Similarities Between Myrtle Wilson And The Great Gatsby

The Great Gatsby, written by F. Scott Fitzgerald in 1925, centers around New York aristocracy in the 1920’s through the eyes of the narrator, Nick Carraway. It focuses on extremely wealthy characters who own enormous mansions, attend lavish parties, and revel in their achievement of the American dream. However, a Marxist examination of the novel reveals the consequences of this wealth, shown through two of the only characters outside of the bubble of fortune— the Wilsons. George and Myrtle Wilson, the tragic couple effectively destroyed by the end of the novel, represent the complications of capitalism and how they affect the lower and under class. This is demonstrated by their hopeless residence in the valley of ashes, Tom’s ability to manipulate

His wealth is a major part of his character. His first description states how “his family were enormously wealthy—even in college his freedom with money was a matter of speech.” (6) Being this icon of affluence, he is able to take advantage of those less fortunate than him, such as the Wilsons. They both see him as a way out of poverty, albeit in different ways. When Tom visits George in chapter 2, “a damp gleam of hope [springs] into his light blue eyes.” (25) He then inquires about the car Tom is going to sell to him, complaining about the time it’s taking him to bring it. To him, buying and reselling this car would get him more money, and therefore closer to the American dream. Tom threatens to “sell it somewhere else after all.” (25) Tom stalls the sale so he can keep coming back to the garage to see Myrtle, his mistress. He exploits George’s desire to get ahead for his own purposes. Tom also takes advantage of Myrtle’s dissatisfaction. Like George, Myrtle is trying to rise above the lower class. However, she tries to get Tom to buy her as opposed to a material object. At an impromptu party, Myrtle’s sister Catherine tells Nick how neither Tom nor Myrtle “can’t stand the person they’re married to.” (33) She informs him the reason Tom can’t leave Daisy is because she is Catholic, and therefore refuses to divorce him. Nick remarks, “Daisy was not a Catholic,

While not a common belief among modern Marxist critics, Karl Marx believed that the working class will suddenly become aware of their situations and revolt against the upper class, creating a society void of a class system. Although there’s no overthrowing of capitalism in Gatsby, its climax is an allegory of this theory. After Myrtle is hit and killed by Daisy Buchanan in Gatsby’s car, George tries to track down her killer, the owner of the yellow car. “He announced that he had a way of finding out whom the yellow car belonged to.” (156) Aware of her affair, he incorrectly believes that the owner of the yellow car is her lover, as well as her murderer. Thinking himself aware of how the rich and powerful Gatsby had taken advantage of him by seemingly having an affair with and then killing his wife, he murders him, taking his power and prestige; similar to Marx’s theory of the proletariat overthrowing the bourgeoisie. After destroying Gatsby and avenging his wife, he takes his own life. Tom, not knowing it was Daisy driving the car, is also under the impression that Gatsby killed Myrtle. “‘The God damned coward!’ he whimpered. ‘He didn't even stop his car.’” Angry at Gatsby for taking both Daisy and Myrtle from him, he doesn’t stop George from tracking down Gatsby; he lets him believe Gatsby was the other man. Tom possibly