Money: the pursuit of happiness? In America, citizens are unwittingly forced to rely on money to survive. Over the years, money has evolved from a simple necessity to the epicenter of all thoughts and decisions. Now the concept of living a comfortable and enjoyable life is associated with the amount of money in one's wallet. Americans identify this wealth with freedom, stability and happiness. Yet in F. Scott Fitzgerald's widely controversial novel The Great Gatsby, money plays the role of a luxury good that blinds people to the meaning of true love and happiness. Fitzgerald uses his characters' lifestyle to depict that money, while having the ability to satisfy materialistic desires, is unable to purchase feelings of psychological fulfillment which corrupt the ability to ever be satisfied. In the media there are often stories about older famous people. celebrities marrying a woman or man significantly younger than them. Viewers can't help but think that the younger man has to be with the older man to make money. Such stories subliminally convey the message that if a person with a romantic interest has a desirable amount of money, the direct path to happiness is to be with that person. Although a person with a lot of money can bring financial security and stability, but it will not mask the terrible personality of a lover. Daisy, while married to “…one of the most powerful ends…” (Fitzgerald 6), carries within her “…and the expression of thoughtless sadness.” (13) Even though Daisy may have everything she could want, she is still not satisfied with life and is looking for something better. "[She and Tom] had spent a year in France for no particular reason... ...... middle of paper ...... the problem is that people become slaves to money and all that implies. Not only does it completely diminish all senses of morality, but it is a meaningless remedy for man's inexplicable struggle with loneliness. Fitzgerald shows Gatsby that he bases his dreams, goals, and goals. aspirations about what he believes he can achieve with his money He does not realize, however, that money does not satisfy non-materialistic fulfillment With Daisy “leaving Gatsby – nothing…” (149), Gatsby’s dreams are not. really not satisfied with what he worked years for Daisy and Tom disappear after causing even more problems in their pursuit of happiness that money was not able to provide because of meaningless relationships and. bad decisions. Fitzgerald proves that the path to happiness is not made possible by money. Works CitedFitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York, New York: Scribner, 1953.