Essay Sample about Wealth in Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is a novel set in the 1920s that explores the American Dream of wealth and prosperity while questioning the declining traditional values that are threatened by materialism, corruption, and mistrust. The story is narrated by Nick Carraway who is fascinated by the elite socialites he surrounds himself with. He tries to observe from an emotionally detached state, but finds himself wrapped up in their world. In this passage Nick begins to try and understand who the Great Gatsby is and becomes intrigued by the wealthy and lavish world he lives in. Nick is curious and fascinated by Gatsby and his lavish parties. His perception of how the wealthy live and the reality of Gatsby’s world is uncovered in this passage as Nick attends a party for the first time and observes the behaviors of the East and West Egg socialites from within their society. 

The motif of wealth throughout the passage contributes to the overall theme of morality in the novel. Nick describes in detail Gatsby’s lavish parties and how those with money behave, compared to those without, like himself. He watches from a distance at first observing the guests come and go until one day when he is officially invited. Nick describes the work it takes to set up these over the top events when he says, “At least once a fortnight a corps of caterers came down with several hundred feet of canvas and enough colored lights to make a Christmas tree of Gatsby’s enormous garden. On buffet tables, garnished with glistening hors-d’oeuvre, spiced baked hams crowded against salads of harlequin designs and pastry pigs and turkeys bewitched to a dark gold” (p. 39). Nick’s description of the opening party scene sets the tone of what he observes and how he characterizes the guest from East and West Egg. He describes those attending the parties as showing great wealth to cover up their inner corruption and moral decay, while he attempts to understand Gatsby and sees him as using his great wealth to mask something yet to be discovered. 

Fitzgerald uses imagery and simile to describe the scale of these parties. “In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whispering and the champagne and the stars”(p. 39) (3). The glamorous image establishes Gatsby’s parties as superior and not to be missed by any wealthy socialite. The scale is extreme, quantified to grab the reader. “...two hundred oranges” (3). “...a whole pitiful of oboes and trombones and saxophones and viols and corents and piccolos, and low and high drums”(p. 39) (3). As Nick moves from casual observer to participant, he is able to provide an inside view of not only what goes on at the parties but also what the guests are like. Fitzgerald also uses diction to convey exhilaration and excitement. Using these words show how lively and extravagant Gatsby’s guests experience at his parties. For example, he discusses how “the orchestra is playing yellow cocktail music” , and “Laughter is easier minute by minute, spilled with prodigality, tipped out at a cheerful word” (p. 39)(3).

Figurative language is used throughout the novel, and in this passage personification attributes human qualities to nonhuman objects to convey feeling and emotions. Fitzgerald describes the movements of one guest as she goes from the bar to the dance floor. “Suddenly one of the gypsies, in trembling opal, seizes a cocktail out of the air, dumps it down for courage and, moving her hands like Frisco, dances out alone on the canvas platform”(p. 39) (3). Fitzgerald uses personification instead simile to compare the movement of the gypsy’s dress to a trembling opal that appears to move as the light changes.  

Chapter 3 is devoted to the introduction of Gatsby and the lavish, extravagent world he lives in. The tone of Nick’s narration and use of imagery by Fitzgerald throughout this passage focuses on the gap between Nick’s perception of how the wealthy live and the reality of Gatsby’s world. Nick’s fascination with Gatsby and the parties he throws every weekend calls attention to the differences between substance and appearance. Nick seems conflicted by this world as he tries to get closer to Gatsby.