“Among the Ash Heaps and the Millionaires”The actions, resulting events, reactions, and interactions of the characters in the novel The Great Gatsby help give the meaning of the work. Throughout the 189 pages of The Great Gatsby, all the characters are surrounded by the wealth and opulence of the Roaring Twenties. They never overcame the grip of martial wealth and realized the true American dream. All the main characters are from the West and brought to the East in search of great wealth. Nick Caraway was brought east to learn the methods of bond trading. Jordan Baker was brought east in search of golf glory and prestige. The Buchanans went east to experience the greatness of the East. Jay Gatsby was brought to eastern Minnesota in search of wealth and status. In doing so, he changed his name when he arrived east after the war. Upon arriving in New York, Nick is amazed by his neighbor's lavish parties. with the crates of lemons and limes coming into his house every Friday, a big party on Saturday night, leaving the grounds cleaned the following Sunday and restored to perfection. After a while, Nick discovers the grandeur of the high life after being personally invited to one of Gatsby's parties. The ignorance of the upper class seems strange to him, as when the car accident in the driveway where the car had lost its wheel, its owner quickly responded, “Back up…put it in reverse.” But the wheels are off! He didn't hesitate to try, replies the owner. » (60) This accident is a strange omen and serves as a reminder of the reality that cars are a new technology and people don't quite understand the mechanics or risks that make the automobile a status symbol. Before long, Nick is quick to understand the moral shortcomings of the top... middle of paper...... he has the funeral planned until he arrives. »(175) Henry Gatz is a character who contrasts sharply with all the others. other characters in the book and it is only in the final pages that the message of the book becomes apparent. The point of view of an uninvolved outsider brings the story into a new light and changes the reader's perspective. All the events in the novel The Great Gatsby lead to meaning in a slow but driven way. The events reveal the emptiness of the upper class and the emptiness that pursuing the American dream can bring. Those who aspire only to material wealth are mistaken because they have renounced their virtues in the struggle for great wealth and, in doing so, have missed the American dream. Upper-class emptiness and the desire to outdo one's neighbors by surrounding themselves with material wealth work against achieving the American dream..