Class In Great Gatsby

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F. Scott Fitzgerald uses the theme of class in The Great Gatsby as a strong role throughout the story. He starts off the book, not even the story, with a poem in the beginning that demonstrates the theme of class. There is a wealthy man that is trying to astound a woman by drawing attention to him, while looking foolish doing it. Of course, the woman falls for the man and his money. Money is everything to the upper class. Without money, they think they’re lives are nothing. The wealthy also lack many morals. Nick grew up believing he was better than everybody else and looks down on people who are not as wealthy as his family is. Nick said: “As my father snobbishly suggested and I snobbishly repeat, a sense of the fundamental decencies is parceled out unequally at birth” (6). Nick said this and it gave the readers the immediate thought that class was an important role in the story. Nick tried to be humble about his wealth and in the first page of the story said, “’Whenever you feel like criticizing anyone,” he told me, “just remember that all people in this world haven’t had the advantages you’ve had”’ (1). Tom Buchanan is a man in the story who demonstrates a strong hate for the less wealthy. He uses his mistress, Myrtle, for sex. Tom broke Myrtle’s nose when she mentioned Daisy’s name at a party, showing that he obviously has no respect for her because she is from a lower class. However, Tom does show Daisy, his wife, respect because she is of the same class. If people are from the same class then nobody in inferior to the other. Tom also shows his ways towards others when he talked about how white race is being overrun and the book he read. Daisy made fun of him greatly but he did not hurt her like he did to Myrtle because she is from his class level. Class becomes a huge role when Daisy hits Myrtle with a car. Instead of taking responsibilities for her
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