of her social world, no matter how much money he accumulates.
Exam tip: When discussing class and wealth, always connect character actions to their social position. Consider how their class background motivates their behaviour and limits their choices.
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
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Three-tier class system: Old money (inherited wealth), new money (self-made wealth), and no money (working class) create rigid social boundaries
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Material possessions as symbols: Clothing, cars, and houses serve as markers of social status rather than personal expression
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Colour symbolism: White represents aristocratic privilege while gold suggests both wealth's allure and its hollow nature
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Class determines destiny: Characters' social backgrounds ultimately control their relationships and life outcomes more than their personal qualities
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Critique of American Dream: The novel shows how class barriers prevent true social mobility, making the American Dream largely illusory for most people