Great Gatsby Literary Analysis
Maria Alfaro
Mr. Del Muro
English 3, Period 2
March 13, 2013
The Perks of Being Old Money
At one point or another in life everyone dreams of one day being rich and living a life free of worries. Few ever achieve this goal and most come to look at it as nothing more than a fleeting dream forever beyond their grasps. It was during the Jazz age, a time when people had mistakenly believed that everyone could be rich, that the concept of “old money” emerged. Those born into wealth were held at a higher esteem than those who had struggled and worked for their success. In this time the wealthy spent their time entertaining high-class social parties, and playing polo in the summer. In the novel, The Great Gatsby, the Buchanans represent "old money" and as a result hold themselves superior to others despite not having worked for their money or status. As a result of his enormous wealth, Tom Buchanan presents himself as a man of the 'dominant' race and treats others as if they are beneath him. Early in the novel, Tom is discussing a book he is reading called The Rise of the Colored Empires and tells Nick and Daisy, "This fellow has worked out the whole thing- It's up to us, who are the dominant race, to watch out or these other races will have control of things" (Fitzgerald 13). Growing up with such a sheltered and luxurious lifestyle has shaped his mind into believing that he is superior to others because of his race. Like many people during this time who believed African Americans to be lower class human beings, Tom thought himself and others like him, to be better in every way. This misguided mindset added to his treatment of people. The people around him are always made acutely aware of his wealth as can be seen in the novel when Nick says: "His family was enormously wealthy - even in college his freedom with money was a matter for reproach-but now he'd left Chicago and...he'd brought down a string of polo ponies from Lake Forest"(Fitzgerald 6).
Mr. Del Muro
English 3, Period 2
March 13, 2013
The Perks of Being Old Money
At one point or another in life everyone dreams of one day being rich and living a life free of worries. Few ever achieve this goal and most come to look at it as nothing more than a fleeting dream forever beyond their grasps. It was during the Jazz age, a time when people had mistakenly believed that everyone could be rich, that the concept of “old money” emerged. Those born into wealth were held at a higher esteem than those who had struggled and worked for their success. In this time the wealthy spent their time entertaining high-class social parties, and playing polo in the summer. In the novel, The Great Gatsby, the Buchanans represent "old money" and as a result hold themselves superior to others despite not having worked for their money or status. As a result of his enormous wealth, Tom Buchanan presents himself as a man of the 'dominant' race and treats others as if they are beneath him. Early in the novel, Tom is discussing a book he is reading called The Rise of the Colored Empires and tells Nick and Daisy, "This fellow has worked out the whole thing- It's up to us, who are the dominant race, to watch out or these other races will have control of things" (Fitzgerald 13). Growing up with such a sheltered and luxurious lifestyle has shaped his mind into believing that he is superior to others because of his race. Like many people during this time who believed African Americans to be lower class human beings, Tom thought himself and others like him, to be better in every way. This misguided mindset added to his treatment of people. The people around him are always made acutely aware of his wealth as can be seen in the novel when Nick says: "His family was enormously wealthy - even in college his freedom with money was a matter for reproach-but now he'd left Chicago and...he'd brought down a string of polo ponies from Lake Forest"(Fitzgerald 6).