Role Of Social Class In The Great Gatsby

People are destined to be ranked into a social class. Social class is something, which one is born into, and this class cannot be changed. These classes begin with the low, middle, and high classes. Each class has different tiers, such as upper middle class or lower middle class. One might argue that the acquirement of wealth can change one’s social class, or that a person can learn to live like the class above them. These arguments are simply not valid. In the novel, The Great Gatsby , one of the protagonists, Jay Gatsby, was born into a poor family but became rich through shady circumstances. Even with his enormous wealth, he was still never integrated into the upper reaches of high societies. He threw enormous parties for extremely powerful and wealthy people, but

Nick describes his home as a “cardboard house” and how he came from a lower class family. The novel also explains how Gatsby is almost reclusive and stays away from his wealthy guests at his parties. While his reclusiveness is also attributed to his love for Daisy, he still has trouble engaging himself into conversations with his party guests.

Jordan Baker is another example from the novel of how social class can affect one’s communication with other classes, and how being in a higher class makes one look down on lower classes. In relation to having a relationship with Nick she is quoted as saying, “ I thought you were rather an honest, straightforward person. I thought it was your secret pride (page 178).” This points out the fact that even though Jordan and Nick were in a relationship, she still never fully respected him because of his lower social status. She was also offended that Nick was the first man to not fall for her