The Great Gatsby: Hollowness of the Social Upper Class Essay Example

originally directed at Gatsby. “’This is Slagle speaking… Young Parke’s in trouble,’ he said rapidly.

They picked him up when he handed the bonds over the counter. ’” (158) Tom is a major representation of dishonesty and the personification of old money and the old money way in the novel. Tom is living his own lie by being married to Daisy; he despises her and is having an affair with Myrtle Wilson despite his affectionate attitude towards Daisy, his wife. “’Neither of them [Tom and Myrtle] can stand the person they are married to’…’Can’t stand them. ’” (35) Tom’s dishonesty carries a ripple effect to those around him; many know the situation of Tom and Myrtles cheating affair yet decide to keep it between themselves.

Jordan baker, a good friend of Daisy’s refrains from even mentioning a word to Daisy and feels no shame in doing so. Tom is extremely self absorbed and goes with the mindset that everyone else is inferior to him. Tom is very boastful of his possessions, believing that the newly rich are merely bootleggers who have not worked for their money, which is the personification of the old money way. “I’ve got a nice place here; it belonged to Demaine, the oil man. ” (13) Tom believes that by stating the fact to Nick that his house previously belonged to a wealthy oil man will make it seem that much better and Tom feels that much more superior.

This superiority carries on throughout the course of the novel in such areas as Tom showing Nick the book written by a man named Goddard, “The Rise of The Coloured Empires”. This book states obvious

racial, white supremacist beliefs that Tom appears to find convincing and interesting. “It’s a fine book, and everyone ought to read it. ” (18) Giampa 3 In the third chapter of the novel, Jordan Baker admits to Nick that she is a careless driver. “’I am Careful. ’ ‘No, you’re not. ‘Well, other people are, they’ll keep out of my way…’” (59) Jordan mentions that she is comfortable with the carelessness in her driving because the other drivers will mind her on the road.

The mindset that Jordan Baker possesses indicates not only her carelessness in her driving ability, but also the carelessness of herself as a person through the absence of responsibility. This carelessness is a strong recurring theme among various characters in the novel. The carelessness and lack of responsibility of characters in the novel have a direct impact on the story’s plot as the triggering event for the downfall of The Great Gatsby.

Jordan’s confession to Nick foreshadows the death of Myrtle, who was killed by being hit by Daisy, driving Gatsby’s car ultimately initiating the decline of the climax and the beginning of the tragic downfall. The shallowness of Jordan Baker was the foreshadowing element for the tragic downfall. Daisy is the last piece of the character puzzle. Daisy is a very hollow and confused person. “Her [Daisy] voice is full of money. ” (115) Daisy’s life is exceedingly care-free and she is quite careless. It is obvious that by the pending affair between Gatsby and Daisy, that Daisy does not care when Tom begins to realize what is going on between them.

This shows how confused Daisy is when it comes to her

priorities and who she loves in her life. Daisy has always been surrounded by rich people; she was completely provided for and very well educated. (“Her voice is full of money. ” (115)). Daisy Giampa 4 attempts to act helpless in the situation between Tom and Gatsby and how they are both fighting to get her back. She is also careless in her driving as she hits and kills Myrtle in Gatsby’s car and acts helpless as she lets Gatsby clean up her mess, taking no responsibility for her own actions.

Daisy remains the upmost personification of carelessness and irresponsibility in the novel. The hollowness of the social upper class characters in The Great Gatsby can not be overlooked or underestimated. These characters are the idealistic personification of carelessness in society. The interactions portrayed from F. Scott Fitzgerald through his characters in The Great Gatsby display the carelessness, corruption, and dishonesty found in the social upper class and truly show how shallow they really are.