Money is an essential element of survival in the lives of most people, and thus, can have a positive effect on the lives of those that have it. However, can money also be an element that causes a negative effect on the lives of those who have it? Money can cause people to be or become egotistic, selfish, entitled, and so many other negative characteristics and this is evident through Rich Boy's character Anston Hunter. F. Scott Fitzgerald's Rich Boy exemplifies the negative effect that money has on the main character, Anston Hunter, on both a personal and external level. “They think, deep in their hearts, that they are better than we are because we had to discover the compensation and refuges of life for ourselves” (Fitzgerald 318). “We” is a term derived for those who don't have the riches as Anston Hunter does. “They” is a term that can be understood as a group of …show more content…
In this case, Anston Hunter's upbringing caused him to be a selfish person more so than a person who wasn't born into wealth and this selfishness impacted his love life. Anston met a female named Paula and he appeared to be in love with her through the way the nararrator told the love story. However, at the end of it all, it seemed as if Anston was actually never in love with Paula but instead felt a need of empowerment and control over her. Money changed the way that Anston could express his emotions by making him an apathetic, insensitive, and selfish person, “He need say no more, commit their destinies to no practical enigma. Why should he, when he might hold her so, biding his own time, for another year—forever?” (327). Rather than change Anston for the better, money made him a person of interest who always looks out for a gain in every situation or better yet, a person that is always in need of being on the “nicer side of the
Anse Bundren is incredibly selfish. Throughout the novel he only thinks about how he can better himself or protect himself. He ruins lives, specifically the lives of his children. He cripples his eldest son, Cash, he sands Darl away to a mental institute, he steals much needed money from Dewey Dell, and he brings a new mother into his unstable youngest son’s life. All of these transgressions are completely for the benefit of only himself. He ruins Cash’s leg in order to save time, he sends Darl away to avoid being sued, he takes Dewey Dell’s money to buy himself a new set of teeth, and he ruins Vardaman’s life with his new wife that he takes up just a little more than a week after Vardaman’s mother dies. Anse is an incredibly selfish man who ruined the lives of his children in order to benefit himself.
Money— sweeter than honey but oh so destructive. It facilitates a man’s life, while a lack of it imprisons him in the streets of penury. It raises his social status, while an absence of it leaves him unnoticed. It gives him an aura of superiority and importance among others, while a deficiency of it makes him worthless in society’s eyes. Considering these two roads, most do not take more than a second to decide to chase riches.
In the book, “a raisin in the sun”, by Lorraine Hansberry, one main theme is that Money is both good and bad.
“Money is a mechanism for control,” a quote by American author David Korten that thoroughly describes how the many characters of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby used their wealth to stabilize the control of their lives. This wealth played an important role during its time, the early 20th century, by making a point of dividing certain social classes, putting the false belief that money brings one an absolute happiness, and aiding in the rise and fall of people’s legacy.
A majority of what people know about wealthy individuals comes from television, movies or novels and a lot of misconceptions about them are inaccurate. People forget that wealthy individuals have similar problems as themselves; this can include anxiety about their children, uncertainty over their relationships and fears of isolation. The universal saying that “money cannot buy happiness” rings true to the novels Water for Elephants, written by Sarah Gruen and The Great Gatsby, by Scott Fitzgerald. The characters from both books fail to find happiness from wealth. Through marxism both literary works show that being physically wealthy may not necessarily equate to happiness in a capitalist society dominated by the bourgeoisie. This idea is depicted through people valuing materialistic goods for their sign value, becoming victims to conspicuous consumption, and falling under a
Money is a main worry for some people. It is a necessity for anyone who is trying to succeed in life. Many believe that the only way to success is to have a
Money is the supreme power of the world. Its immeasurable power and limitless influence has hacked into our society today, ruining our political democracy, our capitalistic economy, and our chances at achieving the American Dream. Money is handled differently between the rich and the poor. Money in the hands of the poor is spent on essential items necessary for survival, and since money is not abundant in the hands of the poor, every single penny is cherished as a gift from God. However in the hands of the rich, money is used to acquire more money. The urge to succumb to greed influences the rich to use any and all means necessary to grow their wealth, to grow their power, to grow their long lasting influence. We look up to the rich with awe for their ability to achieve the American Dream, but what we are blindfolded from seeing is the true rise to stardom, their true pathway to success. Not all, but some have achieved the American Dream through immoral acts and satanic deeds, swindling the desired ones from their exit of poverty or their chance to enter into reality. In the end of The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald revealed to us the true Jay Gatsby. Fitzgerald teaches us that not all people achieve the American Dream immorally, giving the example of Jay Gatsby
In American society, wealth has played a particularly significant role in shaping the culture and standards set for our country. With every dilemma that has occurred, money was been an underlying deciding factor in the end. John.F.Kennedy makes this very clear in his statement on lowering the prices of steel, all the way Jennifer Price's take on people being obsessed with a money, even Scott Russell’s article on the status quo Americans believe determines one's happiness and success. All of these passages tie together to show just how money influences our very own society.
Wealth can develop a unique interpretation upon a person’s life and can impact their future. Wealth can be such a strong impact on someone that can determine whether they’re selfish or a given person. Wealth can definitely be overpowering and misleading, which could portray their true identity. In the historical fiction novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, it shows us how misleading wealth can be in a person’s life.
Throughout the modern era, society’s views on money’s effect on a person’s emotions have drastically changed. Many people believed that the more money a person has, the more satisfied he or she will be. However, due to recent conclusions made by writers and case studies, money has proven to not be responsible for a person’s contentment. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, Daisy and Gatsby’s wealth ultimately shows the reader that money does not equal happiness.
When people chase wealth, they can cause unforeseen consequences. Fitzgerald’s Great Gatsby warns us about when people chase wealth, and how they change and can potentially harm others.
People can look at a person and tell if a person is greedy, but what they cannot tell is why that person is greedy. There are many reasons as to why a person is greedy, but they all boil down to the fact that the person is deeply unsatisfied with their life and are trying to find what they are missing through greed. Most often than not, the greedy person never rids him or herself from that unsatisfied feeling because the more they receive the more their horizons open up, which leads to a greater feeling of dissatisfaction. It is because of this vicious circle that a greedy person will never ease their dissatisfaction.
As human beings, what takes priority in life? Is it money? Money often drives people’s behavior. People don’t realize that it’s not necessary to be wealthy to enjoy life and live happily. Many of the characters portrayed in The Great Gatsby, displayed their desire for money throughout the book. Each character had a different outlook on money, but they each had something in common, they all wanted to acquire more. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby, the characters’ and community’s obsession, perception, and attitude toward money was prevalent.
Paul suddenly becomes consumed with this sudden ‘ good luck’ and feels this is the only way he will be able to gain to the affection of his mother. He does this several times, winning money for his mother. Eventually, however, he rides his rocking-horse into such a stocked that he collapses and, upon hearing news that he has won a large fortune from his last bet and dies. Paul spent all his energy trying to gain wealth, and it ended up destroying him, D.H Lawrence showcases the idea that obsessing over what you don't have will destroy what you do have and portrays money as a negative and alienating force that redirects people’s attention away from being truly human as hard work, love, and intimacy.
This essay is about greed and how it affects others and in what way it does. People say money is the root of all evil. It can be, but it is based on the choices that you and other people make. Money can either help or ruin you because sometimes people who have money become targets to people. Mainly from people who have lost all of their money or earned it the wrong way.