Examples Of Old Money In The Great Gatsby

The societal differences of East and West egg can be attributed to certain traits of characters in The Great Gatsby. People of East egg strive to reach the expectations of the American dream incessantly, while people of West egg have no need for wealth as they are born into it. People of Old money tend to be careless with their money, and see others as inferior to them, as the New money earns their money, while they inherit it. Generationally inheriting wealth versus accumulating wealth through work divides are prominent throughout the entirety of The Great Gatsby, through characters' actions and thoughts, notably through Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby. Both these conflicting characteristics of old versus new money lead to differences in perspectives
In order to fulfill his plans, Gatsby purchases a mansion where the New money live right across from Daisy’s place where the Old money live, believing he would be closer to her that way. A green light resides on the dock of the Buchanans’ mansion, and Gatsby “believed in the green light” as a guiding light leading to his goal (Fitzgerald 138). The green light symbolizes Gatsby’s undying hope and optimism of reuniting with Daisy, but does not realize it is already far away from him, and his efforts are in vain. Similar to the distance between Gatsby and Daisy’s houses, symbolizing how distant they are, time is also a factor conveying their unlikeliness of reuniting with the same passionate love they had before. After Gatsby and Daisy meet for the first time after five years, Nick attempts to persuade Gatsby to give Daisy space, as they are under different circumstances now, and Gatsby cannot expect to repeat the past. To which Gatsby replies incredulously, “‘Can’t repeat the past?.Why of course you can!’” (Fitzgerald
During the commotion about whether Gatsby is trying to steal Daisy from Tom, Daisy now has the decision to choose between Tom and Gatsby. However, Daisy thinks they are asking too much of her, and instead of choosing she reveals that, “‘[she] did love [Tom] once — but [she] loved [Gatsby] too’” (Fitzgerald 102). Daisy now wants both of them, and no longer has a problem discarding Gatsby because of his lack of wealth. Not only does she toy with Gatsby’s emotions, she also conceals the truth about the murder of Myrtle, which costs Gatsby’s life dearly. Everyone who witnessed the murder of Myrtle believes it was Gatsby who murdered her, and drove right past. Later on when Nick confronts Gatsby, and calls him out as a coward for not stopping, he admits that it was “Daisy [who] stepped on it,” and ran over Myrtle (Fitzgerald 111). She then proceeds to let him take the blame, knowing that he would willingly, even if she did confess. Not only that, but she also ignores him from that point and goes back to Tom, and his security of wealth, because Gatsby is now a