Examples Of Corruption In The Great Gatsby

During the time in our country's history called the roaring twenties, society had a new obsession, money. Just shortly after the great depression, people's focus now fell on wealth and success in the economic realm. Many Americans would stop at nothing to become rich and money was the new factor in separation of classes within society. Wealth was a direct reflection of how successful a person really was and now became what many people strived to be, to be rich. Wealth became the new stable in the "American dream" that people yearned and chased after all their lives. In the novel entitled the great Gatsby, the ideals of the so

Jay Gatsby pursues in wealth to get Daisy. He desires to have everything- money, nice cars, class and Daisy. No matter the cost he will do whatever it takes to have all these things. He has a corrupt spirit and will lie his way through things. He has engaged in illegal activity to get rich quickly. In the book, Daisy says to Gatsby “Oh, you want too much!” Gatsby wanted

Honesty may be the best policy, but lies and deceit are what makes us human. Throughout the novel, The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, various characters are presented with demoralizing features that further them away from innocence. One can see by examining characters Tom Buchanan, Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby that the underlying theme of lies and deception have a great impact on the story. By examining Tom Buchanan, one can see that he feels so unfulfilled and entitled in his level of society.

Greed is a common flaw in all human beings, coaxing individuals to pour in all their effort without ever being satisfied. The ultimate goal for greed is generally achieving affluence. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s insightful novel, The Great Gatsby, wealth is portrayed as the key factor in determining whether one is successful or not. Most people value prosperity over morals and ethics during the heat of pursuing their own ambitions; yet all unscrupulous behaviors do not escape God’s eyes. By utilizing eye motif, repetitions of sight words, and tone changes, F. Scott Fitzgerald justifies that avarice will always end in vain and amoral decisions will always end in regrets.

While Gatsby’s dream of attaining and starting over with Daisy remains pure, his means of achieving his dream are, unfortunately, corrupt. There are plenty subtle hints about Gatsby’s immoral practices yet unadulterated heart throughout the novel. For example, in the beginning of the novel a woman at one of Gatsby’s parties chatting with her friend states, “You look at him sometimes when he thinks nobody’s looking at him. I’ll bet he killed a man” (44). This statement doesn’t bluntly say he is corrupt but gives honest insight into his public image and inserts the thought that Gatsby could have possibly been involved in illegal actions during his pathway to wealth.

Throughout the novel, the idea of the American Dream is shown by all the dishonesty in privacy of the characters. Fitzgerald was one of the most true dreamers in the 20s because he could portray and bring alive this idea that anyone could become rich but at the same time he was able to be realistic and show how they got rich. Also he was able to show that having a lot of money does not mean you are happy. “Fitzgerald embodied in his tissues and nervous system the fluid polarities of American experiences: success and failure, illusion and disillusion, dream and nightmare.” (Callahan John, pp.1).

Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, was established around the 1920’s where everything revolved around the iconic “American Dream.” During this time materialistic possessions, money, and fame were picturesque to the highest in society. Everyone wanted to withhold these qualities and they would do anything to get them- even deceit others. Fitzgerald exploits many themes throughout the book one being, that false happiness and lies will extinguish the inevitable truth, potentially creating corruption and chaos . All the main characters tend to illustrate dishonesty throughout the novel, whether - undeniably- it’s to themselves or to others, which exposes their true identity to the reader. Their lies conceal who they are, their insecurities, and their backgrounds. Most notable of these secrecies are Tom and Daisy Buchanan, and Jay Gatsby.

Many people overlook their friends’ flaws due to their familiarity. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s, The Great Gatsby, Nick Carraway, a bondsman from the Minnesota, meets Jay Gatsby, a mysterious neighbor who throws extravagant parties. As Nick helps Gatsby woo his selfish and shallow cousin, Daisy, the twosome bond and become close friends. Nick narrates The Great Gatsby and praises Gatsby in a heroic light. Yet, with his imprecise self-image and inability to identify with the East Eggers, Nick forms an inherent bias towards Gatsby, which ultimately compromises his credibility as an objective narrator.

The Roaring Twenties, a time when life was defined only by the amount of money one had. There were no worries then; all people did be enjoy the high life that they had carved out for themselves. The way most people celebrated their lives was through extravagant parties, filled with the best foods one could imagine. Hallways are crowded with thousands of unknown faces just waiting to be known, and the most luxurious of mansions hosting them. These colossal mansions couldn’t be mapped; their hallways filled with endless rooms, and each room with its own sub-theme and party just waiting to be discovered. These mansions, the parties, and the party goers, all showed the wealth one had; and wealth means everything to those who have it. Wealth in

Success, formerly signifying the accomplishment of an aim or purpose, however, it has become poisoned by the narcissism of humankind which redefines it as the state of being financially superior to others. In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, The Great Gatsby, the outlook on the American Dream during the 1920s was crafted through a myriad of events and characters depicting this civil dilemma. By definition, the American Dream is the belief that anyone, regardless of race, class, gender, or nationality, can be successful in America (wealthy), if they exert the required effort on their arduous journey. Having said that, the American Dream thus presents an illusion of an American society that neglects issues such as: systemic racism, misogyny, xenophobia, and income inequality. Furthermore, it also postulates a myth of class equality, yet the reality could not be further from this. In the novel The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald demonstrates how fantasies driven by materialistic ideologies can lead to inevitable corruption and demoralization in society. Notably, this is exhibited through the daily struggles of George and Myrtle Wilson, the conspicuous bigotry of Tom and Daisy Buchanan as well as the ambition and passion of Jay Gatsby.

In The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, symbols are used to support the theme of corruption. During the Roarin’ Twenties. prohibition drove many Americans, especially around big cities, to disregard the law and become bootleggers. They threw large, extravagant parties in which morals were not present. Fitzgerald used the Valley of Ashes, the American Dream, and the Eyes of T.J. Eckleburg to symbolize the corruption of America.

Honesty, faithfulness, and authenticity are all key characteristics in a supportive and healthy relationship. In the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the damaging effects of unhealthy relationships are shown through the characters of Tom Buchanan and Myrtle Wilson’s affair, Tom and Daisy Buchanan’s marriage, and Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan’s affair.

In The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, characters are depicted as corrupt human beings influenced by their own personal agendas. With an indistinguishable line between right and wrong, they remain unaware of the consequences that follow their actions. Daisy Buchanan is portrayed as the “golden girl” of her time. She is the woman every man wants to call their own, although they only focus on her superficial features rather than personal qualities. Throughout the novel, her true self begins to unfold, displaying how she misleads others to protect her social stature and reputation. Daisy’s submissive nature continuously hurts the people she cares about by allowing her to engage in dishonest activities.

Money can buy people many things in life, but it can also apprehend people’s sense of morality and honesty. In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald portrays a wealthy society where materialism and luxurious living corrupts human’s actions and morals. Through the main characters, Tom and Daisy Buchanan, Jay Gatsby, Nick Carraway, Myrtle Wilson and Jordan Baker, Fitzgerald reveals how money and corruption can affect people. The characters reveal carelessness, hypocrisy, dishonesty, and arrogance which all stem from their excessive amount of wealth and fame. Fitzgerald portrays a recurring literary phenomenon of an extended metaphor throughout his book demonstrate the implicit comparison between wealth and its unseen repercussions.

The American Dream is the belief that you can become prosperous and successful through dedication and hard work. Fitzgerald uses settings in his novel ‘The Great Gatsby’ to present the good, the bad and the ugly sides of the American dream to communicate with the reader and show the darker side of the time period and the negatives of The American Dream behind the glamour and glitz, some of which we can even link to today’s society. His idea in ‘The Great Gatsby’ however may have been drafted from some stories from ‘Tales of the Jazz Age’, and more specifically ‘The Diamond as Big as The Ritz’.