Comparison of the Homes of Characters in The Great Gatsby - Essay Example

Nick’s humility is presented in his house since he manages to click with the neighbors in an instant even though he is not in the same status with them. Clearly, nick is not the same as Gatsby. Nick can only manage to live in the shacks in this rich neighborhood where all the neighbors are wealthy and rich.

Gatsby is the protagonist of the novel. Gatsby is a puzzling, fantastically rich young man. Every week, his dazzling Gothic mansion in West Egg is the site of profligate parties. He lives a lavish life and the mansion is a true depiction of his character all through the story. Gatsby is a character that enjoys worship from the low class. He does not shy away from boasting of his wealth. Interestingly, deep in the story, it is evident that he is from an impoverished family in North Dakota (Fitzgerald 14). This means that although he had a past in poverty, he shies away from the real him through his ballooned ego. His neighbors nick and have a habit of standing on his lawn and looking at the mysterious green light transversely the bay. Nick befriends Gatsby in an effort to interact with the rich during one of his wealthy Saturday night parties. The difference in class and wealth is portrayed in the Gatsby mansion and the shack that Nick lives in. interestingly, Gatsby and nick share a lot of thoughts and ideas about relationships and love. Gatsby introduces Nick to his business partners although it sounds like a fishy affair.

Tom Buchanan lives in a mansion and he is also a rich individual in the story. The house he lives in is a depiction of his personality. He is from an immensely rich family and has inherited most of his wealth from his parents. His house is not in order and he suspects that his wife has an affair outside their marriage. He similarly has a ballooned ego just like Gatsby and when they meet, they start off on the wrong foot. The wealth and the big house are nothing to tom since he was born and bred in the same likeness. This is a different scenario for Gatsby who only acquired his wealth through his own means. The Buchanan mansion is located in east egg, a neighborhood that is for the rich. His mansion is depicted as dull (Fitzgerald 89). This means that he has insecurities about his elevated social status. He mostly has racist and sexist comments on many other characters in the story. He also has a bully character, which is embodied in the big mansion and extravagant life he lives.

George and Myrtle Wilson both live in impoverished neighborhoods of the city. Their house embodies their dreams and ambitions. It is a quiet house in an impoverished neighborhood in which George enjoys living and is content with this type of life. His wife, myrtle, on the other hand, is not content with this type of life. She hates her life and the whole neighborhood they live in. this prompts her to have an affair with Gatsby (Fitzgerald 123). She figures that through this she can have a changed lifestyle and move from the shack to a mansion. She believes through having an affair with a rich man, she can elevate both her social and economic status. The house the Wilsons live in is a true depiction of both the characters. The humbleness of the house portrays George’s character. The impoverished character is what drives myrtle to have an affair outside marriage. Their house shares the same characteristics as Nick Caraway’s house in west egg. The difference is that Nick is in a rich neighborhood while the Wilsons are in an impoverished neighborhood.

In summary, in the Great Gatsby, the houses portray the social and economic statuses of the characters. Nick lives in a shack in a rich neighborhood. He differs in social status from Gatsby who lives in a mansion. Gatsby is a heavy-spender who holds lavish parties every Saturday. Similarly, tom is a rich character that lives in a mansion in east egg. He enjoys the wealth inherited from his parents. Though he is also a heavy spender, he has some negative tendencies developed from his ballooned ego. Gatsby equally boasts and wants the low class to worship him. When they meet they start off on the wrong foot. They cannot have an amicable conversation since they both have ballooned egos. This is a true embodiment of both their big mansions. George, on the other hand, lives in an impoverished neighborhood. This prompts his wife myrtle to have an affair with Gatsby.