Nick's Use Of Materialism In The Great Gatsby

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When America exploded into the modern age post-World War I, it did so with tumultuous change in every aspect of society. An economic boom guaranteed rapid industrialization, increasing the standard of living and providing many Americans with leisure time to waste. Subsequently, America became a highly materialistic country, hiding its growing political and social unrest under a dizzying facade of wealth and escapism. This serves as the backdrop for F. Scott Fitzgerald's Modernist novel, The Great Gatsby, where he uses characterization, reoccurring motifs, and cultural symbolism to critique the superficiality of a society full of misplaced values and people wrought with a desire to find purpose. As a reflection of the society Fitzgerald sees, …show more content…

Despite living among self-made aristocrats himself, he separates himself from both the new money of West Egg and the old money of East Egg, viewing both from an outside perspective. This self-isolation allows him and the reader to view other characters as the story unfolds and pass judgement, a motif in the story. Nick claims to be "one of the few honest people that [he has] ever known," and "...inclined to reserve all judgements," but regularly comments on the moral corruption of the people around him, or their perceived flaws. By the end, he says that Gatsby was worth more than the whole "rotten bunch," casting doubt on his supposed reservation of judgement. As a character, Nick's personal feelings interfere with his narration. However, Nick is not the only one watching others: the billboard of Dr. T.J. Eckleberg stares down over the Valley of the Ashes, symbolizing divine judgement. Despite the billboard's inability to directly communicate with the characters, they react after looking at it. Its large, staring blue eyes possess "no face" and a "nonexistent nose," yet the billboard is capable of "exchanging a frown" with Tom Buchanan as he gazes upon the poor neighborhood with disapproval. Driving through, Nick feels as though the unsettling eyes are warning him of something. Indeed, George Wilson, the husband of Tom's mistress, discovers the affair she has been having and proceeds to lock her inside so she cannot leave. Desperate to escape her husband, Myrtle is killed by Daisy in a car she believed to be driven by Tom. Grief-stricken, Wilson attributes this capacity for divine judgement directly to Eckleberg: "'God knows what you've been doing, everything you've been doing. You may fool me but you can't fool God!'" Aware of the need for guidance in his life, George Wilson projects his desires onto the billboard. Believing Myrtle's killer should be judged and punished, Wilson

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