Old Money Versus New Money as Shown in the Great Gatsby - Essay Example

Old Money Versus New Money as Shown in the Great Gatsby Novel

Do you know that for American society of the 30s, the image of Gatsby was the same icon as Steve Jobs was in our time, or is Warren Buffett now? He represents the value of the old money versus new money, depending on the development of Daisys social preferences to lead the life full of pleasures. In this relation, F. Scott Fitzgerald uses options to show that material wealth and respect are values that may be even more adjustable to social realities with time.

  The book “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald uses a sense of the legendary and epic image of the protagonist in society. Therefore, we decided to develop the idea and found some useful tips directly in the book of Scott Fitzgerald. The story of the wealthy Gatsby is told on behalf of Nick Carraway, who is coming from the Midwest to New York, hoping to build a career there.

Nick makes acquaintance with his neighbour - millionaire Jay Gatsby, who has been in love as a fool with Nick Daisys cousin since his youth. Through the relationship between Gatsby, Nick, Daisy, and her husband, aristocrat Tom Buchanan, topics that are relevant for modern entrepreneurs today are revealed. Fitzgerald depicts the main character as a wealthy person, not a fool to understand that his capital is worth praise.

  How he made his fortune was a mystery to the many guests of his chic parties. And secrecy inevitably generates rumours for every fool. Following the plot by Fitzgerald, some say that he rose in the oil business, others say that he was a German spy during the war, while others are convinced that he is “the second cousin of the devil and killed the man who got to know about this.” Tom Buchanan, suspecting that Gatsby has an affair with Daisy, conducts an “investigation” and discovers that he made his fortune through an underground liquor trade. The main character, with all his ability to cover his tracks, was unable to keep the true source of his income a secret, and even beside Daisy, he uses “hooks” and “tricks” to attract her.

 Jay Gatsby hoped that by returning Daisy, he would be able to arrange "that everything will be exactly as it was." His motto is: “You can’t return the past? Why not? You can!". Unfortunately for him, the world and its environment continued to move forward. But he - no doubt an outstanding person - "squandered" himself in pursuit of wealth that would help him regain Daisy that he knew in his youth. When the owner of the gas station kills him, mistakenly suspecting him of his wife, three people came to the funeral: Nick, Gatsby’s father, and only one of the many guests. The past definitely plays a role in shaping the future, but there is no way to return to what was before.

Two key characters in the book, Nick and Tom Buchanan, the husband of Daisy, studied at the same university. "Suddenly" it turns out that Nick's neighbour, Jay Gatsby, has long been in love with his cousin. Are these coincidences more like book clichés than real situations? Nevertheless, the world is really small, and the world of the wealthy and successful is even closer.

Party guests, not even knowing the owner in person, like Daisy, were attracted by the image that he created for himself: an extravagant millionaire with a vague past. The rich person uses this image with the goal of showing Daisy, who aims at a luxurious lifestyle that he is able to give her what she wants. Thus, Gatsby brand is created to “sell” Gatsby himself. However, Daisy does not need the “new money” (after all, in fact, he was a nouveau riche) - Daisy prefers the “old money”, and therefore remains with her husband Buchanan, a representative of the “blue” blood.

James Goetz, the son of ordinary farmers, at the age of 17, took a new name, and with it, a new course in life; thus, appeared Jay Gatsby – a man who created a fortune out of nothing. Of course, the methods of enriching are doubtful, but he does not have to borrow the ability to benefit from any circumstances. So, after the war ended, he ended up in Oxford – anyone from the armies of the victorious countries could attend a course at any university in Europe for free – which in the future will allow him to appear like an educated person, rotating in higher circles.

Today's circumstances will not last forever. With the right motivation, we all can achieve any goals. Daisy's attitude to the concept of the “new money” is vague, and she tries to connect her expectations to reality by means of showing how she values “the old money” that are related to social justice and respect. She likes simplicity in feelings, although at the same time, she establishes relationships with Gatsby that represents the “new money” in society. Old money versus new money as shown in The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald erases an issue of comfort that ordinary wealthy people have been trying to exchange, so everyone uses it as they are, like Daisy. However, the currency conversion rate is high in both directions between the new and old money, like between different lifestyle where social settings are that much far from justice and truth that people can hardly realize that society respects the “old moneys” instead, as for example, shown in the image of Daisy created by Fitzgerald. Therefore, there is a weak social connection between the “old” and the “new” moneys, although both concepts are represented in the novel.

In his work, Fitzgerald uses literary devices to underline that both old and new moneys are not stable, although even Gatsby tries to get risen with the new moneys instead of the old ones. And even as for the social values, Gatsby is just a fool that dreams about Daisy's positive decision on their love affairs. Still, they are too little connected, and everyone uses the lifestyle that is common to each of them. Gatsby is a representative of the new wealthy generations, and he uses even more of his capital to let people gain trust and respect in front of him. Still, Daisy's choice for Buchanan is directed by the desire for stability and comfort, so she chooses the “old” money-making.