What do you think of the view that obsession with money and the new consumer culture of the 1920s dominates human thinking and behaviour in The Great Gatsby?
What do you think of the view that obsession with money and the new consumer culture of the 1920s dominates human thinking and behaviour in The Great Gatsby? (21 marks) It can be seen that money and consumer culture dominates behaviour and thinking in The Great Gatsby. I think that this is the case because of Daisy's strong link to money, Dr T.J. Eckleburg and Gatsby's need to better himself. Daisy is an example of the obsession with money and consumerism when she is shown round Gatsby's house, "I've never seen so many beautiful shirts". She notices the expensive things about his house, suggesting that she is interested in having an affair because of his money and the status it gives him. Daisy and Gatsby were together in the past and before she hears Jordan mention his name she doesn't appear to have shown any interest in contacting him. She is also hesitant to go to Gatsby's house without Nick, who she then allows to leave after she's been shown around and seen what wealth Gatsby has. Gatsby associates wealth with Daisy, "Her voice is full of money". This suggests that Daisy produces a sense that she has always been provided for, and educated around rich people, so she speaks as they would, in a carefree manner that those who do not have a lot of money don't have. Thus making Daisy representative of money in the 1920s. Dr Eckleburg's eyes represent the negative effect
What literary techniques does F. Scott Fitzgerald use to present Gatsby's party in Chapter III of the novel.
Ross Leslie What literary techniques does F. Scott Fitzgerald use to present Gatsby's party in Chapter III of the novel The people of 1920's America often lead a very extravagant lifestyle, rich people often overspent in vast amounts, a term known as Conspicuous Consumption. This basically means the rich spend so much and waste their money to such an extent on highly expensive and pointless things, that it actually makes the less fortunate people living in their midst even more poorer then they already are. The richer people of 'The Jazz Age' often wasted time by simply lounging around and getting drunk, having nothing better to do. This was due to the fact that many rich people had more or less done everything that there was to be done and had achieved everything they wanted in life, therefore becoming bored with life, so they wasted their vast fortunes showing off with expensive merchandise, throwing lush parties and going out every night. However the vast amounts of spending through this time soon came to an end, with the Wall Street crash just as Fitzgerald had predicted. The chapter opens up with a very descriptive and detailed introduction given to us by Nick. He seems to give us a lavish description of one of Gatsby's summer night parties, Nick seems to be looking on from his house watching the party in his usual voyeuristic fashion. It's possible that he's maybe
