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Class Differences In The Great Gatsby

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In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald utilizes descriptive and minutely detailed language to emphasize the class differences between East Egg and West Egg, which inadvertently highlights the discrepancies between Tom and Gatsby. When describing where he lived at the beginning of the novel, Nick states “I lived at West Egg, the—well, the less fashionable of the two, though this is a most superficial tag to express the bizarre and not a little sinister contrast between them” (Fitzgerald 9). Off the bat West Egg is described as “less fashionable” compared to its contemporary, though this label is “superficial”. This immediate classification of the neighborhood's cues in the reader to the dynamic of Long Island- new money versus old money. This is exemplified …show more content…

I’d rather look at all these famous people in—in oblivion” (Fitzgerald 67). Tom is old money and does not want to be associated with his pastime as “the polo player”. This starkly contrasts with the new money celebrity culture that Gatsby promotes in West Egg. Tom would rather have his name speak for itself, whereas the “famous” people at the party use their achievements as social currency. Through this eloquently crafted scene Fitzgerald introduces a main conflict of the story: money and class status. Fitzgerald’s choice to have Gatsby use the phrase “old sport” is a prime example of this (33). The phrase has an old money connotation, yet is used by new money Gatsby. He postures as old money and puts on an elaborate front to impress. There is a crucial difference between the two: new money is loud and old money is silent, illustrated in Gatsby’s large parties and Tom’s intimate soirées. The author does this to showcase Gatsby’s main ambition is to secure enough funds to support Daisy’s old money lifestyle so she will leave Tom for him. But no matter how much he earns he will never be in the same class as Daisy. At the party, Tom says “I didn’t hear

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