When the luxurious lifestyles of the 1920s, commonly referred to as the Roaring Twenties, appeared, individual morality and ethics instantly went out of fashion. Along with these bad morals, crude materialism becomes widespread among the wealthy, transforming the noblesse oblige into an unpopular creed, and further leaving in the dust those who are incapable of achieving enormous success. The inevitable changes in morality occur repeatedly as America continues to progress, and many traits similar to those of the 1920s are visible today. Fitzgerald's use of The Great Gatsby for social commentary parallels today's social atmosphere. Despite their many connections, there is great conflict between the different economic classes in The Great Gatsby, those that are old money, new money, and those that are barely discussed, no money. . Separated by the lake, West Egg and East Egg continue to oppose each other. Fitzgerald shows the effect of excess capital on people, emphasizing that money is power. Since Tom Buchanan comes from old money, his family fortune was simply passed down to him; he does not need to work to achieve his social status. Conversely, Jay Gatsby has to work hard and go to extremes to get where he is. Tom Buchanan can easily be compared to the famous Paris Hilton. What big hits is she really known for? Being only related to the founder of Hilton Hotels, she never really had to make a name for herself. As far as Gatsby is concerned, if one is able to neglect his illegal means to do so, he is obligated to work for his fortune. Steve Jobs, in comparison, also worked for his money, having initially launched his billion-dollar company in his garage. "Tom Buchanan's brutal amorality overshadowed... middle of paper ...... surprise, surprise - correlated with having less materialistic values" (Gregoire 1). As long as these unethical repetitions persist in society, the world will continue to be a hopeless place as people seek success and happiness, just as Fitzgerald demonstrated through his social commentary. Works CitedBloom, Harold. F Scott Fiztgerald, The Great Gatsby. New York: Infobase, 2010. Book. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner, 2004. Book. Gabel, Aja. “The marriage crisis.” University of Virginia Magazine: 2014. U.Va. Alumni Association. Online magazine. Gregory, Carolyn. “The Psychology of Materialism and Why It Makes You Unhappy.” Huff Post The Third Metric: December 15, 2013. The Huffington Post. Online newspaper. Moyers, Bill. “A new American dream? » Bill Moyers Journal: August 3, 2007. Public Affairs Television. Online magazine.

Essay / When the luxurious lifestyles of the 1920s, commonly referred to as the Roaring Twenties, appeared, individual morality and ethics instantly went out of fashion. Along with these bad morals, crude materialism becomes widespread among the wealthy, transforming the noblesse oblige into an unpopular creed, and further leaving in the dust those who are incapable of achieving enormous success. The inevitable changes in morality occur repeatedly as America continues to progress, and many traits similar to those of the 1920s are visible today. Fitzgerald's use of The Great Gatsby for social commentary parallels today's social atmosphere. Despite their many connections, there is great conflict between the different economic classes in The Great Gatsby, those that are old money, new money, and those that are barely discussed, no money. . Separated by the lake, West Egg and East Egg continue to oppose each other. Fitzgerald shows the effect of excess capital on people, emphasizing that money is power. Since Tom Buchanan comes from old money, his family fortune was simply passed down to him; he does not need to work to achieve his social status. Conversely, Jay Gatsby has to work hard and go to extremes to get where he is. Tom Buchanan can easily be compared to the famous Paris Hilton. What big hits is she really known for? Being only related to the founder of Hilton Hotels, she never really had to make a name for herself. As far as Gatsby is concerned, if one is able to neglect his illegal means to do so, he is obligated to work for his fortune. Steve Jobs, in comparison, also worked for his money, having initially launched his billion-dollar company in his garage. "Tom Buchanan's brutal amorality overshadowed... middle of paper ...... surprise, surprise - correlated with having less materialistic values" (Gregoire 1). As long as these unethical repetitions persist in society, the world will continue to be a hopeless place as people seek success and happiness, just as Fitzgerald demonstrated through his social commentary. Works CitedBloom, Harold. F Scott Fiztgerald, The Great Gatsby. New York: Infobase, 2010. Book. Fitzgerald, F. Scott. The Great Gatsby. New York: Scribner, 2004. Book. Gabel, Aja. “The marriage crisis.” University of Virginia Magazine: 2014. U.Va. Alumni Association. Online magazine. Gregory, Carolyn. “The Psychology of Materialism and Why It Makes You Unhappy.” Huff Post The Third Metric: December 15, 2013. The Huffington Post. Online newspaper. Moyers, Bill. “A new American dream? » Bill Moyers Journal: August 3, 2007. Public Affairs Television. Online magazine.

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