A quote that constantly kept flashing through my mind while reading the Great Gatsby was "Some people are so poor, all they have is money." Wealth plays a major role throughout the novel and is portrayed as something everybody desires. Daisy refuses to be with Gatsby when she first meets him because he didn't have enough money. When Daisy looks at Gatsby's beautiful expensive shirts she breaks into tears knowing that she could have been a part of his luxurious life, and displays her crave for wealth. Gatsby throws parties for hundreds of guests, but when he was murdered how many of his party guests or even his friends came to his funeral? ONE. To me, the most depressing lines throughout the entire novel was, "The minister glanced several times at his watch so I took him aside and asked him to wait for half an hour. But it wasn't any use. Nobody came" (182). Gatsby might have had money, but it shows he lacked caring friends and love. The woman he cared about the most didn't show any hint of emotion or concern when he passed. Also, a man he had spent much time with was Tom, who basically killed Gatsby himself, after revealing the car that ran Myrtle over was Gatsby's. This displays that money doesn't always make you rich, maybe dollar wise, but dirt poor of all the other great qualities of life, like family, friends, and love. This reminds me of a scene in the movie You Again, one of the characters Ramona accuses her friend Gail of being jealous of her wealth and accomplishments. Gail explains to her though, how her family is her accomplishment, not the amount of money she earns. Being rich can be interpreted at so many different levels. In Gatsby's case his wealth only hurt him. It may have attracted Daisy, but she still ended up with Tom. It is true that wealth can actually make you poor.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Truly Wealthy?
A quote that constantly kept flashing through my mind while reading the Great Gatsby was "Some people are so poor, all they have is money." Wealth plays a major role throughout the novel and is portrayed as something everybody desires. Daisy refuses to be with Gatsby when she first meets him because he didn't have enough money. When Daisy looks at Gatsby's beautiful expensive shirts she breaks into tears knowing that she could have been a part of his luxurious life, and displays her crave for wealth. Gatsby throws parties for hundreds of guests, but when he was murdered how many of his party guests or even his friends came to his funeral? ONE. To me, the most depressing lines throughout the entire novel was, "The minister glanced several times at his watch so I took him aside and asked him to wait for half an hour. But it wasn't any use. Nobody came" (182). Gatsby might have had money, but it shows he lacked caring friends and love. The woman he cared about the most didn't show any hint of emotion or concern when he passed. Also, a man he had spent much time with was Tom, who basically killed Gatsby himself, after revealing the car that ran Myrtle over was Gatsby's. This displays that money doesn't always make you rich, maybe dollar wise, but dirt poor of all the other great qualities of life, like family, friends, and love. This reminds me of a scene in the movie You Again, one of the characters Ramona accuses her friend Gail of being jealous of her wealth and accomplishments. Gail explains to her though, how her family is her accomplishment, not the amount of money she earns. Being rich can be interpreted at so many different levels. In Gatsby's case his wealth only hurt him. It may have attracted Daisy, but she still ended up with Tom. It is true that wealth can actually make you poor.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I really like your topic and how you expose the fact that wealth can make you poor. Nice post ! [:
ReplyDeleteI love your post Kim! I loved the beginning quote too where it says "some people are so poor all they have is money". Great way to start it!
ReplyDelete