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Sociological Analysis Of The Great Gatsby

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A Sociological Analysis of The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby, a film released in 1974, based off a novel written by F. Scott Fitzgerald tells the tragic story of a mysterious man named Jay Gatsby. The movie takes place in America after World War I and allows viewers to observe the social effect of the post-war’s economic growth. In the film, there are several examples of social stratification, symbolic interactionism, labeling theory, gender norms, and the butterfly effect from the characters’ diverse backgrounds and actions. Social stratification is depicted in the film through the different classes of characters. These characters are in one of three classes; old money, new money, and no money. Tom, Daisy, and Jordan are in the old money class because they have inherited their families’ wealth and status. Gatsby is in the new money class because his family is not inherently wealthy. Myrtle is in the no money class because she does not have status or wealth. The old money class believes themselves to be the elite and the most refined, therefore those in the new money class will never be viewed as their equals because they have not been born with status. In the portrayal of Tom’s affair with Myrtle, he acts as if he is above her because of his social standing. Gatsby asks Daisy why she didn’t wait for him and married Tom. She replies, “Rich girls don’t marry poor boys, Jay Gatsby.” This reinforces the idea that those in the old money class believe themselves to be the elite

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