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Examples Of Materialism In The Great Gatsby

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The Great Gatsby critiques the wealthy by displaying their materialistic nature and being careless of themselves and others to demonstrate how wealth does not add to the quality of their character and leads to corruption. Materialism in The Great Gatsby is represented throughout the book, with each characters’ obsession with wealth, status, and possessions. "I'd like to get one of those police dogs; I don't suppose you got that kind?" The man peered doubtfully into the basket, plunged in his hand and drew one up, wriggling, by the back of the neck. "That's no police dog," said Tom. "No, it's not exactly a police dog," said the man with disappointment in his voice. "It's more of an airedale." Myrtle’s act of convincing Tom to buy the dog without a thought is to establish her relationship with Tom and her new materialistic nature. She doesn’t actually care for the dog itself, but what it resembles. Being in a secret relationship with Tom, Myrtle has new experiences with higher social standing people and events. Buying the dog then neglecting it represents the beginning of how wealth corrupts her. WHY moral sacrifices …show more content…

“It’s a bona-fide piece of printed matter. It fooled me. This fella’s a regular Belasco. It’s a triumph. What thoroughness! What realism! Knew when to stop, too — didn’t cut the pages. But what do you want? What do you expect?” Gatsby is a more complicated example of how wealth corrupts oneself. Gatsby displays his wealth for validation and love for Daisy, but he is no different from any other rich man. With his library of unread books, they serve as an illusion to lure Daisy back to him. Gatsby is very materialistic, surrounding himself with anything interesting in his home, whether it be people or objects to assert his image. Gatsby being materialistic somewhat corrupts him because he becomes more obsessive with Daisy.

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