Similarities Between Lewis Lapham And The Great Gatsby

Lewis Lapham stated that the “American faith in money easily surpasses the degrees of intensity achieved by other societies”. As time goes on, it has become apparent that “money means so much to us” but it is only paper and that in actuality it cannot bring happiness. In my opinion, Lewis Lapham’s take on the attitudes toward wealth in the United States are correct. Jay Gatsby from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and the rising rate of depression that is extremely apparent amongst the adolescent population both agree with Lapham’s opinions. In Fitzgerald’s novel the protagonist Jay Gatsby is a prestigious, affluent, man who doesn’t crave a higher sum of money, but in actuality he longs to return to his first love, Daisy. Unfortunately,