Theme: Class & Wealth (Leaving Cert English): Revision Notes

Theme: Class and Wealth

The significance of wealth in the novel

Wealth serves as a driving force throughout F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, influencing every character's actions and motivations. The novel explores how money operates in 1920s America, particularly following the post-World War I economic boom that created new opportunities for wealth accumulation. Fitzgerald doesn't simply examine how much money characters possess, but delves deeper into how they acquired their wealth and what it represents in terms of social status and personal identity.

The author uses different settings to showcase varying levels of wealth and their significance. The contrast between the fashionable lifestyles of East and West Egg residents and the impoverished conditions in the Valley of Ashes demonstrates how wealth creates distinct social hierarchies. This geographical representation becomes central to understanding Fitzgerald's critique of materialistic 1920s American society.

Through his exploration of different characters' wealth, Fitzgerald reveals how money has fundamentally altered American social structures and moral values. The novel presents a detailed examination of how wealth creates social divisions that become so pronounced they develop into a satire of the characters' superficial lives, while also serving as a harsh critique of how Americans' moral compass becomes distorted by the pursuit of material success.

The three-class system

Fitzgerald constructs a clear three-tier class system that defines social relationships throughout the novel:

Old money

This category includes established wealthy families like the Buchanans, whose fortunes span multiple generations. These characters represent America's social elite, possessing inherited wealth that requires no justification or ostentatious display. Their privileged position stems from family lineage dating back to the original wealthy European settlers who established themselves in states like New York and Virginia.

This inherited wealth created a distinct advantage for those seeking to establish their own fortunes, as they could look westward to new territories for expansion. The established wealthy class developed into what became known as 'New Money' as people moved west in pursuit of increased wealth and opportunities.

New money

Jay Gatsby epitomises this self-made class, having profited from the economic boom of the 1920s. Unlike the old money aristocrats, new money individuals lack aristocratic heritage and attempt to compensate through lavish displays of their recently acquired wealth. Gatsby demonstrates this through his extravagant purchases, including his mansion and luxurious automobiles.

However, Gatsby's attempts to integrate into established social circles prove unsuccessful. His habit of addressing everyone as "old sport" represents a misguided attempt to appear upper-class, but instead highlights his status as someone who has acquired wealth without the accompanying social refinement.

No money

This class encompasses characters like the Wilsons, including workers, servants, and unemployed individuals who remain unable to access the American Dream's promised opportunities for advancement. These characters find themselves overlooked as a new class conflict emerges between old money and new money backgrounds, exemplified through the rivalry between Tom and Gatsby for Daisy's affection.

Wealthy individuals like Tom Buchanan consistently prevail due to their established aristocratic backgrounds. Tom wins Daisy's love twice because his solid social foundation provides security that Gatsby's self-made wealth cannot match. This demonstrates the limitations of the American Dream, as privileged individuals like Tom and Daisy consistently succeed while working-class characters like Myrtle sacrifice everything attempting to break through social barriers.

Wealth and first impressions: the epigraph

The novel opens with an epigraph from Thomas Parke D'Invilliers' poem "Then Wear the Gold Hat":

D'Invilliers represents Fitzgerald's pen name and appears as a character in This Side of Paradise, helping readers understand the literary world Fitzgerald creates.

The epigraph's significance lies in its exploration of materialism throughout the novel. By encouraging readers to "wear the gold hat," wealth becomes presented as essential for winning love and desire. This creates a direct connection to how Gatsby attempts to win Daisy through material displays rather than genuine emotional connection.

The reference to bouncing and high-bouncing behaviour appears somewhat ridiculous, reflecting Fitzgerald's satirical tone about such advice. This satirical element mirrors the reality of 1920s America, where Gatsby's excessive wealth displays include demanding behaviours at his parties and describing his car as a "circus waggon." The absurdity highlighted in this advice demonstrates Gatsby's obsessive pursuit of Daisy and what she represents.

Class and appearances

Characters' physical appearances serve as significant indicators of their wealth and social status. The novel demonstrates how wealth becomes a gateway to social success, with lower-class characters attempting to associate with wealthy upper-classes to gain access to their luxury and privileges.

Gatsby's clothing choices reflect his attempts to integrate into established society. Tom's reaction to Gatsby - "An Oxford man! He was incredulous. 'Like hell he is! He wears a pink suit.'" - identifies Gatsby as part of the emerging new money class. His shirt collection, which he displays to Daisy, represents his willingness to discard expensive items simply to please her and maintain her attention.

When Gatsby appears "in a white flannel suit, silver shirt, and gold-coloured tie," his costume directly references the epigraph's themes. He demonstrates understanding of how wealthy appearances can capture attention, repeating the same strategy that succeeded with Daisy five years earlier. However, his nervous behaviour suggests discomfort within established social circles.

Colour symbolism and wealth

White and gold as wealth indicators

White and gold consistently represent wealth throughout the novel, particularly aristocratic wealth. From the opening scene, white becomes associated with East Egg's refined lifestyle, as both Daisy and Jordan wear white dresses when Nick first encounters them.

White traditionally symbolises purity and elegance, representing an upper-class way of life where manual labour becomes unnecessary (keeping clothes clean and pristine). However, while the Buchanans' mansion receives elaborate description, Nick avoids using derogatory language about Gatsby's house, referring to it only as an imitation of European architectural styles.

Gold carries connotations of glamour and wealth, but also suggests false perfection and superficiality. Gold appears more ostentatious than white, symbolising wealth in more subtle ways than direct displays.

The significance of white

White becomes associated with East Egg's lifestyle from the novel's beginning, as Daisy and Jordan wear white dresses in Nick's first encounter with them. This explicit colour association with physical beauty creates misleading impressions in 1920s America, as society's true nature becomes exposed through the story's development.

Myrtle's clothing transformations reveal how dress influences social perception. When she changes into "an elaborate afternoon dress of cream-coloured chiffon," her personality also transforms, reflecting the importance of appearance in determining class and status. Her clothing, provided by Tom, creates an artificial upward mobility that mirrors her transition from a poor garage owner's wife to a wealthy man's mistress.

Character analysis through class

Daisy as the golden girl

Daisy's wealth and beauty make her exceptionally valuable within the novel's social framework. Her untainted prosperity attracts attention and completely captivates Gatsby. She receives repeated ethereal descriptions, appearing "high in a white palace the king's daughter, the golden girl" with "bright eyes and a bright passionate mouth."

Her beauty and wealth appear almost interchangeable for both Gatsby and Nick, encapsulated in the word "golden," which represents both wealth and radiance. Her charm derives from her social status and what she represents - the beauty and elegance of wealth.

Her attractive voice receives particular attention: "the kind of voice that the ear follows up and down...a singing compulsion." This becomes part of Fitzgerald's sophisticated literary technique, as Daisy's voice can be compared to a siren that enchants listeners and captures Gatsby's heart through the money he perceives behind her voice.

The problem with wealth and love

The danger with characters like Daisy lies in their capacity for deception. Despite giving her heart to Gatsby and marrying Tom when they revive their romance, Gatsby remains convinced she will choose him, yet she disappoints him repeatedly. Gatsby's relationship with Daisy leads directly to his death, as she plays a significant role in allowing him to accept responsibility after their short-lived romantic revival.

Critical perspectives

Marxist analysis

Marxist literary theory provides valuable insight into the novel's class dynamics. Gatsby's inability to understand his initial loss of Daisy in 1919 leads to his determined pursuit of immense wealth to charm her and convince her of his aristocratic credentials. His class consciousness becomes revealed through his attempts to conceal his working-class background, though this represents only partial class awareness - he wants to participate in the existing system rather than critique it.

Gatsby's desire for extreme wealth and status leads him to sacrifice his moral principles. His questionable business dealings with Wolfsheim demonstrate how his pursuit of the impossible requires him to compromise his values. Gatsby's secret telephone conversations create an ominous atmosphere as Nick reveals darker aspects of American society.

The failure of social mobility

The novel demonstrates how established class barriers prevent genuine social advancement. Despite Gatsby's enormous wealth, he cannot truly cross the social boundary between 'new money' and 'old money.' The physical bay between his mansion and Daisy's home represents this barrier - they appear close but remain separated by an unbridgeable distance.