The Great Gatsby Research Paper

During the Roaring twenties, social class was an important aspect of society. All different classes were for the most part separated by where people lived. In other words, by no means would anyone from a lower class be caught in an uptown setting. There are a variety of characters in the novel that come from different economic backgrounds. In the novel, The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald successfully uses location to differentiate social status amongst his characters while the weather and seasons of those locations help guide them. Each character helps represent and support the differences of social class and the four main locations, The East Egg, the West Egg, the Valley of Ashes, and New York City. In The Great Gatsby geographical locations separate social classes. East Egg represents old wealth. The characters from East Egg are wealthy but empty inside. Their lives are shallow and unfulfilled. Jordan Baker is beautiful on the outside but is only interested in cheating her way through life to get what she wants. The Buchanans look perfect on the outside but are dysfunctional on the inside. The characters in East Egg are arrogant. “Tom Buchanan is wealth brutalized by selfishness and arrogance” (Cowley 71). “Tom’s restlessness is an arrogant assertiveness seeking to evade in bluster the deep uneasiness of self knowledge” (Dyson 62). Daisy Buchanan is really only interested in herself and will use any means that will ultimately benefit her. West Egg represents new wealth. The characters that live in West Egg have made their money more recently. Nick Carraway is educated at Yale and starts a job in the bond business when he moves to West Egg. Nick is honest and listens to others’ problems. In the novel, Nick Carraway is always trying to help his girlfriend Jordan Baker. Her problems revolve around her cheating and being self centered. The characters can also find new wealth through desperate and dishonest means. Jay Gatsby gains