Materialism in The Great Gatsby Essay - 1075 Words

Materialism may be defined as attention to or emphasis on material objects, needs or considerations, with a disinterest in or rejection of spiritual values. The acquisition of material wealth is often equated with happiness in this country. This is true today, and it was true during the 1920s, the setting of F. Scott Fitzgeralds The Great Gatsby. That the majority of Americans believe that wealth and happiness are the same is a result of our market economy that encourages consumption and conditions us to think that we need material possessions to be happy. According to Andrew Bard Schmookler, Wealth and human fulfillment have become equated in the predominant ideology of liberal society, even though the great spiritual teachers of†¦show more content†¦. . Their need for meaning is just as intense as their need for economic security. Jay Gatsby had all the trappings of wealth: a huge mansion, fancy clothes, and expensive cars. His lavish, decadent parties were designed to impress Daisy. But why did Gatsby feel he needed to flaunt his material wealth to win Daisys love? Why was he so materialistic, and why are we? Are material possessions what we need to be happy? Part of the answer is that people seek in material possessions fulfillment that is lacking in other areas, especially human relationships (Schmookler, 18). The very fact that our market society feeds on economic growth like a fetish is a clue that excess consumption does not really satisfy. It is like an addiction. We can never have enough. A famous study done in the early 1970s by Richard Easterlin, entitled Does Economic Growth Improve the Human Lot? found that members of wealthy societies do not seem happier than members of poor societies (119). Perhaps they are more connected in their interpersonal relationships. Our material yearnings are an attempt to satisfy the need for human relationships. Anthropologist Ashley Montagu had an important observation about childrearing in capitalistic cultures: that few peoples give their babies as little tactile contact as do Americans, especially as compared with poorer societies (p ). The characters of The Great GatsbyShow MoreRelatedMaterialism - the Great Gatsby1732 Words   |  7 PagesMaterialism America has been labeled The land of opportunity, a place where it is possible to accomplish anything and everything. This state of mind is known as The American Dream. The American Dream provides a sense of hope and faith that looks forward to the fulfillment of human wishes and desires. This dream, however, originates from a desire for spiritual and material improvement. Unfortunately, the acquisition of material has been tied together with happiness in America. AlthoughRead MoreEssay on Materialism in the Great Gatsby905 Words   |  4 Pagessuch as money in The Great Gatsby. Daisy falls in love with Gatsby, who is a poor man at the time, and when Gatsby leaves for the war, Daisy marries Tom Buchanan, who is a rich man, because he is â€Å"old money,† meaning he will always have the money and status to support Daisy. When Gatsby returns from the war, his pursuit of Daisy’s love reveals his materialism and he eventually becomes rich for Daisy and believes that he can win her back because he now has money. The Great Gatsby demonstrates the wayRead More Materialism - The Great Gatsby Essay1687 Words   |  7 Pages Materialism nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;America has been labeled quot;The land of opportunity,quot; a place where it is possible to accomplish anything and everything. This state of mind is known as quot;The American Dream.quot; The American Dream provides a sense of hope and faith that looks forward to the fulfillment of human wishes and desires. This dream, however, originates from a desire for spiritual and material improvement. Unfortunately, the acquisitionRead MoreMaterialism In The Great Gatsby Analysis824 Words   |  4 PagesMaterialism The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, illustrates the different lifestyles in regards to the upper and lower classes. The upper class is represented by â€Å"Old Money†, the people who inherited their wealth. Another part of the upper class is represented by â€Å"New Money†, the people who obtained wealth over time. Old money is more fancy and elegant, whereas new money is more showy and extravagant. Because of this, old money is considered superior to new money. The lower class isRead MoreThe Madness Of Materialism In The Great Gatsby996 Words   |  4 Pagesarticle â€Å"The Madness of Materialism† by Steve Taylor discusses psychological discord and talks about people always wanting certain objects, that they might not be a necessity (Taylor). This article is similar to the novel, The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald because both discuss the idea of wants versus needs. Gatsby is the main character, however Nick Carraway is the narrator througho ut the entire story. They have been neighbors ever since Nick moved to West Egg. Nick and Gatsby become close friendsRead MoreMaterialism in The Great Gatsby Essay515 Words   |  3 Pagessay that you are happy. Daisy Buchanans case in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald proves this to its entirety. When having to decide between an empty marriage with her husband Tom and Jay Gatsby, her love interest, she chooses Tom even though he doesnt make her truly happy. It is then evident all throughout the novel that materialistic properties of wealth and status triumphs over love. In 1917, Daisy became acquainted with Jay Gatsby from Louisiana. Though they seemed very close with eachRead MoreEssay On Greed And Materialism In The Great Gatsby1014 Words   |  5 Pagesgrowth in an economic forum. This caused many Americans to move into the uncharted territory of the city, and make the transition into a prosperous and foreign â€Å"consumer society† (History.com). In addition, the traits of greed and materialism are ubiquitous in The Great Gatsby, as well as in the flashy 1920’s. These two characteristics give one confidence, but as demonstrated in the novel, it brings nothing but short-term satisfaction. After that, feelings of desperation to childish behaviors can accompanyRead MoreGreed And Materialism In The Great Gatsby Analysis1311 Words   |  6 Pagesprosperous and previously foreign â€Å"consumer society† (History.com). The traits of greed and materialism are ubiquitous in The Great Gatsby, as well as in the Art Deco era of the 19 20’s. These two characteristics can give one confidence, but as demonstrated in the novel, they bring nothing but short-term satisfaction. After which, feelings can run the gamut from desperation to childish behaviors. While greed and materialism have the power to seem favorable, bringing an amplification of social status, theyRead MoreEssay On Money And Materialism In The Great Gatsby1994 Words   |  8 Pages Money and materialism play a large role in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s book, The Great Gatsby, which takes place on Long Island in the summer of 1922. The book follows a man by the name of Jay Gatsby who centers his life around one goal, winning back the girl of his dreams, Daisy Buchanan, who he lost five years earlier. His quest leads him from rags-to-riches into the arms of the one he loves, and ultimately, to death. This book is written from a Marxist point of view based on the fact that the bookRead MoreEssay on Love vs. Materialism in the Great Gatsby1131 Wo rds   |  5 PagesVs. Materialism The Great Gatsby does not offer a definition of love, or a contrast between love and romance. Rather it suggests that what people believe to be love is normally only a dream. America in the 1920s was a country where moral values were slowly crumbling and Americans soon only had one dream and objective to achieve, success. Distorted love is one theme in the novel The Great Gatsby, present among all of the characters relationships; Daisy and Tom, Tom and Myrtle, Daisy and Gatsby, and