American Literature 120 - Gatsby Essay

Elijah Singh

Ms, Mazella

American Literature 120-1

3 March 2015

Gatsby Essay

F. Scott Fitzgerald uses four main characters from the book The Great Gatsby to criticize the lifestyle and values of the ultra rich. "The Great Gatsby embodies a criticism of American experience - not of manners but of a basic historic attitude of life..." (Bewley 1). The four characters that Fitzgerald uses to show his criticism are Tom, Daisy, Gatsby, and Jordan.

Tom Buchanan is a wealthy man that lives on the East Egg of Long Island. Tom is a racist, arrogant, hypocrite that comes from a wealthy background. "it's up to us (white people), who are the dominant race, to watch out or these other races will have control of things" (Pg. 17.). This is a quote from Tom early on in the book that goes to show how he is a racist and how money really created a monster out of Tom in the 1920's.

Daisy Buchanan is Toms wife who is aware that Tom has a mistress but always tries to sweep it under the rug. The money is what's keeping Daisy with Tom, and it seems that in the American experience money was truly power. “She only married you because I was poor and she was tired of waiting for me. It was a terrible mistake, but in her heart she never loved anyone except for me.” (Pg. 130). This is Gatsby arguing the fact that Daisy was just young and dumb and didn't really love Tom for Tom she married him for the money. If Gatsby had money at the time he feel like Daisy would have married him. And it's probably the truth because that's the way things were back in that time period.